State Fair?s 2014 Official Commemorative Art Is Unveiled

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2014 Minnesota State Fair Commemorative Art by St. Paul Artist Emily L. Taylor

ST. PAUL, MINN. (06/04/2014)(readMedia)-- The Minnesota State Fair's 2014 Commemorative Art was unveiled this morning by artist Emily L. Taylor of St. Paul. Surrounded by State Fair fans, art enthusiasts and media, she presented her original watercolor piece to the public for the first time at the J.V. Bailey House on the State Fairgrounds. The artwork will be on display at the Fine Arts Center during the 2014 Great Minnesota Get-Together, Aug. 21 through Labor Day, Sept. 1.

With a quirky perspective and playful representations of Minnesota's people, crops, animals and landmarks, she illustrates the stories of those who gather for the annual State Fair. Living just blocks away from the fairgrounds, Taylor has developed a strong sense of tradition surrounding the Great Minnesota Get-Together, which helped her capture the essence of the fair's place in our state's culture.

"This has been an amazing experience," Taylor said. "Having the opportunity to work with such a great group of people in an effort to help preserve the State Fair we know and love is a privilege. I can only hope that this painting will capture for the public what I feel is the essence of the Great Minnesota Get-Together's community and spirit."

Commemorative art posters and a limited number of signed giclee prints featuring Taylor's art are available for purchase at msffoundation.org. Posters may also be purchased at the State Fair Ticket Office on the fairgrounds. Sizes and pricing are as follows: posters (18" x 24") $10; and signed giclee prints (18" x 24") $100. Proceeds from commemorative art merchandise support the Minnesota State Fair Foundation 501(c)(3) mission to preserve and improve State Fair buildings, grounds and educational experiences.

The 2014 Official Commemorative Art is the 11th in a series of annual artwork created exclusively for the State Fair. In previous years, Minnesota State Fair artists have included: Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher (2004), Mary GrandPré (2005), Nancy Carlson (2006), Michael Birawer (2007), Edie Abnet (2008), Leo Stans (2009), Deborah Voyda Rogers (2010), Steve Thomas (2011), Joe Heffron (2012) and Marie Olofsdotter (2013). A gallery of past artwork is available at mnstatefair.org/art.

Taylor was born in Minneapolis and graduated from South High School. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. Now residing in St. Paul, Taylor is a professional artist and teacher. She has created work for a series of watercolor paintings titled "A Place In Time," which includes works such as "The BBQ" owned by the Cooperstown Graduate Program and "A Highland Ball," a depiction of St. Paul's Highland Park Little League Fields. She has also completed several large-scale latex and acrylic paintings for an interactive exhibit at The Farmers' Museum in Cooperstown, N.Y.; a mural for the children's wing of Lake Harriet United Methodist Church in South Minneapolis; and a traveling mural for the City of Eden Prairie. Taylor recently started her own arts education business named Artfulu. Visit emilyltaylor.com for more information.

The Minnesota State Fair is one of the largest and best-attended expositions in the world, attracting nearly 1.8 million visitors annually. Showcasing Minnesota's finest agriculture, art and industry, the Great Minnesota Get-Together is always 12 Days of Fun Ending Labor Day. Visit mnstatefair.org for more information. The 2014 Minnesota State Fair runs Aug. 21 - Labor Day, Sept. 1.