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Growing up in sa国际传媒官网网页入口, Kevin A. Short dreamed of creating the official poster for the sa国际传媒官网网页入口 International Balloon Fiesta.

It was another goal he wanted to reach, as he was one of the youngest to pilot a hot air balloon at the age of 16 during the fiesta鈥檚 early years.

To create the poster was a pipe dream 鈥� one that seemed out of reach.

He was so positive it would never happen, that he gave up the dream a few years ago.

Until 2023, when Balloon Fiesta officials reached out to the now California-based painter to create the official poster.

鈥淚t was a surprise,鈥� he says. 鈥淭he deadline was set, and I had a few months to create a piece of art that the whole world will see.鈥�

Short is known internationally for his work as a painter and printmaker, where he captures landscapes with the ocean nearby.

Short鈥檚 artwork for the 2023 Balloon Fiesta poster depicts a scene of balloons floating over sa国际传媒官网网页入口, with notable landmarks such as the Rio Grande and Sandia Mountains in the background.

Landing the coveted job of creating the official serigraph poster is a full circle of sorts for Short, as he has ties to the fiesta.

In addition to being one of the youngest pilots to fly in the event; his mother Gail Short was a Balloon Fiesta board member for five years and a past president of the organization in 1984.

Short and his family moved to sa国际传媒官网网页入口 when he was in high school and lived in the North Valley.

鈥淲e used to live where Paseo del Norte crosses the Rio Grande,鈥� he says. 鈥淥ur house was plowed under when Paseo was expanded.鈥�

He went to school at Cibola High School and went to the University of New Mexico for a year and a half before transferring to California to attend art school.

Short never imagined a career in art 鈥� as he is the son of a rocket scientist.

During his freshman year in high school, he wanted to be a chemist.

Until he had a blow out with his teacher.

Discouraged, he looked for another avenue that would suffice.

鈥淚 had a great teacher, and she was encouraging,鈥� he says. 鈥淪he knew a couple of well-known painters. She said if I wanted to be serious about being a painter, that I should go to college in California at the Art Center College of Design.

鈥淚t was something I wasn鈥檛 going to do,鈥� he admits. 鈥淚 had a natural aptitude for it. Once I threw out the chemistry books, I knew this was my path. My parents were supportive yet very resistant. They told me I needed to be serious about it.鈥�

Short, formally trained in oil painting, studied at the University of New Mexico, Pepperdine University and the Art Center College of Design. His passion for ballooning and art led him to take his first job at the AERCO Hot AIR Balloon Port, under the mentorship of ballooning pioneer Bob Ruppenthal.

Together, Short and Ruppenthal designed the iconic AERCO logo and constructed the experimental hot air balloon that would become the first of the series of the celebrated 鈥淔iesta鈥� balloons you see flying today.

While art was a viable avenue, Short remained true to his first love 鈥� hot air balloon piloting.

He was the youngest commercial pilot in the world at the age of 16.

鈥淚 had a pilot鈥檚 license and that was super rare back then,鈥� he says. 鈥淏ecause I was 鈥榯he kid,鈥� I felt like I had to try harder to prove myself. I was a knucklehead when I wasn鈥檛 flying, but once I stepped onto the field, I became serious about it all.鈥�

The collectible poster is available for purchase at Balloon Fiesta鈥檚 Gift Shop, located at 4401 Alameda Blvd. NE, and online at .

Guests will be able to purchase this art at Official Balloon Fiesta Merchandise Tents during the event as well.

This year鈥檚 poster is the first non-鈥淟ooney Tunes鈥� artwork following a five-part series leading up to the 50th event.