A Salute to Happy Trails - Sonoma Salute to the Arts
Summers-McCann PR
The Menu, Wine List, Art Tasting in Sonoma Plaza, Live Auction Teaser.
Watch for the complete Auction Catalog, coming soon...
Please visit salutetothearts.com to see Dick Cole's 2003 Salute to the Arts
poster - "Happy Trails;" purchase your tickets and merchandise online; get
information on the events; more!
Happy Trails - Sonoma's 18th annual Salute to the Arts - Celebrating the
Roots, Beauty, and Bounty of Sonoma County - July 25, 26 & 27
http://salutetothearts.com
-- PRESS RELEASE -- "A Salute to Happy Trails" -- >
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July, 2003
CONTACT: Tannia Summers
Summers-McCann Public Relations
707-938-1133 * tan...@summers-mccann.com
A Salute to Happy Trails - Sonoma Salute to the Arts
Sonoma's 18th annual Salute to the Arts Celebrates the
Roots, Beauty, and Bounty of Sonoma County
Sonoma Valley, CA ~ The Sonoma Valley Arts Alliance Board of Directors
boasts a cast of successful working artists, several of whom have been
nationally recognized in their fields. Two Board members, Dick Cole and
Claudia Wagar, have created posters for Sonoma's annual Salute to the Arts.
Wagar created posters for the 13th, 14th, and 15th annual events. A
nationally revered artist whose work graces Landmark Vineyards in the form
of a 17-foot high mural, she was featured in the book Painting the Towns,
Murals of California, and was the recipient of the American Artist
Achievement Award in 1993.
Cole, creator of this year's Happy Trails poster artwork, won the Gold
Medal/Best of Show at the California Watercolor Association 2000 Open
Exhibit, and has garnered awards from the New York, San Francisco, Western,
and Los Angeles Art Directors Clubs, as well as The Society of Illustrators
in San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York. After graduating from U.C.L.A.
and the Art Center College of Design, his career took him to New York City,
where he worked as Art Director for Young and Rubicam. "It was baptism by
fire!" he recalls. Immersed in the advertising business, he worked with
clients such as DuPont, coming up with cutting edge campaigns. "It was an
exciting time, but not a lifestyle I wished to pursue forever," he said,
feigning a breath of relief.
Back in his home state, Cole developed a San Francisco agency with
well-known designer Primo Angeli, developing product labels and fashioning
identities for corporate clients such as Henry Weinhard's and Memorex. He
molded a new career as an illustrator in the 1970s, opening a studio on San
Francisco's trendy Jackson Square. He illustrated annual reports and
magazines for clients including Chevron and Hewlett Packard through the
1980s, when country life began to beckon.
Cole and his wife, Diane Noyes-Cole, moved to Sonoma Valley 13 years ago.
Although national corporations still appear on his client list, he also
enjoys working for numerous local companies including the Bank of Marin and
wineries such as Jordan, Sonoma-Cutrer, and Gloria Ferrer Champagne Caves.
He most recently created a watercolor and product label for Sonoma Saveurs
- Flavors of the Wine Country, a new bistro opening on Sonoma Plaza, which
will feature Artisan Foie Gras and other
local products.
The Coles spend a large part of each summer at their ranch in Idaho,
located about 30 miles from Yellowstone and 60 miles from Jackson Hole,
Wyoming. "I first started painting horses at the Grand National Horse
Show, where I won the Gold Medal in 2001. Our ranch horses have become the
subject matter for many of my recent western themed paintings," he said.
"When I agreed to create a poster for the 18th annual Sonoma Salute to the
Arts, the theme had yet to be determined; when we agreed upon 'Happy
Trails,' it proved to be a magical fit."
Happy Trails evolved as a result of board discussions over a period of
several months. Ted and Lee Meyer, the first chairs of a committee formed
to help generate event patronage had suggested a country western theme
during their tenure, according to Salute to the Arts Founder Pat Summers.
"At the time we were producing events featuring classical music, and a
hoe-down didn't seem to fit," she said. "We have since produced numerous
event themes: Film Noir; Life is a Cabernet, based on the movie Cabaret;
and Salute Royale 002, a spin on Casino Royale, to name a few. This period
in our history and our economy seemed to call for a back to basics theme."
Summers suggested surprising the Meyers with a country western theme - and
the Board came up with Happy Trails - Discovering the Food, Wine, and Art
of Sonoma. Unfortunately, the surprise had not yet been announced when the
Board received news of Ted's passing. "We know Ted is with us in spirit,"
said ceramic artist and painter Kate Murphy, President of the Sonoma Valley
Arts Alliance. "We sincerely appreciate his many years of support and look
forward to continuing to work with Lee and the many patrons they have
introduced to Salute to the Arts."
Happy Trails is also a perfect fit for Karen Collins, co-chair of this
year's Salute Celebrities Committee, the fundraising committee initially
chaired by Ted and Lee Meyer. Collins owns Going Places, a travel company
that introduces her customers to the areas they visit via hikes that
generally last for several days. Collins and Maggie Salenger-Haywood
co-chaired the Sonoma Overlook Trail Committee - a community project which
began as a task force to prevent the development of land owned by the City
of Sonoma, and resulted in the restoration of an old dump site and building
of a two mile hiking trail. Located at the entrance to Mountain Cemetery,
the trail head is a five-minute walk from Sonoma Plaza. It snakes along
the hillside up to the top of the hill where a panoramic view of Sonoma
Plaza unfolds.
Collins and Haywood will lead a first time ever Salute to the Arts walk
from Sonoma Plaza at 8 a.m. on Saturday, July 26 along the Overlook Trail
where visitors and local residents will be able to view Sonoma's 18th
annual Salute to the Arts from above. The walk is sponsored in part by KGO
Newstalk AM 810 and FIJIŽ Natural Artesian Water. There is no charge for
the walk, but a donation towards maintenance of the trail will be greatly
appreciated.
Primary sponsors of the 18th Annual Sonoma Salute to the Arts are the
Sonoma Valley Arts Alliance, Visa U.S.A., ABC 7, KGO Newstalk AM 810,
American Airlines, Buena Vista Winery, Diablo Publications, Viking Range
Corporation, WineCountry.com, and The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa.
Net proceeds from Salute to the Arts fund scholarships for high school
seniors in the visual, theatrical, musical, literary, culinary and
winemaking arts; and will provide funding for approximately 20 Sonoma
Valley arts, cultural, and arts educational non-profit organizations.
Proceeds enhance and enrich local endeavors from theatre and opera, to
public school music programs and children's art classes throughout the year.
For information and tickets, call Summers-McCann Public Relations, the
event's founder and producer, at 707.938.1133, or visit the Sonoma Salute
to the Arts website at www.salutetothearts.com.
- ### -
HAPPY TRAILS - Sonoma's 18th annual Salute to the Arts - Celebrating the
Roots, Beauty, and Bounty of Sonoma County - July 25, 26 & 27, 2003, Sonoma
Valley, California.
Best Regards,
The Staff @ Summers-McCann
Summers-McCann, Inc. Public Relations
voice 707.938.1133 fax 707.938.0123
http://summers-mccann.com
mailto:in...@summers-mccann.com in...@summers-mccann.com
433 First Street West
P.O. Box 1385 Sonoma, CA 95476
Events Information Mailing List:
"wine_country"
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wine_country
Subscribe: mailto:wine_countr...@yahoogroups.com
wine_countr...@yahoogroups.com
* VISA - It's Everywhere You Want To Be In the Wine Country!
In conjunction with Visa sponsorship of premier wine country events ~
Napa Valley Mustard Festival, held in February and March; Sonoma Salute to
the Arts; Dressage in the Wine Country; Winesong! and The Sonoma Valley
Olive Festival ~ Restaurants in Sonoma, Napa, and Mendocino offer special
prix fixe menus and value-added offers for VisaŽ cardholders.
Participating restaurants and offers are listed in event programs and on
the web at summers.mccann.com/visa. Restaurant offers valid through
December 30, 2003.
http://summers-mccann.com/visa/
mailto:in...@summers-mccann.com in...@summers-mccann.com
* Eighteenth Annual SONOMA SALUTE TO THE ARTS
July 25 through 27, 2003.
Sonoma, California
An Indulgence in Fine Food, Fine Wine & Fine Art -
An annual showcase of the culinary, winemaking, visual,
performing & literary arts
707.938.1133
http://www.salutetothearts.com
mailto:in...@salutetothearts.com in...@salutetothearts.com
* Eleventh Annual NAPA VALLEY MUSTARD FESTIVAL
January 31 through March 27, 2004 **** Mark your calendar!
Napa Valley, California
A Season of Sensational Wine Country Events
Celebrating the Food, Wine, Art, Agriculture and History of Napa Valley
707.259.9020 707.938.1133
http://mustardfestival.org
mailto:in...@mustardfestival.org in...@mustardfestival.org