18 Shrimp Festival October 2013 The fifth timeâ€™s the charm for Shrimp Festival poster winner The 42nd Annual National Shrimp Festivalâ€™s committee members have already been busy. At a committee meeting on March 19, they chose an entry by Fairhope artist Loran Chavez as this yearâ€™s official poster. â€œThe design features multiple shrimp along with several other undersea wonders including sand dollars and two gorgeous mermaids,â€? Alabama Gulf Coast Area Chamber of Commerce Special Events Director Ann VonEberstein said. â€œOne shrimp is playing a guitar, another is painting a picture and two more are hard at work cooking. These shrimp represent different, but equally important, aspects of our festival â€” music, food and art.â€? Chavez said she grew up in an Air Force family, and her experiences have shaped her art. â€œI grew up with a different point of view of the world around me. I traveled extensively with my parents because my father was in the Air Force,â€? she said. â€œThis travel gave me the chance to see and do things that most children only dream about. That zest for life has followed me into my adult years. My love of the world Photo by Clayton Wallace Chairman Matt Mogan congratulates poster artist Loran Chavez. around me has also been a major influence on my artwork.â€? Shrimp Festival Chairman Matt Mogan said he was impressed not only with the beauty of the poster, but that Chavez has been chosen to display her art in a booth at the Festival for several years. â€œWe were thrilled when the votes were tallied and we realized that the committee had chosen Loranâ€™s poster,â€? he said. â€œWe thought it was great that a member of our Shrimp Fest family won the competition for the official poster. I think it speaks volumes about the qual- ity of the artists that are chosen by our Fine Arts committee.â€? Chavez said she was thrilled to have her art chosen to represent the Festival. â€œIâ€™ve submitted a poster each year Iâ€™ve been chosen to have a booth at the Festival. I guess the fifth timeâ€™s a charm,â€? she said. VonEberstein said after Chavez was notified she won, she shared a touching story. â€œIt was Loranâ€™s mom who kept encouraging her to keep submitting posters for the Shrimp Festival,â€? she said. â€œWhen we called her to let her know she had won, she told me that her mom had passed away the week before. I think her winning is a touching tribute to her mother.â€? VonEberstein said the poster Chavez submitted was her personal favorite of the 20 entrants. The winning poster will be on sale online and at the Chamberâ€™s offices in Gulf Shores. Chavez will also be on hand during the Festival to sign and number a limited supply of prints which will be available for purchase. For more of Chavezâ€™s work see her website at loranchavez.com. &0%%44-(!%4 :-(. 2( !0< 2-# 0. < 0 ( 8.4 2<( ( (( ( ( ( ( ) ) $ "! ! $ ' $ $ ! $ $ $ $ ! $ $( $ )%$(%)$ %)) )4.(':<( &0%%44-# *)('&)%$#)%"!''! 0.( 0 22 2 =<:86 4< =<20.:-+ !20 (&4 ( 44 (=< 86 2%%:-+<0. 4<+ $ ) ! %('&$ (% ) $ ( $ $ &) %) $ $ $ $ $ $