Contact:

Jessica Gago
San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival
619-312-1212
gago@fastforwardevents.com

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ARTIST MICHAEL SUMMERS SELECTED AS FEATURED ARTIST FOR 8TH ANNUAL SAN DIEGO BAY WINE& FOOD FESTIVAL

Artist Michael Summers To Feature Artwork and Shape Official Marketing Campaign for Southern California’s Largest Wine & Food Festival

SAN DIEGO (May 3, 2011) – The producers of the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival, Southern California’s largest wine and food extravaganza, held November 16-20, 2011, announced today the selection of the 8th Annual Festival’s featured artist.  Michael Summers, a native of California and graduate of San Diego State University, joins the prestigious list of San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival artists as 2011’s featured artist.  Summers’ playful and rich visual imagery and contemporary west-coast surrealism is a perfect match for this year’s Festival, added Michelle Metter, the Festival’s co-producer.

“We are pleased to have artist Michael Summers join us for our 8th Annual Festival,” added Metter.  “Summers’ ability to capture the way food and wine is able to bring together a diverse group of people in a positive and celebratory way fits perfectly in line with what the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival is all about.”

An original piece of artwork by artist Michael Summers will serve as the official poster for the 8th Annual Festival.  Summers’ paintings are known for inviting the viewer to enter into a whimsical world, alive with color and beauty.  The painting for the Festival, entitled “A Merry Gathering,” expresses the spontaneous joy and wonder of an intimate and carefully planned dinner party.  The artwork helped shape the marketing campaign for this year’s Festival, which is a throwback to 1960s America, alluding to the social mores of the time as depicted through a classic wine tasting.  The theme of “classic” is interspersed throughout the campaign, suggesting that much like the classics, wine and food never go out of style.

Summers will be present at this year’s San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival during the Reserve & New Release Tasting and Grand Tasting Event to sign copies of this year’s Festival poster and showcase his artwork.  He will also serve as emcee at the Celebrity Chef Luncheon & AIWF Big Bottle Live Auction on Sunday, November 20, where the original piece of artwork will be auctioned off. 

Michael Summers' artwork may also be found at Exclusive Collections Fine Art Galleries in Fashion Valley Mall, the Gaslamp District in downtown San Diego or at www.ecgallery.com.

Meet the artist, Michael Summers, at the Artist Launch Party on May 19 at Exclusive Collections' Gaslamp location from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Please RSVP by emailing pr@ecgallery.com or call 800-204-0062.

Tickets for the 8th Annual San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival go on sale June 15.  A complete schedule and line up of events will be available at www.worldofwineevents.com in June.  For more information, visit the website or call 619-342-7337.

 

SAN DIEGO BAY WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL

The 8th Annual San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival is an international showcase of the world's premier wine and spirits producers, chefs and culinary personalities, and gourmet foods.  Held November 16-20, 2011, the event benefits the American Institute of Wine & Food culinary arts scholarship program.  Over 800 wines, 40 of San Diego’s top fine dining restaurants, gourmet food companies and exhibitors participated in the 2010 Festival.  For more information visit www.worldofwineevents.com. Produced by World of Wine Events and Fast Forward Event Productions.  For more information call 619-342-7337.