The Gold Beach Chamber of Commerce is delighted to invite you to attend the 24th Annual America’s Wild Rivers Coast Wine, Art and Music Festival Saturday and Sunday, May 14 and 15, 2011. Many folks are necessary to make a large event successful and that holds true here - vendors, musicians and artists presenting at this year’s wine, art and music festival, volunteers and sponsors too, guarantee another great event in Gold Beach.
One person/artist, in particular has set the theme of this year’s festival with his breadth of view of wine, art and music – Michael Dawe. Michael submitted his vision and the festival’s Theme Art Selection Committee were thrilled by how well Michael presented his design culminating wine, art and music with Gold Beach’s beloved Historic Patterson Bridge as the backdrop. Every year the Committee invites and encourages artists within the America’s Wild Rivers Coast region to submit a piece of art that represents the artists’ imagination of wine, art and music in one setting. Michael Dawe captured what the Committee were looking for with an elegant antiquity design.
Michael is traditionally a portrait artist but made a successful leap to new style. Michael aspired to become an artist since he was 11 years old and portraits his main interest. As a young adult, Michael attended junior college taking nursing and art classes. He graduated from San Diego State University in 1979 with a Health Science degree and though art was his passion, he realized he needed to follow the profession that would guarantee him a family wage job to support his family, his wife and two children. Michael retired from the medical field in 1995 and quickly returned to his love for art and began refining the skills he learned many years before. His determination paid off as he opened his own art gallery, Wild Rivers Art Emporium, in 2010. At his gallery he shows and sells his beautiful portraits and offers his gallery to many other local artists to display their artistic talents. Michael’s Wild Rivers Art Emporium, located in the historic GoldRush Center on Ellensburg Ave., Gold Beach, is open year around. Visitors to his gallery enjoy watching artwork in action as Michael creates his newest piece of work. Dedication and love for art delivers Michael to draw 60-70 hours per month.
Entry to the festival is $10 per person for 21 years old or older and includes entrance to the festival for both days, one raffle ticket, one complimentary tasting from one of our 20 wineries and for the first 500 attendees a commemorative wine glass displaying Michael’s theme art. Contact the Gold Beach Chamber of Commerce at 541-247-0923 for more information about the 24th Annual America’s Wild Rivers Coast Wine, Art and Music Festival this Saturday and Sunday, May 14 and 15.
