Artwork that expresses the fragile nature of the Treasure Coast’s local ecosystem and the flora and fauna that are dependent upon it will be featured this weekend on the 28th annual ArtsFest posters and t-shirts. Featured artist and creator of the art, Amber Moran, used watercolors and ink to create the osprey and mangrove art for this year’s event, which takes place March 15-16 in Memorial Park in Downtown Stuart.
“I am honored and excited to have been asked to be this year’s Stuart ArtsFest featured artist. I have been passionate about and inspired by both the art world and our natural environment since I was a young girl. I am motivated to show viewers our surroundings here in Florida in a different approach using watercolors and ink, whether it be related to the ocean or in the wild. In this Osprey and Mangrove piece I created for this year’s event, I wanted to simply portray a scene we all know well here on the Treasure Coast and would make us think of home,” said Moran.
Amber M. Moran, a Stuart resident, has been passionate about art, nature and wildlife since a very young age. Her artwork is largely influenced by the tropical environment of South Florida. She enjoys using marine life and other wildlife as subject matter since they already hold such brilliant color. By using the combination of paint splatters and drips she artistically portrays the environment, such as the ocean, while expertly capturing fish and other wildlife realistically. Her trademark style combines watercolor and illustration by extending her artwork onto the mat using black ink creating a “window” of color. Amber is an exhibiting artist in South Florida and the “Treasure Coast” and her artwork hangs in many homes globally.
ArtsFest is produced by the Arts Council of Martin County. Admission is $5. The art filled weekend kicks off Friday night (7 p.m. to 11 p.m.) with ArtsFest After Dark. Event hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. For more information, call (772) 287-6676 or visit www.MartinArts.org.