CAA Announces 2022 ArtsQuest Featured Artist

ArtsQuest, the 34th annual fine arts festival produced by the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County (CAA), is pleased to announce the 2022 Festival’s Featured Artist, Orestes Barrios Marañón.

A Mother’s Day weekend tradition, ArtsQuest is a juried show scheduled to take place May 7 & 8, in the Town Center of Grand Boulevard at Sandestin. Barrios Marañón’s custom artwork titled “Fable In Eden '' will be the featured image on all ArtsQuest marketing materials.

Barrios Marañón was the 2021 ArtsQuest ‘Best in Show’ winner. His featured piece, “Fable In Eden”, is a parody of fables and everyday life, creating stories with each of the characters that live in it. Color is an important and leading element in his art. His wide range of work will be on display at ArtsQuest.

Presented by Grand Boulevard Town Center, with additional support from Visit South Walton, the Florida Department of State, Division of Arts & Culture, and Emerald Coast Magazine, ArtsQuest will feature over 100 other artists in various mediums including, but not limited to, ceramics, glass, oil and acrylics, photography, sculpture, metal and wood. These exhibiting artists from around the United States will compete for awards and cash prizes totaling $10,000.

The Festival will offer heritage art demonstrations, a CAA member artist exhibit, a Walton County student exhibit, continuous live music and entertainment, and “ImagiNation: where kids rule.” A full cash bar will be available throughout the weekend in Grand Park.

ArtsQuest is part of Art Month Walton County, a collaboration of visual, performing and literary arts events presented in diverse formats and venues throughout Walton County in May. Art Month Walton also includes “Under the Sea” - a fundraiser for the Underwater Museum of Art, Digital Graffiti Festival at Alys Beach, the Longleaf Writers Conference, Music on Main in DeFuniak Springs, Sinfonia Goes Pop, Xanadu - a production from Emerald Coast Theatre Company, Gallery events and more.

Volunteers are needed throughout ArtsQuest weekend to work on all aspects of the festival. Those willing to help can sign up at CulturalArtsAlliance.com/volunteer. Sponsorships are still available, and interested businesses can contact Gabby@culturalartsalliance.com for more information.

ArtsQuest is a rain or shine event. The festival is open to the public, and a $5 admission donation is requested. Visit CulturalArtsAlliance.com for more information about ArtsQuest as well as other Art Month events, which are supported in part by Visit South Walton.

About Featured Artist Orestes Barrios Marañón

Orestes Barrios Marañón is an independent engraver, painter, cartoonist, sculptor, designer, set designer and children’s book illustrator. Born in Cuba in 1963, he studied at the Provincial School of Arts of Pinar del Rio from 1975 to 1979, specializing in plastic arts. Barrios Marañón graduated from the National School of Arts “Cubanacan” in Havana in 1983.

He has taught classes for 30 years and was also the Director of the Academy of Plastic Arts of Matanzas from 1999 to 2001. Barrios Marañón has received more than 20 national and international awards for his artistic work as well as various recognitions for his teaching, including the Merit Award for Teaching Work. He has had eight personal exhibitions for his art and participated in more than 70 collective exhibitions in Cuba, Canada, Germany, Argentina, Spain, France, Uruguay and the United States.