Mary Verrandeaux’s painting of Hillary Dobbs will be the official poster of the 2010 Vermont Summer Festival. Photo Courtesy of the Vermont Summer Festival

May 21, 2010 – East Dorset, Vermont – Nationally renowned painter Mary Verrandeaux of Ocala, FL, has been selected as the artist of this year's Vermont Summer Festival official poster. The Vermont Summer Festival Horse Show will take place from July 7 through August 15, 2010, in East Dorset, VT.

The artwork that the Vermont Summer Festival commissioned is a painting of frequent competitor Hillary Dobbs landing after successfully clearing an obstacle. Dobbs closed out the 2009 Vermont Summer Festival by winning the $50,000 Vermont Summer Celebration Grand Prix riding Marengo, and also placed second with Corlett.

Verrandeaux’s artwork will grace the cover of the 2010 Vermont Summer Festival official horse show program, and will be featured on posters displayed throughout various businesses in the Manchester and the Mountains region. Posters will also be sold on-site at the Vermont Summer Festival. Verrandeaux will be a vendor during the first two weeks of the Vermont Summer Festival, July 7 through 18, and will be available for a poster signing event.

In addition to the Vermont Summer Festival, Verrandeaux was also selected as the poster artist for the 2010 Gulfport Spring Series in Mississippi, the 2010 Charleston Summer Series in North Carolina, and the 2010 Hampton Classic Horse Show in New York, indicating her adept ability to successfully capture horse show images in her artwork. Verrandeaux was also invited to display her work in an art show held during the Kentucky Derby, thoroughbred racing’s premiere event.

Growing up on her family's farm in upstate New York, Verrandeaux was involved in showing horses from an early age. Having graduated as an illustrator from Ringling College of Art and Design in 1983, Verrandeaux's work, which focuses on human, canine and equine portraits as well as landscapes, is skillfully photorealistic. Verrandeaux paints commissioned portraits for regular clients, and she also travels across the country to various events in her mobile studio.

The Vermont Summer Festival, which this year runs for six consecutive weeks from July 7 through August 15, 2010, is the richest sporting event based on purse held in the state of Vermont, offering more than $750,000 in prize money. New England’s largest “AA” rated hunter/jumper horse show, the annual competition attracts the best athletes, including Olympic medalists, from across the country and around the globe to vie for top honors.

The Vermont Summer Festival is a proud member event of the Show Jumping Hall Of Fame, the Marshall & Sterling League, and the North American League (NAL). For more information about the Vermont Summer Festival and to download a copy of the 2010 prize list, please e-mail: info@vt-summerfestival.com or visit www.vt-summerfestival.com.