Jeannie Maddox has been chosen as the featured artist for the annual Bayou City Art Festival. The big event takes place downtown on Saturday, Oct. 9 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday, October 10 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

“Jeannie’s work is stunning and surprising,” Art Colony Association Board President Michael Piana said. “We are thrilled with the featured artwork she created and look forward to viewing the pieces she will showcase at the upcoming Bayou City Art Festival Downtown.”’

Maddox’s painting “Colleen” was created specifically for this festival and is a part of Maddox’s Swimmers Series. From the flat, white surface of Maddox's canvas, a swimmer's head erupts, breaking past two dimensional bounds, eyes closed, face sheathed in water, seeming more real than the object from which it springs. As the featured artwork, “Colleen” will create a consistent theme across the festive billboards, posters, programs and t-shirts.

Known for her works of photorealism, especially her Swimmer Series, Maddox’s work has spanned three decades of remarkable success. Her larger-than-life oil paintings have been acquired by national and international collectors and can be found in The Wiregrass Museum in Dothan, AL and in the Museum of Arts and Sciences in Daytona Beach, FL.

“It is a real honor to be selected as the featured artist at one of the top art festivals in the country, especially one that takes place in a great city that supports the visual arts,” Maddox said. “My work has been very well received in Houston and I just wish we had discovered the Houston art scene 25 years ago!”