Shillingburg Wins Seafood Festival Poster Contest for 4th Consecutive Year

     Destin, FL, July 19 - Local watercolor artist Judy Shillingburg is the winner of the Destin Seafood Festival Poster Contest for the fourth consecutive year.

     Chosen by the Destin Charter Boat Association, the Seafood Festival Committee, Corporate Seafood Festival Sponsor Legendary, Inc., and the Destin Area Chamber Board of Directors and staff from among six entries, the winning entry was painted onto a 29-year-old chart map of the Destin area to celebrate the contest theme ’29 Years of World-Class Tradition.’

     Shillingburg has painted on chart maps for many clients and had just bought a large quantity of old maps when the call to artists was issued. She found the one that said 1978, which was the first year the festival was held, and knew it was a perfect fit for the artwork.

     “I took the chart of Destin and painted on top of it what was always there – the pelicans, Crab Island,” explained Shillingburg.      The discoloration due to the chart’s tattered edges caused Shillingburg to use colors outside of her normal range, but that turned out to be a wonderful effect.

     “Those colors reflect so nicely with the water on the chart,” said Shillingburg.

     The 29th Annual Destin Seafood Festival will be held at the Morgan Sports Center on Oct. 5-7, 2007. This year’s headliners include Telarc Recording Artist Tab Benoit on Friday night and a headliner triple shot on Saturday with Ambrosia, Atlanta Rhythm Section, and Mark Farner, formerly of Grand Funk Railroad. Nine local seafood restaurants, including The Back Porch, Café Grazie, Emerald Grande Vista Bar & Grill, Fisherman’s Wharf, Landry’s, Louisiana Lagniappe, Pompano Joe’s, Rutherford’s 465, and Tony’s Ristorante, will serve favorite dishes. Stay tuned to www.DestinSeafoodFestival.org for more information.

     For information on how to contact Shillingburg or obtain a poster, please call (850) 837-7839 or visit www.DestinArt.com.