Trails West! ® Chooses Artwork to represent “heART for the City”
The Allied Arts Council is proud to announce the winner of the 2015 Trails West!® Artwork Competition, Ryan Sowers. With more than 80 submissions, Sower’s artwork stood out among many great entries and was selected to embody the festival theme“heART for the City.”
“I created the heART for the City illustration by examining the personality and history contained within the buildings and landmarks of St. Joseph,” said Sowers. “I chose a simplified hand-drawn quality to evoke the idea of each building and place. Through this style, I wanted to create the feeling that while these places and structures are important to the overall character of the city, what really matters is the people and memories we associate with them.”
Sowers is a Kansas City based artist and illustrator who “enjoys old bicycles, good sandwiches, and goofy adventures with friends.” He grew up right outside Wichita, KS and attended the University of Kansas where he received a degree in Illustration and Art History.
“Art can work to encapsulate these feelings and present familiar objects and renewed perspective. My hope is that this work combines the concepts of character and history in the city of St. Joseph with the people that strive to preserve excellence and craft culture and community for the future.”
Although Sowers is based out of Kansas City, he entered the competition to learn more about St. Joseph. “I chose to enter the competition so I could not only learn more about St. Joseph, but also support and promote a festival that celebrates expression, learning and culture,” said Sowers.
Trails West!® is an outdoor arts festival, hosted by the Allied Arts Council, celebrating the unique cultural heritage of St. Joseph, Mo. Now in its 23rd year, the festival features fine arts, folk arts, culinary arts, music, dance, and theatre. The 2015 festival will be held August 21-23 at Civic Center Park.