Destin-Fort Walton Beach Artists + Artwork
The Destin-Fort Walton Beach Convention Center is a beautiful venue, with large, bright pre-function foyers. We celebrate the beauty of our region through the local art displayed throughout our event spaces.
These local artists work in many mediums and styles. Individual artworks cycle out frequently and are available for sale. For photos of artworks by local artists whose work is currently on display in our pre-function foyers, check out the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Convention Center Facebook page.
Current Artists
Sarah Dowd
Sara Dowd is from Northwest Florida and graduated from the University of North Florida with a BFA in photography, emphasizing portraiture. Dowd has traveled the country taking photographs of thousands of people. Her work is a labor of love, and she says “it’s important to have pictures to remember the good times and to have art on the walls to celebrate life and love.” Dowd strives to make people feel comfortable in front of the lens, so she can create personal, memorable stories through each portrait. Find her and her work on Facebook and Instagram.
Clint Eagar
Clint Eagar was raised and educated in South Africa. Finding his interest in art at a young age, he later attended ABM, the Johannesburg School of Art, where he was able to nurture his interest and skills in Perspective Drawing, Painting, Mixed Media, and Sculpture.
After immigrating to the States, he attended the Fashion and Arts Institute in Dallas, TX. Since then starting his career in the publishing business, his work, Originals, Lithographs, and prints have been distributed internationally, in Europe, Scandinavia, Japan, Australia, and North America. With a wide scope of talent and abilities, he stepped into a Director’s position at an early age in the Gift Industry, designing, and developing consumer goods in the South Pacific Rim. He has run his own international trading company for many years and worked and consulted in many related industries.
From Industrial Design in laminates in Europe and Golf and Sports and Fitness industry, it has been a career in a wide scope of design and product development work.
Ruta Kanaporis
Ruta Kanaporis has worked as a muralist in Chicago as well as Michigan, Wisconsin, Colorado, and Florida for 18 years. She works in a range of styles including abstract, impressionistic, and realistic. Themes in her portfolio include children’s spaces, decorative Venetian ceilings, Trompe l’oeil, romantic architecture, landscapes, and technically accurate machinery. In addition to her work as a muralist, Kanaporis creates portraits in oil, acrylic, and colored pencil. You can see her latest work on her Facebook page and Instagram.
Jessica Moore
Jessica Moore began her art education when she was 10 years old, working in oil paints and pastels. She entered juried art shows at a young age and won many awards. In her early 20s, she began to have her own shows in galleries, libraries, and restaurants. After taking a break from art while she finished a degree in engineering, Moore has picked up her brushes to further explore her artistic passion in acrylics and fluid resin painting. Explore her techniques on Instagram.
Elena Filshtinska
Elena, who now makes her home on Okaloosa Island, is a recipient of numerous domestic and international accolades and awards. Steeped in the best in classical literature, arts and music, Elena derives her inspiration from nature, music and dance and brings them all to life in her paintings in new, imaginative and magical ways. It has been said that viewing Elena’s art awakens positive emotions.
Emerald Coast Magazine in its December 2022 issue featured Elena in an article titled: “Movement Through Color”.
Elena, who is also a fine pianist, teaches piano lessons, as well as art classes in her home, when she is not busy with brush in hand.
Art by Donna Burgess
Additionally, we display the works of local artist Donna Burgess in the convention center meeting rooms as part of our permanent collection. Burgess’s art explores the colorful, natural beauty found in the heart of Florida’s Emerald Coast. Local marine life like dolphins, sea turtles, marlin, pelicans, palms, and other coastal fauna and flora are often subjects of her paintings.
We are honored to feature Ms. Burgess’s work at the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Convention Center and to offer her unique coastal vision for the enjoyment of our guests and visitors. You can view more at Donna Burgess’s online gallery and on Facebook.
Kathleen O’Berc Cresse
Kathleen O’Berc Cresse has lived in the beautiful city of Destin Florida on the Emerald Coast for 29 years. She was born and raised in New Jersey and spent most of her days at the shore. Kathleen is currently working with acrylics on canvas and also enjoying mix medium work with resin. She is influenced and inspired by work done by the impressionist, expressionist and modern pop art. She likes to express her love of color and her personality in her art. She is very honored to be able to express her love of God’s creation through her Art.
Her love of the coastal surroundings and seafood have inspired some of her work. Kathleen received a BA in Fine Arts and BA in marketing from
Stockton State College of New Jersey. Her art career was put on hold as she and her husband Jeff raised four children. Learn more about Kathleen by visiting her website.
Debi Perkins
Nestled along the pristine shores of the Emerald Coast of Florida, an artist by the name of Debi Perkins and owner of Dream In Color has emerged as a creative force, capturing the natural beauty of her surroundings and translating it onto canvas. As a local resident since 1998, Debi has been passionately pursuing her artistic journey since 2016, dedicating herself to creating one-of-a-kind pieces that bring the outdoors into the hearts and homes of her clients. From tranquil abstract landscapes to vibrant seascapes, Debi’s artwork is a testament to her deep appreciation for the captivating allure of the Emerald Coast.
Learn more about Debi Perkins by visiting her website or contacting [email protected].