Artwork chosen for Gulf Coast’s Balloon Festival

Morgan Arnett, a senior student at the University of West Florida, has had her artwork chosen for presentation at the 9th Annual Gulf Coast Hot Air Balloon Festival. The winning poster shows three large coloured balloons set against a blue background, one of which depicts natural beach scenes from the Coastal Baldwin area. Morgan is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, paying particular attention to printmaking and painting. Russell Moore, chair of the 2013 Festival, said:

“The artwork captures the essence of the festival and we are excited to share this beautiful rendering with the public.”

The Festival will take place at the Foley Sports Park in Alabama over the third weekend in June, where T-shirts and posters showcasing Morgan’s festival artwork will be on sale to the public. These can also be purchased in advance via the festival’s website, or by contacting the South Baldwin Chamber. The event will see around 50 balloon pilots from across the U.S. gathering to celebrate. The balloons are considered by organisers as flying works and are set to dominate the South Baldwin County sky during both of the morning launches. The balloons will take flight as part of night-time shows on both evenings. Entertainment will include food stalls, live music, animal areas, face painting, games and the Disc Connected K-9 World Famous Frisbee Dog Show. Tethered balloon rides will also be available to the public, allowing passengers to get a bird’s eye view of the festival.