Susan Chambers, a self-taught watercolor artist who builds on her love of all things fish, shellfish and tidepools to create colorful, whimsical creations provides this explanation:

“This year’s poster shows off some of the West Coast’s most beautiful and majestic rockfish. Yes, they are known as “snapper” or “red snapper” on seafood menus. But a China rockfish, with its stark black and bright yellow coloring might look at you funny (but let’s face it, when doesn’t a fish look at you funny, with those big, buggy eyes?). A flag rockfish, in its red and white stripes, would tell you “red snapper” ignores its quieter-colored half. A grass rockfish is appropriately colored in shades of green. But ask a fisherman about the colloquial name of for yellowtail rockfish and he’ll tell you it’s called a ”greenie.”

In this year’s poster, Earl the elephant seal keeps the rhythm with some loud calls while the waves crash and the wind howls. A couple dozen rockfish decide to come listen to the pianist improvise after the wind whisks away her sheet music. It’s stormy fun on the Oregon Coast! Even Tucker the tiger rockfish returns from his performance in the last poster to join the event.

I’ve always believed Oregon and the West Coast have some of the brightest fish around, rivaling many tropical fish for their color schemes. We should be proud of our beautiful rockfish!

In this year’s poster, you will find the following rockfish: tiger, shortbelly, black, blue, grass, quillback, yellowtail, blackgill, China, chilipepper, yelloweye, copper, flag, rougheye and shortraker rockfish. That’s only 16 out of more than 60 species of rockfish on the West Coast.

I hope you enjoy the rockfish celebrating 44 years of the Oregon Coast Music Festival!”