Bayfield Apple Festival Button and Poster Contest Winners Announced, Local artist Brian Kerr among the winners in 2010

The Bayfield Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Bureau is pleased to announce that the winners of the 2010 Apple Festival button and poster contest are Bayfield artist, Brian Kerr and Tracey Steinkraus of Osage Beach, MO, respectively.

Brian Kerr has successfully operated the Kerr Studio and Gallery in Bayfield since 1981, where he creates and sells a wide range of artwork including brass flower bouquets, gold, silver, titanium and copper jewelry, copper patina vases, and steel garden sculptures. One of his best known local works is "The Memorial to the Commercial Fisherman" which welcomes boaters to the Bayfield City Harbor.

The Kerr family is rich in artistic heritage, Brian's father being the noted Chicago sculptor Dr. Harold Kerr. But the inspiration for his button design came from his mother, Jane Kerr. According to Kerr, she was "an artist in her own right," and one of her sketches was the basis for this year's winning design. Kerr Studio & Gallery, whose motto is "Fresh Art Made Daily®©™, is easy to find on the waterfront just across from the Madeline Island Ferry landing on Front Street, showcasing many designs on display, from the whimsical to the weighty.

This year's poster design winner is Tracey Steinkraus from Osage Beach, Missouri. Originally from Minnesota, Steinkraus has been visiting the Bayfield area for over 10 years and spends many summer weekends on the family's sailboat kept in Bayfield.

The inspiration for this year's poster design comes from the high cliffs and sailboats of the Bayfield area. When describing the style, Steinkraus says, "I was just thinking of an old fair-like poster - retro, maybe, but keeping it simple - like the way I envision the fall days picking apples would be. Enjoying the simple things in life." Steinkraus has been working in the printing industry for the last 10 years and is currently working as a graphic designer for an advertising agency.

The Bayfield Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Bureau received over 60 entries in this year's Apple Festival poster and button contest. The winners were selected by the Bayfield Chamber Orchard Marketing Committee who reviewed the design submissions, which were received from throughout the Midwest. For questions about the Bayfield Apple Festival, please call (800) 447-4094 or visit us online at www.bayfield.org.