2026 WSIKF Poster Contest
After a five year break, the World Kite Museum and Washington State International Kite Festival have brought back the beloved poster contest. We had 13 participating local artists including: Sherry Bosch, David Bright, Amy Capdeboseg, Stephanie Day, Amiee Herman, Kavita Jaswal, Helen Marston, Sherry Meuchel, Penny Russell, Anushua Sinha, Brian Sullivan, Sue Svendsen and Madelyn Thorsen. Over the course of the exhibit, we had over 1,000 individual votes. The top 3 went to the committee and from there a winner was chosen: David Bright's Kite Mischief.
Congratulations to David Bright and thank you to all artists who submitted their incredible works of art and for the community to share their love!
If you are interested in purchasing a signed poster, please come down to the Merchandise Trailer on Bolstad starting Monday, August 17th!
Here are all the amazing entries for 2026.
1
High Flying Kites
Medium: Mixed Media
2
Digital Illustration
Medium: Digital Art
Inspiration: I am inspired by the ocean’s scents, wildlife, and salty
3
Kite Mischief
Medium: Watercolor
Inspiration: The artist’s grandchildren.
4
Whale of a Birthday
Medium: Watercolor
Inspiration: The United State of America’s 250th birthday
5
Kite Flying at the Beach
Medium: Watercolor
Inspiration: A fun day at the beach.
6
Witness to Wonder
Medium: Digital illustration
Inspiration: My family has enjoyed the Peninsula since my Great Grandfather built a house in Seaview in 1896. Growing up in the summers here, I enjoyed the wonder of all the things the Peninsula has to offer.
My mother, who is no longer with us, was a major influence on my creative abilities. When we were at the Beach, we often explored our creative sides. Throughout my career, I balanced creative agency director roles & high-profile jobs in the corporate world until retiring last summer. Hoping to spend much more time on the Peninsula, I have always enjoyed the Kite Festival.
In fact, we have a picture shown below of what I think is the first Kite Festival where my mom built her kite and I was coerced into adding graphics to her entry. She won most stable in her age bracket as represented by the picture at the house from the Chinook Observer from 1982. Since that day, it has been fun to watch the kite festival grow into an amazing international event and I always make sure to attend.
When I saw the Instagram post about the kite festival, I thought I finally have time to create an image of wonderment of the kite festival and its impact on our youth.
The two children standing up from a conceptualized North Head lighthouse, the beacon of the Long Beach peninsula, to witness and wonder the impact and vibrant colors of the kites filling the sunset sky will have an impact long past their day at the beach.
7
Orca Fest
Medium: Acrylic (in watercolor style)
Inspiration: Representing the local area’s style.
8
Kite Fest
Medium: Digital illustration
Inspiration: The colors and vibrant energy of festivals.
9
Eye’s See You!
Medium: Oil on canvas
10
Let’s Go Fly a Kite
Medium: Photograph
11
Sky Full of Hope
Medium: Watercolor & gouache
Inspiration: All the kites I see when walking around the boardwalk; some of them are in the artwork. Also, a video I saw on Instagram of a young man in Gaza who makes kites out of plastic bags and sticks, who despite the horror he’s living through, still finds joy in the simple act of making and flying a kite.
12
A Sky Full of Dreams
Medium: Digital Print
Inspiration: Sand, mountains, surf and bright colors.
13
‘F’ is for Friends Who Fly Kites Together
Medium: Mixed Media
Inspiration: Spongebob, cartoons & kites.