MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The 33rd Evolve Bank & Trust Cooper Young Festival will be held on Saturday, September 18, 2021 in the largest historic district in Memphis. We are excited to announce that Evelina Dillon has been tapped to be this year’s Poster Artist.
It is a rare item for the Cooper Young Poster Artist to also be a Cooper Young business owner, in fact, that has only happened a couple of times across the years with Paula Kovarik, Jay Etkin and Jenean Morrison. We are excited that Evelina Dillon has opened her studio in the “old Pie Factory” condominiums located at 2259 Young. Even more excited that she is our 2021 Poster Artist!
Evelina is a first-generation immigrant who was born and raised in Uzbekistan and moved to the United States in 1996. Evelina started painting in recent years; her art is an expression of her life experiences, love of nature and celebration of people. Evelina learned her craft of painting in nontraditional ways such as attending classes, workshops and demonstrations by local Memphis artists. She is a member of Oil Painters of America and has shown her art in exhibitions individually and jointly across the greater Mid-South. Evelina is the winner of the 2019 Memphis in May Fine Art Poster contest as well as the Collierville 1870-2020 Fine Art Poster contest.
There will be a Poster Party on Thursday, September 16 from 6 -8 p.m. at the Jay Etkin Gallery located at 942 South Cooper, two days before the festival. This event will highlight the original poster art for 2021 and Cooper Young’s newest artist, Evelina Dillon. In addition, we will be showing the 2020 original poster art by local artist, the legendary John McIntire. Both pieces will be sold at silent auction on this night.
Sponsors for the 2021 Cooper Young Festival are Evolve Bank & Trust, The Commercial Appeal, WMC Action News 5, Memphis Grizzlies, Memphis Animal Clinic, Mold Terminator, Direct Auto, ProShow Systems, Ounce of Hope, Mid-South Lions, Delta Ice Services, Toof American Digital Printing, 98.1 the Max, KIX 106, 103.5 WRBO and 98.9 the Bridge.
The Cooper Young Historic District is Memphis’ largest historically hip neighborhood dating back to 1849. It’s where art, culture, cuisine and commerce intersect in a fabric that weaves its way throughout this neighborhood to create a lifestyle district all its own.
