Festival at Sandpoint Announces 2023 Poster Contest Winners
Tammy Zinke was selected as Festival at Sandpoint’s 2023 Poster Contest Winner.
The Festival at Sandpoint’s Fine Arts Poster tradition dates back to the start of the organization in 1983. What started as advertisement and fundraising for the Festival at Sandpoint has now become a way to showcase some of the community’s many talented artists to celebrate and publicize their work.
In October 2022, the Festival at Sandpoint altered the selection process to an open competition and began accepting submissions for its first Fine Arts Poster Contest.
The Festival at Sandpoint was overwhelmed by the number of submissions they received in the first year of the contest. Submissions were evaluated on multiple criteria: originality, creativity, execution, quality, demonstrated skill, and how well the art embodied the spirit of the Festival community in a creative or innovative way.
It was extremely difficult for the Festival to select just one winner. As a result, two winners were announced: one Fine Arts poster and one Series Lineup Poster.
Tammy Zinke, a self-taught acrylic artist, was selected as the Festival at Sandpoint’s 2023 Fine Arts Poster Artist. Zinke started her career 32 years ago in Sandpoint, not as an artist but as an upholstery artist opening her business Artisan 2 Upholstery. Having grown up on the Oregon coast, Zinke’s realistic and impressionistic style paintings are often inspired by the beauty of the natural world and the Pacific Northwest.
“I focus on the way the atmosphere enhances, moment by moment, the changing mood as light and shadow bring, right before her eyes, a vision of the next painting, another beautiful portrait of mother earth,” Zinke said. “It all begins with kiln-dried wood and cotton canvas. I build all of my canvases from scratch, so they are sturdy and tight.”
The winning art piece entitled “Harmonies in Nature” will be revealed on July 11, following the Festival’s Sponsor Appreciation event.
“This piece [‘Harmonies in Nature’] was inspired by the outdoor setting of the Festival at Sandpoint and William Shakespeare's quote, ‘The Earth has music for those who listen,’” Zinke said. “I strove to combine the musical spirit of nature with the musical spirit of the instruments played by humans. The Festival brings young and old the inspiration of music combined with the love of nature.”
The artist’s donation of this original piece is not only a tradition but a fundraiser for the non-profit organization’s mission. The original art is auctioned, with bidding beginning on July 11 and concluding at the Grand Finale performance on August 6.
Zinke can be found painting in her studio, T Zinke Art Studio, at 31827 Hwy 200 in Kootenai, Tuesday through Saturday. She encourages the public to come to browse her gallery of paintings and watch her paint.
Zinke’s online art portfolio can be found at www.tzinkeartstudio.com or on Facebook at T Zinke Art Studio.
In addition to the 2023 Fine Arts Poster Art Contest winner, Maximillian Bazler, a college student pursuing a degree in Graphic and Web Design from North Idaho College, was selected as the 2023 Series Lineup Poster Artist.
Bazler’s passion for graphic design began at a young age, as he found he could combine his love for creativity with critical thinking.
“At the age of 12, I started playing around with making photo edits on our family computer, and I have been hooked ever since,” Bazler said.
Bazler enjoys spending his free time running, paddleboarding, or hiking outdoors, and he often draws inspiration for his designs from the nature of Coeur d’Alene and its surrounding area.
“As an artist and nature enthusiast, I have always been drawn to the natural beauty of Sandpoint and the surrounding area,” Bazler offered as contributing to the inspiration behind his submission. “The breathtaking scenery inspired me to create a poster that captures the essence of the area.”
Bazler’s graphic and web design portfolio can be found at https://www.maxbazler.design/.
To learn more about the Festival at Sandpoint’s Poster Artist Contest or browse posters from throughout the Festival’s 40-year history, visit www.festivalatsandpoint.com/posters.