5/9/2011
Sharon Harms of Charleston is the winner of the West Virginia Department of Agriculture Centennial Art Contest. Commissioner of Agriculture Gus R. Douglass presented her with a gift basket of West Virginia Grown products during a ceremony at Capitol Market May 3.
“I am so impressed with Sharon’s artwork, and very happy that she shared her talents in this contest,” said Commissioner Douglass. “This poster is a wonderful contribution to our centennial celebration.”
“We had some really great entries and the decision was difficult, but in the end the judging committee felt that Sharon’s entry best represented West Virginia Agriculture,” said Beth Southern, organizer of the contest.
Harms, a regular visitor to Capitol Market, said she takes photographs of produce and then uses the pictures to create watercolors of the produce.
“I feel it is a good representation of the products being grown and distributed in West Virginia,” Harms said of her creation, which incorporates four of her watercolors and WVDA logos into a poster format that will be reproduced and distributed to farmers’ markets by WVDA.
“Capitol Market is the heart of the city. I work in an office. I sit at a computer all day…so when I have my break, I head right over here. It’s very relaxing to me to walk through and look at all the flowers. I really enjoy this place.”
Harms, a graphic designer by profession, and her husband own Image Associates in Charleston. She has produced labels, brochures and displays for many of the state’s food companies, including Custard Stand and Scribner Chocolates.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity to work with food producers. They tend to be some of the nicest people that you could ever want as clients,” she said.
Contact Information
Buddy Davidson, Communications Officer
304-558-3708; 304-541-5932 (cell)
bdavidson@ag.state.wv.us