#ArtMatters Issue 7 - Fall 2024

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2023-2024

Become a Champion for the Arts!

The Cultural Arts Alliance has accomplished much in the past fiscal year, and we are grateful to all the artists, members, volunteers, sponsors, donors, and our board for theirsupport. The year was not without challenges and growing pains, but we are proud of and energized by the progress and impact we have made in our community with your help.

Along with producing annual signature events like the Flutterby Festival, ArtsQuest, and the Tour of Homes, and offering a robust schedule of classes at our Miramar Beach Creative Campus and Bayou Arts Center, the CAA hosted South Arts’s beautiful and thought-provoking Southern Prize for Visual Art traveling exhibition. The Foster Gallery outreach program expanded to the Coastal Branch Library. Our Healing Arts program grew to reach more underserved individuals in need. We deployed seven more sculptures into the Underwater Museum of Art. We announced our work with the Berkowitz Contemporary Foundation and St. Joe Company to bring the Longleaf Art Park to life. And the 30A Songwriters Festival, our largest event that helps sustain all of these important programs while bringing together nearly every neighborhood in the southern part of our county, had a 15th anniversary!

If you are reading this letter, you likely already understand the profound importance of these programs, and art in general, as a societal unifying force. You know that art is not a luxury but a necessity, and human beings have always created and needed art in all its forms. In our diverse, dynamic, and increasingly polarized country and world, the arts are a bridge that connects those with different backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences, fostering understanding, empathy, and healing.

We at the CAA have witnessed this first-hand through many of our programs, but especially with our Healing Arts program within Walton Correctional Institution (which you can read about on pages 24-29). Building upon the positive impact of our Prison Visual Art Program and through grants from the Jacarlene Foundation, Alys Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts, the CAA has been able to work over the past year with songwriter Caitlin Cannon and other artists to develop “Beyond Bars,” a prison songwriting and teacher training

program that is transforming lives and giving a voice to the voiceless. One student said that the class “made me realize the pain that I hold inside has meaning and can help others through songwriting, that no matter what you go through you are never really alone and that there are people who care about you on the outside.”

The governor’s veto of Arts funding in the state of Florida made a huge impact on the CAA’s ability to continue with essential programs and cross-sector collaborative partnerships that we have proudly re-capped in the pages of this issue and annual report. To make up, in part, for the lost state investment, the CAA has created a new level of membership giving called the “Circle of Champions,” and I invite you to be a part of this group of supporters.

Art is a universal language that transcends geographical, political, and cultural differences, and the Arts can illuminate what unites us. By investing in and championing the arts, you contribute to a more resilient, connected, and vibrant society. Whether through funding, attending performances, advocating for the arts in policy discussions, and hopefully, all of the above, every action counts. We need the Arts, and the Arts need all of us, now more than ever.

THAT’S A

11 Your Art Story featuring CAA Program Manager, Elise Gilbert

Walton County Tourism recognizes Sarah Page as 2024 Walton County Artist of the

LONGLEAF ART PARK

18 The St. Joe Company Announces the Longleaf Art Park at the Watersound Origins Community

FOSTER GALLERY

New Community Partners Announced

Supporting Walton County’s Creative Community

ART PROGRAM

Visual Arts & Songwriting Programs at Walton County Correctional Institution ART IN PUBLIC SPACES 30 Underwater Museum of Art,The Big Store, Walton County Fair Mural, U.S. Hwy 98 Pedestrian Underpass

OVER 30 YEARS OF FOSTERING CREATIVITY

700 MEMBERS

As the creative core of our community for three decades, the Cultural Arts Alliance is a Local Arts Agency that fosters creativity in Walton County, Florida through the inclusive and collaborative advancement of the Arts.

33

80,000+ Residents

5 MILLION Annual Visitors

* According to Americans for the Arts AEP5 calculator and a study conducted by Visit South Walton.

5,479

The CAA produces and supports large-scale events that provide work for over 800 artists and access, opportunity and education to the community while generating revenue for the organization.

171 Full Time Equivalent Jobs $9 MILLION+ * 50% 38,000+ 140,180 24,000+

study conducted by Visit South Walton in Jan. 2019

14,342 youth served annually

119,592 people served annually

8

Through advocacy efforts, support for the creative sector, and production of arts and educational programing, the CAA provides opportunities for residents and visitors to experience diverse forms of art and learning, connecting them to a broader view, critical exploration and answers only the Arts have the power to provide.

Creative opportunities for 1,709 artists annually

15 NEW murals

$850,000 to date granted back out into the community through Art For All Grants more than 1,494 opportunities for community participation

CONGRATULATIONS

VOLUNTEERS

Nearly 1,000 volunteers are needed each year to help the CAA accomplish our mission. Volunteer opportunities exist in many areas, from administrative to logistics to production and beyond. In addition to CAA’s annual signature events, opportunities exist throughout the year to volunteer your help with initiatives such as Art in Public Spaces, CAA fundraising, publicity, and art workshops. CulturalArtsAlliance.com/volunteer

TONI & MARK DAVID 2023 Volunteers of the Year
ANGELA SALTSMAN 2023 Arts Educator of the Year
MARY REDMANN 2023 Volunteer of a Lifetime
SOUTH WALTON ARTIFICIAL REEF ASSOCIATION (SWARA) 2023 Art Partner of the Year
ROWAN SAUNDERS 2023 Jr. Volunteer of the Year

OUR VISION

The Cultural Arts Alliance envisions a thriving Walton County where everyone experiences the power of the Arts.

OUR MISSION

To foster creativity in Walton County through the inclusive and collaborative advancement of the Arts.

30Avenue

30A Beach Girls

30A Company

30A Distilling Company

AJ’s Grayton Beach

Alys Beach

Alys Beach Foundation

American Songwriter Magazine

Americana Music Association

ASCAP

The Bay Restaurant

Beach and Brew on 30A

Beach Camp Brewpub

Beach Happy Cafe

The Big Chill

Blue Green Landscaping

Bud and Alley’s

Camp Creek Inn

Capital City Bank

Capital City Bank Foundation

Cathead Distillery

Centennial Bank

CHELCO

Coca-Cola Bottling Co.

Corchis Hospitality Group

Corcoran Reverie

The Corr Group

Courtyard Marriott Sandestin at Grand Boulevard

CPC Office Technologies

David Frank Furniture

Destin Jeep Rentals

Dive 30A

Driftwood Wine & Spirits

Dugas Family Foundation

Emerald Coast Storytellers

2023-2024 PARTNERS

Emerald Coast Magazine / Rowland Publishing

Enterprise Car Rental

Emerald Coast Scuba

European Co.

Florida Arts & Culture

Hyatt Place Sandestin at Grand Boulevard

Epic Western Fisher’s Flowers

Fonville Press

The Jacarlene Foundation

John & Nina Freer

Grand Boulevard

Grayton Beer Company & Taproom

Havana Beach Bar & Grill at The Pearl Hotel

Heart’s Bluff Music Publishing

Hibiscus Guest House

Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa

Hotel Effie

The Howard Group

LaCo

Laurel Machine & Foundry

Latitude Margaritaville Watersound

Latitude Margaritaville Latitude Foundation

Legacy Dental Studio

The Lodge 30A

Market 30A

Morning Star Foundation

Nancy Ellis Family

National Endowment for the Arts

National Music Publishers Association (NMPA)

North Beach Social

Northwest Florida Beaches Intl. Airport

Nutrl

Ocean Reef Resorts

The Odd Pelican Beer Company

Old Florida Fish House

Panama City Golf Carts

Paradise Properties

Premier Property Group

The Recording Academy

Redfish Taco

The Merchants of Rosemary Beach

Residence Inn Sandestin at Grand Boulevard

The Rosemary Beach Inn

Rosemary Beach Realty

Royal Destinations

Salty Beverages

Scenic Sotheby’s

Scenic Walton

Seagrove Village Market Café/Watersound

Village Market Café

SearchNexus

SEASIDE®

Silver Sands Premium Outlets

Spring Run Media

The Sound Wall / Opelika Songwriters Festival

South Walton Artificial Reef Association (SWARA)

Southern Tide

St. Joe Community Foundation

Shawn & Richard Tomasello

Touchstone Architecture

Truelio Digital Marketing Agency

Uniti

United Community Bank

Vacayzen

Visit South Walton

Walter Marine / The Reefmaker

WaterColor Inn

Watersound Fountains

Watersound® Town Center

MEMBER ROSTER

THANK YOU FOR SUSTAINING OUR CREATIVE COMMUNITY

SUSAN FOSTER CIRCLE

Jane & Steve Denton

Phill & Janice May

Joann Ribaudo & Kajsa Larsson

Joy Willey

Phill and Janice May

Jalyn Henton & Tanisha Carino

Pam & Billy Howard

Karen & Mark Edwards

Angela Jackson

SUSTAINER

Edwin Walborsky

Steve Spencer

Tom & Suzanne Watson

Nanette Ream

Jerry Heffel

PATRON

John & Jeni Burns

Mimi Gavigan

Miriam & James Dillon

Tom & Keesha Kerins

Dee Sakach

Lea Shuba

Ken Elsberry

Reedy Hickey

Amanda Hanisch

Ben & Rhonda Harrison

Rebecca Carter

Crystal Iversen

Linda Krikorian

Robert Slaven

Rebecca Mach

Kristie Johnson

Scott Provow

Kitty Taylor

Karen Peck

Yvonne Howell

Alison Etheredge

Joseph Mara

Suzanne Harman

Larry Williamson

CHAMPION

Sarah Mowell

Kim Polakoff

John & Deborah Love

FRIEND & FAMILY

Brian & Kelly Anderson

Kim Snow

Shannon Kramolis

Anna Creek

Jerry Hawken

Nancy Abraham

*Current Member Roster from Sept 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024

Bob & Debbie Krall

Heidi Maier

Lisa Schaaf

Vicki Lee

Michael Wright

Carla Barrie

Melissa and Walt Simpson

Christi Sheffield

Cathy Hunter

Dina Shoults

Patricia Witbeck

Linda Cunningham

Carla Koepke

Dayle Binder

Don Hudson

Cody Hundley

Maggie Dickhaus

Natalie Hayes

Dan & Ashley Hoey

Linda Miller

Christine Reese-Day, Robert Day

Denise Greene

Ryan Snow

Lisa & Woody Woodring

Sindi Hogenson

Yvonne Merkel

Christine Klas

Charles & Jacqueline Wheeler

Heidi Stenhammer

Lisa & Jason Martin

Lizbeth Benacquisto

Lea Shuba

Sabrina Oliva

Kevin & Noreen Dooney

SR. FRIEND & FAMILY

Patrick Lyons + Ann Lyons

Brad & Kim Riegel

Steve Wooten

Shelly Webb

Lawrence and Jennifer Mintman

Sydney Hiatt

Debbie Adams

Nancy Atchison

Jerry Williams

Barry Hogue

Patti Johnson

Gay Wolff

Mark Messerly

Karen Hassler

Lynn Nickell

Magan Bissonnette

Janet Fortier

Tess Cox

Betty Anderson

Bonnie Thornton

Barbara Kenney

Cole Jennings

Scott Provow

Diane Weickenand

Sallie Chester

Debra Taylor

Jenny Mitchell

Jennifer Rowe

Stephen and Holly Hilliard

David Grady

Catherine Hansell

Ann Lyons

Sybille Miller

Bob Eley

Roberta Evans

Morris Cohen

Ron Birkey

Pamela Richardson

Serena Robison

Kelly Buzzett

Joe Colantuono

Robert Elberfeld

Janet Thomas

Jamie Milton

Les Christian

Bette Appel

Janet & Mark Marsh

Daniel Randolph

Charles Paterson

Mark Allen

Deborah Brennan

Michael Nixon

Ellen MacKay

Alice Butela

Shannon Metz

Anne S. Andrew

Susan and Buz Livingston

Corinne Adams

Nicki & Mike Cyphert

Linda Yancey

Elisabeth Herndon

Joyce Wilson

Michael Fagan

Michael Wright

Philip Dupont

FRIEND

Alisa Ghazvini

Amy Wise-Coble

April Oliverio

Bonnie Louise Pastuszek

Cathy Hull

Chris Fields

Chris Heaton

Cindy Braaten

Dale Dalbey

David Griffin

Deborah Rejent

Deirdre Sanborn

Dianne Howerton

Jancy Cecil

Jane Savage

Jay Alexander

Jeff Hurst

Jennifer Bacani

Jennifer Cedarleaf

Jennifer Drake

Jocelyn Richardson

Johnny Crawford

Joseph Lashley

Joy Vota

Judith Taylor

Karah Fridley-Young

Karen Dewing

Kelly Kramer

Kim Mills

Laura Mccarty

Laura Mutter

Laurie Hutchison

Lesa Klein

Leslie Griffin

Liz Drogos

Liz Rowland

Lorenda Smith

Maggi Morgenlaender

Makenzi Hogan

Mary Dilley

Mary Ellen McDonald

Mary Heineman

Melinda Azar

Melissa Wheeler

Missy Ward

Nicolle Frick

Nina Freeman

Paula Mueller

Randy Hunter

Renee Phillippi

Robert Burns

Robert Stalder

Robert Touchette

Rosa Railey

Rosalyn O’Grady

Sarah Hanley

Sarah Rolfes

Scott Wright

Shelby Schuler

Sherri Marsteller

Susan Snyder

Suzanne Walters

Terri Valentine

Tess Cox

Traci Phillips

Troy Stone

William Babington

Zandra Wolfgram

Jan Stanko

Karen Jackson

Barbara Wheeler

Gregory Salesses

Judy Ruble

Deb Wegent

Connie Kemp

Barbara A Borden

J J Chambers

John Burns

Donna Sheley

Cyn Morris

Eric Clauson

Becky Steele

Donna Powers

Gaye Yaksich

Dorothea Berkhout

Debra Makar

Beth Hitchcock

Jennifer Carter

Deborah Rine

Kim Salesses

Demetria McNeese

Dana Allen

Hattie Kennedy

Holly Kaufman

Jennifer Clauson

David Garr

Jan Kubacki

Celeste Shipp

Alecia Adair-Foltz

Janis Biggers

Constance Spencer

Cindy Graham

Elizabeth Fanton

Cheryle Olson

Don Emond

Christine Gottfried

Karen Holland

Judith La Marche

Ginger Halbfoster

Elle Dannecker

Kevin Murphy

Andrew Reiss

Janet Henderson

Julie Selleck

Denice Knicos

Helga Letourneau

Carla Wertheimer

Debra Callaway

Bridget Duff

Gail Brannin

Gayle Bowen

Josann McKenna

Janet Lowe

Denise Mack

Carol Murphy

Kathryn Honea

Alexis Tibbetts

John Lebowitz

Lenore Taffel

Jan Poling

DeWayne Davis

Kimberly Burton

Janet Wallace

Brent Barriere

Jill Grimes

Barbara Suhadolnik

Leslie Wells

Leura Canary

Linda Kaye Moriarty

Linda Stewart

Lydia Bors-Koefoed

Marie Odom

Marissa Benton

Marjorie Levy

Mark Greenberg

Marsha Tisdale

Mary Beth Mendoza

Mary Breshike

Mary Butler

Mary Sue Clark

Mary Swift

Meghann VanderBaan

Melanie Roberts

Mercie Taylor

Monica Hartmann

Nancy Hayes

Nancy Strother

Natalie Hayes

Nicole Brueder

Pam Hutton

Pamela Curran Flow

Pamela GaVette

Patricia Robar-Stanley

Patsy Powell

Paula Milligan

Pete Sintes

Rachel Neumann

Rebecca Baker

Rebecca Hart

Richard Jaffe

Rick AaRon Diamond

Robert Mackey

Rosalyn O’Grady

Rosanne Painter

Samira Baker

Sandra Wyatt

Sarah Baker

Scott Rude

Scott White

Shannon H Schuler

Shari Coan

Sharon Long

Sherri McKendree

Steven Lipton

Susan Cole

Susan Dashiell

Susan Snyder

Suzanne Carnill

Suzy Delahunt

Tamara Annalora

Tamera Massey

Terry Blake

Theresia McInnis

Thomas Jung

Tom Clark

Tricia Everett

Vance LaVelle

Vera Comar

BUSINESS

The Studio Gallery

Mary Hong Studio

Gene Howard

Vincent Davis

Gay Wolff

Julia Vijacka

Watersound Fountains

Tinsley Hutson-Wiley

Melissa Brown Art

Marlene East

Lisa Waldrop

Mitzi Mayer

The Smile of 30A

The Owen Group Design Firm

Think It Wear It Express

SEO is Local

Salon Twist on 30A

Earl Bacon Agency

Gulfside Trail Rides

Central Square Records

BCF Management

Metamorph Blooms

The Zoo Gallery

Walton Funding

The Salty Sparrow

Pleat & Perry

Fusioin Art Glass & Fine Jewelry

Grayton Corner Cafe & Wine Shop

The Blue Giraffe

Atkins & Associates

Attorney-At-Law LLC

Florence Rogers Interiors

NON PROFIT

Rosemary Beach Foundation

Alisa Ghazvini

Sinfonia Gulf Coast

Shine on Living, LLC

Marlene East Glass Art, LLC

Emerald Coast Theatre Company

Watercrest Senior Living

The Repertory Theatre

Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation

Emerald Coast Woodturning Guild

Beach Art Group

JENNIFER

MEET THE TEAM

CAA STAFF MEMBERS

BOARD MEMBERS

Alexis Miller, Chair

Allison Wickey, Vice Chair

Kevin Dooney, Secretary

Tom Watson, Treasurer

Chloe Berkowitz

Russell Carter

Angela Fiorita-Day

Doug Foltz

Jerry Heffel

Mike Kerrigan

Nan Nagy

Jessica Porter

JoAnn Ribaudo

Shawn Tomasello

Karah Fridley-Young

Kara Wootson

GABBY CALLAWAY Director of Advancement
COURTNEY
MICHELLE TOUCHSTONE Director of Finance & Operations
LEE GREENE Director of Administration
PAM SINGH Program Manager
ELISE GILBERT Program Manager
ALLIE ANDERSON Director of Events
KATIE
PARKER MALONE Events & Operations Coordinator
BRAD STEELE Maintenance Manager

WHAT’S YOUR ART STORY?

We believe that everyone is inherently creative. We asked CAA Program Manager, Elise Gilbert to share her introduction to the Arts.

My art story begins as far back as I can remember as exploration and play. I grew up in Northwest Arkansas with a few years spent in Germany where we moved for my Dad’s job. Much of our past time as a family was spent enjoying the outdoors on camping trips or playing in the yard. At home I was frequently creating: whether it was making mud pies in my outdoor play kitchen that my mom retrieved from a curb or helping my dad with his latest project. I suppose I’ve always loved to get my hands dirty. Memories like these stand out in my childhood, when I could be free to use my creativity and imagination.

In elementary school I became fascinated by the artists we learned about in class, and would frequently “volunteer” to clean the paint brushes so that I could hang back in the art room for a few more minutes. I was lucky to grow up in a public school system where I was able to take art classes almost every year. My pursuit of a career in art is largely thanks to these teachers, particularly a few I had in high school who saw something in me and challenged me to develop my skills further.

After high school, I went to attend the University of Arkansas to study Studio Art and Art Education. This period in my life was immersive to say the least. And the sleep deprivation was real. Many nights and early mornings were spent in the studio on campus working on projects for critique day. As someone who has always somewhat enjoyed school, art school was incredible- each day learning about art and its evolutions throughout history, working with new materials and processes, challenging myself and exchanging ideas amongst other creatives on a daily basis. It didn’t take long after graduating to realize how unique this time in my life was and how irreplaceable it would be.

It is during this time in college that I took my first sculpture class and learned about all of the possibilities that the medium has to offer. Our first project, to create a true-to-life portrait bust of ourselves working from measurements and images, was a transformative experience. I recall spending days on end, becoming totally overcome by what was forming in front of me. With every pad of clay that was pressed into the form or carving taken away, I found myself both literally and figuratively looking deeper into myself. Soon after, I was exploring woodworking, metalworking, mold making and modeling, bronze casting, and more. I fell in love with the physicality of these processes and the tactile nature of the materials.

While art has always been a natural outlet for me, the path of becoming an artist has been anything but straightforward. Like many artists, I’ve found the journey to be evolving, messy, and at times, scary. With every personal growth comes an evolution in your craft, intertwined with the realities of making a living. But through this, I’ve learned the importance of patience, self-compassion, and trusting in my worth to keep moving forward.

Today, I live in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, where I work as an Artist, as well as Program Manager for the Cultural Arts Alliance where one of my areas of responsibility is leading art instruction at the Boys & Girls Club. This role allows me to combine my passion for the arts and education, working with artists in the community to help them achieve their goals and nurturing children’s creativity by helping them discover their inner artist.

Looking back, I see that I’m still that imaginative girl who brings a sense of wonder and play into how I process the world. Art allows me to interpret complex experiences and transform them into something beautiful and digestible. Through my work, I strive to interpret the world in ways that go beyond the senses, delving into the universal human experience- unique to each individual yet connected at its core. I’m fascinated by how we make sense of our existence and our relationship with nature.

As we grow older, we often lose that innate curiosity and sense of discovery that sparks learning in our younger selves. With my art, I hope to inspire viewers to reflect on their own relationship with the natural world and rekindle that sense of wonder. My aim is to remind us all of the beauty and potential for discovery we tend to overlook as we become more accustomed to the everyday, treating the extraordinary as ordinary.

See my recent work- ‘Sea How We Flow’ on display in the Underwater Museum of Art off the coast of Grayton Beach State Park, FL.

That’s a Wrap ON CAA

SUMMER EVENTS

6th Annual Dine + Dive UMA Fundraiser Event

May 1, 2024 • Grand Boulevard

The CAA and South Walton Artificial Reef Association (SWARA) hosted the sixth annual fundraiser event for the Underwater Museum of Art (UMA) featuring Cousin Curtiss.

This year’s event was an expansion of the former Under the Sea and featured more than a dozen tasting stations from area restaurants and celebrated chefs, more than 50 wines to sample as well as continuous live music for a truly immersive experience.

The UMA is the first presentation of the CAA’s ‘Art in Public Spaces’ program and augments SWARA’s mission of creating marine habitat and expanding fishery populations while providing enhanced creative, cultural, economic and educational opportunities for the benefit, education and enjoyment of residents, students and visitors in South Walton.

Several of the sculpture designs selected by jury for permanent exhibition in the sixth installation of the UMA were on display at the fundraiser and throughout the weekend during the ArtsQuest Fine Arts Festival before they made the journey to Orange Beach, AL to prepare for their deployment into the Gulf in a one-acre permit patch of seabed off Grayton Beach State Park. All event net proceeds benefited the Underwater Museum of Art. With the seven sculptures deployed August 2024, the UMA is now home to 47 original artworks 58 ft below the sea off the coast of Grayton Beach State Park.

Many thanks to our Dine + Dive Sponsors and Event Partners including: SWARA, Visit South Walton, Grand Blvd. Town Center, Florida Arts & Culture, Latitude Margaritaville, Seaside®, Southern Tide, Stinky’s Fish Camp, Bijoux, Cantina Laredo, Cinders & Salt, The Citizen at Alys Beach, Grayton Beach Catering, Great Southern Cafe, Marrow Chefs, Martinelli Family Winery, Mozey’s, Red Fish Taco, Roux 30A, Sonoma County Vintners Association, Surfing Deer and Swiftly

Catered.
2024 Dine +Dive UMA Fundraiser Event photos by Lynn Crow Photography

The 36th Annual ArtsQuest Fine Arts Festival

May 4 & 5, 2024 • Grand Boulevard

The 36th Annual ArtsQuest Fine Arts Festival showcased more than 150 local, regional and national fine artists in the North Park at Grand Boulevard Town Center at Sandestin. The event featured live performances, Art On Demand live learning sessions, great food, art demonstrations, student exhibits, and “ImagiNation: where kids rule.”

Many thanks to our Event Partners including: Visit South Walton, Grand Blvd. Town Center, Florida Arts & Culture, Chelco Operation Round Up, David Frank Luxury Swings, Salty Girls, Seaside®, Residence Inn Sandestin at Grand Blvd., and Emerald Coast Magazine.

The 30A Songwriters Festival Sounds Like Summer Series

June 13, July 18 & August 8, 2024

Watersound® Town Center

The 30A Songwriters Festival Sounds Like Summer Series featured free live performances from Alex Rogers, David Ryan Harris, Sarah Clanton, the Eliot Bronson Trio, David Borné, Caitlin Cannon, Wyatt Espalin, Jessica Sharman and Holly Williams as part of the unique arts and cultural entertainment lineup at The Pavilion at Watersound® Town Center.

Many thanks to our Event Partner Watersound® Town Center.

Creative Kids Camp at Bayou Arts Center

May 4 & 5, 2024

The CAA hosted 70 children during our summer Creative Kids Camps at the Bayou Arts Center. The kids were able to experience several different art forms such as acrylic painting, collage, clay handbuilding, mixed media, Craft and origami during the immersive art camps.

Arts Festival photos by Lynn Crow Photography
Photography provided by The St. Joe Company
Photo Courtesy of Walton County Tourism Department, Addison Haddorff

Celebrating Creativity

Sarah Page was recently chosen by Walton County Tourism as the 2024 Walton County Artist of the Year, an award honoring a Walton County artist whose unique artistic expression captures the essence of the destination’s renowned creativity and beauty.

Sarah Page

Artist Sarah Page is making a difference in her community. Since planting her roots in Walton County, she has been impacting public spaces by creating murals that balance eye-catching visual beauty and preservation of what makes these places special.

Her murals have been featured in locations such as Grand Boulevard in Miramar Beach, Wateround® Town Center Pavilion and downtown DeFuniak Springs. Her mural “Culmination,” was included inside the tunnel of the new Inlet Beach underpass part of the Cultural Arts Alliance’s Art in Public Spaces program, and the artist is excited one of her murals is featured at the Walton County Fairgrounds.

On her website, Page says she’s an “adventure artist”, and that “adventure calls us to take risks, experience new things and have fun.” She is no stranger to taking risks – leaving a full-time job in nonprofit marketing to pursue art full time.

Page grew up in Georgia, and in 2003 moved with her family to Santa Rosa Beach after having

vacationed there. She felt the call of creativity from a young age, and says she was always artistic.

Page credits her father, also an artist, with influencing her art by teaching her to draw, and she discovered graphic design while attending the University of South Florida in Tampa. After applying to the St. Petersburg Arts Alliance’s Shine Mural Festival, she became one of the 2018 open call artist winners.

Her work also connects her to the community. The mural as an art form can enhance a space and add new meaning and connection into the everyday lives of residents and visitors. Page acknowledges public art’s impact, how it can brighten someone’s day.

Learn more about the Artist of the Year program at WaltonCountyTourism.com .

“I think that’s what artists do,” says Page. “We’re able to translate our feelings into something that people can see and touch and connect to.”
Magnolia Mural in DeFuniak Springs
Photo by Alex Lewis

The St. Joe Company Announces the Longleaf Art Park at the Watersound® Origins Community

The St. Joe Company (NYSE: JOE) (“St. Joe”) announces plans by the Berkowitz Contemporary Foundation, an artssupporting non-profit organization, for the Longleaf Art Park at the Watersound® Origins community. The park, which is currently under development off Origins Parkway, is planned for 15.5 acres and will be open to the public once complete. Day-to-day operations will be managed by the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County.

The planned park will be anchored by the Passage of Time Pavilion, which will house the late artist Richard Serra’s iconic work Passage of Time. The 217foot long 540,000-pound sculpture constructed in the artist’s preferred medium features eight two-inch thick weathering steel plates measuring 13.5 feet in height displayed in a meandering parallel arrangement.

The planned Longleaf Art Park and the Passage of Time Pavilion have been designed by OLI Architecture in collaboration with Richard Serra. In order to create a destination that blends with its existing natural environment, emphasis has been placed on keeping all construction disturbances on the site to a minimum.

In addition to the Passage of Time Pavilion, the park will feature amenities including an outdoor event space that will host future programming opportunities. Meandering paths and boardwalks will lead visitors from a parking area through native landscape on a journey through carefully contoured berms surrounding a pond as they approach the Passage of Time Pavilion. The pavilion is designed to be entered from glass vestibules welcoming visitors to an intimate experience with the sculpture.

“The creation of the Longleaf Art Park marks the beginning of a new cultural era for Walton County and establishes the Northwest Florida region as a home and destination for artistic excellence,” said Jennifer Steele, President & CEO of the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County.

“The importance of access to a piece of work as significant as Richard Serra’s Passage of Time cannot be overstated, and the impact it will have on our local artists, residents, students, and visitors will be limitless and lasting for generations.”

Plans call for the park to be open in 2026.

Photography provided by The St. Joe Company

One thing is certain here at the Cultural Arts Alliance: things are always changing. This usually signifies growth, but it can also mean a pause, sometimes not by choice. This provides an opportunity to evaluate our programs and services for improvement, which can then lead to more growth and opportunity.

We have been fortunate to work with individuals and businesses over the years who have supported the development of many of those programs, including providing affordable brick-and-mortar spaces that have housed our beloved Foster Gallery. For the last two years, we have had a beautiful home at the Miramar Beach Creative Campus. It is with gratitude and also sadness that we announce its closing this month, as the building has been sold and will become home to a new local business.

The CAA will centralize its arts education operations at the Bayou Arts Center in Santa Rosa Beach. The studio and office spaces have been redesigned to accommodate the expansion of our pottery program and open studio, as well as our traditional visual arts classes and special offerings. Several improvements have already been made to the space, including new lighting, flooring, and power upgrades to support the additional ceramics equipment needed to meet the high demand for this popular program.

The Foster Gallery will be temporarily closed until we find a permanent location. In the meantime, we have expanded our partnerships with local businesses to provide spaces for CAA Member Artists to display and sell their work. These locations include the Coastal Branch Library, Emerald Coast Theatre Company, and the Point Washington Medical Clinic. Stay tuned for more exhibition opportunities as we add more community collaborators.

We are looking forward to the future, but we want to take this chance to honor our past and everyone who has helped us achieve our goals. We want to express our sincere thanks to the artists who have entrusted us with their work, the enthusiastic patrons who support the arts, our Board of Directors, and all who have visited our doors over the years to be part of the experience. We are especially grateful to Shawn & Richard Tomasello for providing us with the Miramar Beach Creative Campus space. Their generosity has enabled the CAA to increase artist involvement in the gallery, expand our pottery studio program, and extend our outreach programs. Without the Tomasello’s financial and in-kind contributions, we would not have been able to call such a beautiful space our home for the past two years. Their support has allowed us to grow and scale our pottery education program, fulfilling a significant need for 3D arts education. The Tomasello’s ongoing support as benefactors of the arts in Walton County is invaluable to us, and we are fortunate to have their trust and backing.

Thanks to our Director of Administration, Lee Greene, Program Manager Pam Singh, Lead Pottery Instructor Jessica Batson, and other teaching artists who have been instrumental in leading the MBCC operations over the past two years. I would also like to extend my gratitude to Donnelle Clark Reagin, Mary Redmann, Skip Deems, Mindy Moore, and numerous other gallery artists for their tireless volunteering efforts since the Foster Gallery’s inception, which have been crucial to ensuring its success.

Our educational programs have offered income earning opportunities for our creative community. Additionally, we were honored to be the Florida host gallery for the Southern Prize for Visual Arts.

While this pause is not permanent, it presents an opportunity for us to make strategic decisions about the future of the gallery, arts education programming, and methods to further engage with the community we serve. Thank you for being a part of our journey!

Visit CulturalArtsAlliance.com/foster-gallery to stay up-todate on future Foster Gallery Outreach Programs.

SUPPORTING WALTON COUNTY’S

CREATIVE COMMUNITY

The CAA provides funding and grants, organizes art workshops and classes, and provides exposure to the arts to local schoolchildren. Through the success of its events, the CAA funds arts education initiatives through its Art for All program, providing grants and scholarships that impact thousands of Pre-K to 12th grade students annually.

Art for All Funding

Funding is available for artists, arts organizations, teachers, and students through the CAA’s Art For All Program. Applying is easy, and awards are distributed throughout the year. CAA has granted half a million dollars back out into the community over 30 years!

Workshops

The CAA offers over 250 affordable art classes each year for artists of all ages and skill levels. From after-school and summer programs for kids to Oil, Acrylic, Pottery, Fiber and Watercolor classes for adults, the CAA has a class for everyone.

Creative Kids Camp

CAA instructors teach the campers how to work with a variety of mediums and use different techniques so each student goes home with a diverse portfolio of work. Daily and full week registration options are available.

Learn more about opportunities, visit CulturalArtsAlliance.com/artist-resources

VISUAL

PRISON ART PROGRAM

Bradley Copeland, began the art prison program at Walton County Correctional Institution in DeFuniak in February 2022, with a class of 12 men. She used methods and ideas she had developed from her own healing, and applied them to the weekly art classes, encouraging the participants to let go of any predetermined plan and allow the enjoyment and exploration of the process to guide them. There were 2 graduations a year, and the basic class led on to a more advanced class.

In early 2004 Bradley took a step back from the prison program but had already connected to Anna Balfour at a fundraiser for the CAA prison songwriter program at the Warehouses on 395; Anna facilitated 2 shorter art classes of 5 and 6 sessions each at the prison beginning in late 2003 as the art classes were in great demand, using Bradley’s ideas along with her own.

Anna and Bradley joked that they both felt ‘imposters’ as Bradley has no formal training like Anna’s, who is a Clinical Psychologist, and Anna is not a bona fide artist of Bradley’s caliber. And yet they were drawn to be involved in the prison with a desire to help the men to go deeper within themselves in order to grow and flourish, using visual art as the medium to go explore their inner lives.

Photos provided by Walton Correctional Institution

“This is hard. I didn’t want to try as I wasn’t sure what I was doing and wanted to get it right; we have to make sure everything we do is right in here ( the prison ) or there’s trouble. But I had to step out and try – and I’ve made some pretty cool shades. I’m learning that I’m not all bad. That I can do some things OK.”

Anna brings her own flavor to the program, but continuing with the same mission as Bradley: Through the medium of visual art, to use art techniques that illustrate some deeper truth of, for example, learning to trust and surrender and let go.

In the words of one inmate and participant, DJ knew that having..”an opportunity to dig deeper inside of me, through this program, helps me reflect on what led me to be here “. and studies have shown this is critical to reduce the likelihood of people returning to prison after release: To provide a safe space for the men to do that, to reflect where they are in the moment, find relief from a hostile environment and explore deeper truths about themselves to help them to grow to be the people they desire to be.

In May 2024 the location of the art program changed to being in the adjacent work camp, not the main prison as it no longer had physical capacity to host the art class due to new educators being employed and needing classrooms. A creative solution was found by moving the program to an adjacent part of the prison - the work camp, with its own separate dorms, canteen etc.

The work camp has around 150 men who usually have less than 10 years to serve; it used to be 3 years before release but with overcrowding in the main prison the criteria has changed. Some men are involved in work programs out of the prison but unlike the main prison, there are no program dorms where men can learn and grow or get educational opportunities. It therefore seemed serendipitous that the art program is housed there now, as it is a welcome break from monotony and boredom when there is little else to absorb their time.

Anna has now run a total of 4 series of classes up until July in the prison and work camp since November 2023 - with approximately 10 men in each of the 4 series of classes, and a total of 45 different individuals attending a series of art classes.

169 INDIVIDUAL CLASSROOM ATTENDEES

35 CLASSES

7.6 MEN PER CLASS AVERAGE

BEYOND BARS:

A Songwriting Prison Art Program at Walton Correctional Institution

Dear Reader,

It has been five teaching residencies, one teacher training and more than a hundred songs since I last wrote about my experiences at Walton Correctional Institution. I don’t think any of us expected to accomplish so many good things in such a short span of time. To quantify this distance, I’ll pick up where I left you last January. It was the first time I had helped deliver ten songs into the world at once! It was impossible not to care about them all because the students were so committed (no pun intended). Afterwards I was changed, inspired, really tired and eager to return. Each time, I did so intending to refine the program so that it could be its own midwife.

It would need to accommodate a range of styles and skills. It would need to be as inspiring to the experienced, as it would be educational to the novice songwriter. So, I put myself through the exercises that were becoming my system of songwriting checks and balances, to see if my own subconscious would reveal where there was need for further inquiry and examination. But, more like in the way one might trick oneself into exercising by putting on leg warmers and a sparkly headband. I don’t want to “intentionally heal’ anymore than I want to eat a gluten-free pancake. But, if it’s in the shape of Mickey Mouse or a cactus, that’s different!

One of my favorite teaching moments (hell, my favorite ever moments) was at the end of my second residency when a return student, Derick Rice a.k.a Rockstar, handed me a piece of paper to ‘tear apart’ in front of the class. And that’s hard! I can’t think of many things that are as difficult as offering up a delicate new-born creation for some constructive criticism. I’ve known grown men who would rather give birth. But, “Okay,” I said. “I’m not going to take it easy on you just because you are a marginalized people.” We proceeded in good nature.

The song told of a woman, a needle and a spoon, before launching into a catchy chorus about his leaving that life behind for Arizona, Oklahoma (and somewhere else I can’t remember because I was stuck back on that whole needle/ spoon thing). A classic case of Chekhov’s gun. I explained the principle that if there is a pistol hanging on the wall in the first act (or verse in our case) then it must go off by the third, if not the second. “You can’t give me a needle and a spoon in the first verse, then bail and never take me back there to find out if she OD’d!” I sad. I told him I felt he had two songs here— one was ready for country radio, and the other was the one I was really interested in.

Photos provided by Walton Correctional Institute

His response, “Well, I knew you were going to say that Ms. Caitlin, so I wrote this song, too.” He handed me another piece of paper which read:

Everything I’m Not By Derek Rice

There’s a hole in my heart

There’s a hole in my arm

And I use to try and fill it

With a needle in a car

Things got kinda sketchy

Back when we got heavy

Though we both had a part

In that little gray chevy

It’s been ten years since I felt the freedom of an open road I’m wiser from the time but it’s taken its toll I’ve been doing a lot making the best of what I’ve got And I hear you’re doing everything I’m not

I thought I was Michelle Pfeiffer in Dangerous Minds! Derek pruned away some of the cleverest and catchiest parts of his song that were distracting from his revelation. He listened for a deeper truth and pulled it through the static. Whenever I repeat his words to others, I love to watch them hit. To see them land on a listener with such profound impact is very satisfying. He is really communicating (despite a few missing teeth)!

When word got out a mean teacher lady was ripping songs to shreds and telling their authors they could only keep a confetti’s worth of what they had, more signed up for ‘the healing’. This effected me, because I knew they weren’t craving punishment. Perhaps it was more to do with someone expecting a level of excellence from them, and

their choosing to rise to the occasion. There were instances I’m sure I would’ve given up at my own suggestions, but these particular students would come to class on a few hours sleep, glowing with the satisfaction of having found the words just there on the other side of their resistance.

By my third residency, I had a big stack of really wonderful, inventive, moving songs. So good, I asked for permission to use them as teaching aides, to help explain metaphor, double entendre (etc., etc.) to future students who might better relate to these guys than to Bob Dylan.

In his song I Am My Brother’s Reaper, Chico Jay used the parable of Caine and Able to express remorse for having ‘taken his brothers life’ (as they both received life sentences for the crime he himself committed).

I had also begun to integrate some grounding meditations (known as ‘circle work’) into my classes. I had observed the efficacy of this at a songwriting retreat for veterans called Reveille, guided by Phoebe Hunt. Phoebe was in the process of creating a program to teach songwriters how to ‘hold space’ for the purpose of leading workshops. With dreams of expansion, a collaboration seemed kismet.

Thanks to the CAA, I have never been at the helm of something that came together so effortlessly. In August, Phoebe and I were joined by four songwriters (Dave and Anna Borné, Jessica Sharman, and Wyatt Espalin) who came to learn by doing the program they baptized “Beyond Bars”. I was nervous to find out how the lessons would land on my songwriting peers—if it would be challenging, or interesting or coherent enough. I don’t know, but the songs that Jessica, Wyatt, Dave and Anna wrote that week are among some of the most impactful I’ve ever heard. I’ll suppose, that beyond a songwriter’s loyalty to his or her own craft, the accountability felt towards some very dedicated, incarcerated students was considerably motivating. With more hands on deck, we were able to open the class to more inmates who could receive greater benefit from a variety of talents and perspectives beyond my own.

While they tease the class oughta be called ‘trick therapy’, I substantiate that we are not therapists. We are songwriters who teach from our personal experiences writing and making music. It’s another reason I hoped to create a system that would allow enough autonomy for each participant to mitigate the gravity of their own exploration. While I’ve begun to trust my instincts as to when a writer may need a bit of a push, or a bit of permission, there are times I’ll suggest putting a lyric ‘in code’, understanding that being so transparent about past trauma could jeopardize an inmate’s safety. I am always moved when they tell me they would rather write the truth, and I would not deny them the relief I know can come from that. This time, I had five other incredibly compassionate songwriter’s to rally support around our brave group.

Pictured: Jessica Sharman with WCI residents

Phoebe helped mentor Bradley A. Pitts, a.k.a Ford, who had never written a song before. Here is an excerpt from Hard Love which he performed at our final concert:

Hard Love by

Sprained wrist, black eyes, lawnmower belts

Water hose, drop cords, I went through hell

Belt buckles, bare knuckles, hickeys on my neck

Broken glass, broken ribs, really what the heck

What did I do wrong to deserve this Does this life have any purpose

Beer Bottles, ash trays, cigarette burns

Metal wire, fly swatter, guess love hurts

Broken boys, broken toys, broken tv screens

Mom didn’t hear me when I screamed Is this really what love is Does my life have any purpose

When the concert was over, multiple audience members thanked him for his courage and asked how they could join the class. I also felt an overwhelming sense of appreciation, knowing there are parts of my own history I’m not ready to probe with a pen. But, because I’ve made enough of my own bad choices in response to my unacceptable trauma, I believe the unhealthiest parts of our society will remain sick as long as they are considered to be taboo.

I tell people that this work has made me grateful, but not for the reasons I expected it would. I thought I would compare myself to these men and feel better about my own life. But, that isn’t how it happened. Each day after I class, I’d leave the prison and take a short drive to Santa Rosa Beach. I’d

walk along the shoreline, breath in the salty air and still find it completely possible to feel sorry for myself. The reason this work makes me grateful is because they are grateful. They are truly grateful in spite of their circumstances, which are not at all comfortable and perceivably hopeless in some cases. So, we are teaching them songwriting things, and they are teaching us that!

I can’t easily explain what is happening at WCI, or why or how, but I can assure that it is rare. When Jennifer Steele shared her vision for the Prison Art Program with me over our first coffee in ’23, I had to squint. But the CAA has rallied behind us at every turn, and WCI has welcomed every residency, and great possibilities are becoming more and more vivid. I don’t have a word to express how it feels to be partnering with an organization that is so committed to forwarding art for it’s rehabilitative potential. To think that Beyond Bars could made available to every inmate in Walton County, that trainee’s could return as instructors on a seasonal basis, that trainings could be made possible for other songwriters who would be impassioned by this work, and that the program could ultimately be available anywhere there is a need, is really, really something.

Each time I travel between Nashville and Walton County, I try and visit my brother who is serving out a life sentence at an Alabama State Prison. My brother is a very good songwriter. He writes rap songs. But unlike me, he is a private person and keeps these mostly to himself. I was excited to perform my first rap for him at our last visit (a song ‘Cheese’ had challenged me to write called “Chain Gang Slang” as retribution for forcing them all to learn ‘Nashville form’. Ha!)

I also wanted to get my brother’s take on the phenomenon I thought I might be witnessing. I told him about a man named Anthony, a.k.a Ant, a sweet soul with more than a few decades of prison life behind him. He had read a short story, entitled “Sunset”, from the perspective of a young boy, looking at a blood red sky through the window that remained in his view,

Battle Scars by Shane

Let me tell you about the story of my battle scars

Let me tell you about my pain, hurt, and turmoil

Let me tell you about the story of my family

And then let me tell you how I finally won the victory

See, my grandpa was a drunk, an abuser, and a rager

Put a gun in grandma’s face, said he was gonna erase her

If it wasn’t for my daddy, then my grandma would be gone

Instead, he was in the room with my grandpa all alone

When he sat down on the bed, and he took the gun in hand

Looked my daddy in the face, and this is what he said

He said you want your mom to live, then son, this is what you get

He put the pistol to his temple and that’s how grandpa went

Now, I know you can guess how much my daddy was scarred

Twelve years old, all alone, papa’s blood on the walls

I think that was the day that my daddy’s dreams died

As his heart closed up and tears fell from his eyes

There would never be a day when I saw my father smile

Not when he made a million, not when he walked the aisle

Not the day he went to prison, not the day that he got out

Not the day he vanished from the earth, a pistol in his mouth

And so the scars of generations were passed right on to me

As I was sitting in a jail at the age of seventeen

As I was looking at the chair, or a life behind the walls

I was looking at a future that had no hope at all

So, that’s the source, the source of my battle scars

That’s the curse passed to me from my father’s father

That’s the source of my family’s pain and misery

But the Lord declared that those scars would not define me

There’s no scars in my heart, now, my life’s clean

There’s no past I’m running from, I’m a new me

There’s no regret, my life is made anew

And my Lord will do it all for each and every one of you.

moments after his father took his own life. Our young Ford (who had still not written a song yet) thanked him for his courage, admitting that, while he felt compelled, he was afraid to look that closely at past. My brother then surprised me with a song he had written that week. A song that’s potency and lack of randomness has me convinced there is some greater force behind the organization of all of this. He gave me his blessing to share it with students at WCI.

In closing, the need is everywhere.

Love, Caitlin

Pictured: Dave and Anna Borné and Jessica Sharman
Pictured: Caitlin Cannon and Phoebe Hunt
Pictured: Wyatt Espalin

PUBLIC SPACES ART IN

Seven New Sculptures Added to Nation’s First Underwater Museum of Art

On August 8, more than 75 onlookers, including several of the artists and project partners, were on site to view the historic deployment of seven new sculptures into the nation’s first permanent Underwater Museum of Art (UMA) in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Grayton Beach State Park.

The 2024 installation includes the following pieces of sculpture: Reef Goddess By Raine Bedsole (Santa Rosa Beach, FL), Deep Sea Three by Matthew Gemmell and David Showalter (Baltimore, MD), Sea How We Flow by Elise Gilbert (Santa Rosa Beach, FL), Poseidon’s Throne by Nathan Hoffman (Highlandville, MO), Bubby Barnacles by Donna Conklin King (East Orange, NJ), Sunken Spores by Ashley Rivers (Gulfport, FL), and Ring My Bell by Bradley Touchstone (Santa Rosa Beach, FL). This year, the team was able to expand the livestream event to include a host to share valuable insights during all of the action to the UMA website and it is still available for viewing at umafl.org.

Bubbly Barnacles by Donna Conklin King
Left: UMA Artists Donna Conklin King and Elise Gilbert watch as their sculptures are lowered into the Gulf of Mexico.
Photo by Spring Run Media
Deployment Photos by Josh Thurber , Love is Wild

The Big Store Beautification Project with Main Street DeFuniak Springs

The CAA recently partnered with Main Street DeFuniak Springs to create a new art experience to celebrate the history of The Big Store on Baldwin Avenue in downtown DeFuniak Springs. Local graphic artist Kelsey Kelly of Pinewood Studios created a vinyl window wrap that has been installed on existing windows as a source of education and inspiration. The new mural was revealed and the ribbon cut during the recent Art on Baldwin event on August 23.

The mural is a new installation for the CAA’s growing Art in Public Spaces program which is designed to foster collaboration, celebrate community, encourage tourism, promote exploration, stimulate the economy, and enhance the physical environment as well as the unique culture and beauty of Walton County.

Top photo (L to R) are: Josh Ervin (CRA Director), Amanda Bierbaum (MSDFS Board President), Bailey Rushing (MSDFS Board Member), Rachel Conort (MSDFS Director), Kelsey Kelly (Pinewood Studios), Courtney Malone (CAA), Katie Witherspoon (CAA), Kendra Parson (MSDFS Board Member).

Mural Commissioned to Celebrate Walton County Fairgrounds Centennial

Local artist Sarah Page has been selected from the CAA’s pre-vetted Public Artist Directory and commissioned to create a vibrant large-scale mural at the Walton County Fairgrounds located at 790 N. 9th Street in DeFuniak Springs. With support from the Walton County Tourism Department, the CAA partnered with the Walton County Fair Board to produce this installation as part of the fair’s upcoming Centennial Celebration.

Measuring 72 ft wide x 10.5 ft high, the original work will serve as a backdrop on the south, arena-facing wall near the agricultural and livestock exhibits where it can be enjoyed and photographed by attendees of the fair and other events. The mural will serve as a colorful representation of the rich agricultural heritage and vibrant arts in our community.

Established in 1924, the fair has been a cornerstone of Walton County, offering a platform for individuals of all ages to showcase their talents and skills. The CAA also sponsors several fair awards, including the Walton County Student Art Exhibit.

For more information about the Walton County Fair, visit WaltonCountyFair.com

Photos by Lacey Drake courtesy of Main Street DeFuniak Springs
Photo Courtesy of Walton County Tourism Department, Addison Haddorff

10 Murals Installed In U.S. Highway 98 Pedestrian Underpass

Original murals commissioned and created by 10 local artists were recently installed on the walls of Walton County’s first pedestrian underpass at U.S. Highway 98 in Inlet Beach, which opened to the public over Labor Day weekend. The 136-foot-long underpass frames the east end of Walton County at the high-traffic corner of Hwy. 98 and County Hwy. 30A, both designated scenic corridors.

The installation includes artworks by Francisco Adaro, Katherine Boggs, Heather Clements, Bradley Copeland, Olga Guy, Wes Hinds, Sarah Page, Andy Saczynski, Andrea Scurto and Lindsay Tobias. Artists were selected from the CAA’s pre-vetted Public Artist Directory and each created a mural measuring 20 ft wide x 8 ft high.

The public art component is part of the Florida Department of Transportation’s greater $5.6 million Underpass project and was created in collaboration with Scenic Walton, Walton County Board of County Commissioners, and Walton County Tourism Department. Additional support was provided by the National Endowment for the Arts, St. Joe Community Foundation, Rosemary Beach Realty, Market 30A, 30A. com, Morning Star Foundation, 30Avenue, Howard Group, and John & Nina Freer and John Paulson Family.

Phoning Home by Bradley Copeland
Photos by Kurt Lischka, SoWal.com
Untitled by Andi Scurto
Local Love by Heather Clements
Tangled by Lindsay Tobias

Partner Spotlights

30Avenue is the premier lifestyle center functioning as the Gateway to 30A® and the community center for Inlet Beach since its opening in 2015. 30Avenue management participated as a partner with other community members to build the pedestrian underpass with a primary goal of safely crossing Highway 98, but also to continue the standard for architectural beauty, aesthetically pleasing landscape, and artistic interest - partnering with the Cultural Arts Alliance and Scenic Walton has been key for those aspects.

Having the underpass filled with colorful murals turns an afternoon stroll or bike ride into a fabulous imaginative journey of happy images, an array of color, and unparalleled interest in a covered and protected space. Residents and tourists alike will enjoy a beautiful art gallery created just for them. 30Avenue is the proud sponsor of the “FishEye” mural, created by talented artist Katherine Boggs. Seeing life through the eye of a fish is a whimsical nod to our great respect for our beloved wildlife and beaches. What a great opportunity the tunnel is to surround ourselves with such beautiful creative energy!

30Avenue is very proud to have participated in the vision, creation, and completion of this premier pedestrian tunnel and looks forward to continuing the enhancement of Life on 30A!

thirtyavenue.com

In 2012, I initiated a project aimed at improving safety all while enhancing the pedestrian pathways and landscaping around 30A and US 98. Our goal was to provide “safe passage” for everyone.

My commitment to making a positive impact inspired collaboration with fellow community members, leading us to work alongside Walton County and the State of Florida

to secure approval for the installation of a pedestrian tunnel beneath US 98.

Years later, we are thrilled to present a gateway that embodies both safety and beauty for all who live, visit, and work in our communities along 30A.

The addition of wall “art” in the tunnel serves to connect us in our unique ways and what better way to unite our community than through the vision of the mural I chose. It symbolizes that all living beings must strive and ascend the ladder to reach the stunning blue skies above the beautiful beaches and lush landscapes of 30A.

- John Freer

Thank you to the Freer and Paulson Families for their continued support in our community.

Since 2014, Scenic Walton has taken a leadership role in advancing the underpass project, alongside key safety and beautification improvements in the area. For the past decade, we’ve worked closely with FDOT, Walton County, and community leaders to bring this project to life. A core focus for us has been improving cyclist and pedestrian facilities countywide, and this underpass, along with nearby multiuse path enhancements, marks our most significant achievement to date.

We’re particularly proud of this project because of its life-saving potential. The fact that it’s also aesthetically stunning is an added bonus. To enhance its beauty further, we sponsored a mural, inviting our followers to participate. When we explored ways to make using the underpass more than just a way to get from one place to another, public art immediately rose to the top as an important way to accomplish this. We believe the public art component is crucial, making the underpass more inviting and increasing its use. This mural, by Sarah Page and in partnership with the CAA, transforms the underpass into an experience, symbolizing our shared connection as we safely cross US 98.

scenicwalton.org

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