Community Art Contest

Congratulations to the Winners!

Painting (Oil, Acrylics, Watercolor & Guache)

  • $100 – Best of Show – Windom Before the Rain by Tatiana Murray
  • $100 – First Place – The Spill by Jennifer Owen
  • $75 – Second Place – Oregon Coast by Rebecca Gholston
  • $50 – Third Place – Seasons by Caroline Blackwell

Other (Mixed Media, Photography & Drawings)
• $100 – Best of Show – Girl Interrupted by Krystal Skinner
• $100 – First Place – Flower Power by Laura Iwata
• $75 – Second Place – Psalm 37 by Sherry Hockett
• $50 – Third Place – Layered Texas by Johnny Hibert

Best of Show

Congratulations to Tatiana Murray who won Best of Show for her watercolor painting entitled “Windom Before the Rain.”

Best of Show

Congratulations to Krystal Skinner for winning Best of Show for her mixed media piece called “Girl Interrupted.”

Community Art Contest

Hosted by the Creative Arts Center.
Opening Reception & Awards Ceremony:
Sponsored by the
Glaser Family Charitable Foundation.

Rules and Important Information: (please read carefully!) 

  1. Artwork Drop Off Times: Artwork can be brought to the center during normal business hours between August 27 – September 4. Normal business hours are Tuesday – Friday from 10 am to 5 pm and Saturdays from 10 am to noon.  The Center is located at 200 W. Fifth Street in Bonham.
  2. Entry Deadline: All artwork must be submitted to the Creative Arts Center by 5 pm Wednesday, September 4, 2024.
  3. Entry Forms: Each artist must complete an entry form for their artwork.  Copies will be available at the center when dropping off the artwork. 
  4. Artwork Labels: Each piece of artwork must have the following information securely attached to the back or underside of the artwork: artist name, artwork title, artwork medium and sale price or NFS if Not For Sale.
  5. Wires: All hanging artwork must have a wire, suitable for hanging in the gallery.
  6. Entry Fees:  all entries will be charged an entry fee, even members.  Entry fees will help ensure we have funds for cash prizes. For members, the entry fees are: $25 for one piece of artwork, $35 total for two pieces of artwork $45 total for three pieces.  For non-members, the entry fees are $35 for one piece of artwork, $45 total for two pieces of artwork or $55 for three pieces of artwork. Payment can be made by cash, check or card and must be made at the time of submitting the artwork.
  7. Artists are limited to three entries per person.  
  8. Opening Night Reception & Awards Ceremony: All artists are strongly encouraged to attend the opening night reception and awards ceremony on Friday, September 6 from 4-6 pm.  Awards will be given out at approximately 5:15 pm.
  9. Artwork Sales: Artists have the option of offering their work to be for sale or not. Artists set their own prices.  The Creative Arts Center will retain a 20% commission and handle all sales and sales taxes.  Artists’ checks will be processed and mailed as quickly as possible after the end of the month.  Artists can expect their checks around the middle of October.
  10. All artwork must remain on display at the art center until October 1.
  11. Artwork pick up: Any artwork that does not sell or was not offered for sale, can be picked up during normal business hours starting October 1. Any artwork that is not picked up by October 31, will become the property of the Creative Arts Center.  The Center will then be able to sell or dispose of the artwork as they see fit.
  12. Artwork must be original. No coloring pages. No arts/craft kits. No copyrighted or licensed characters.
  13. The Creative Arts Center retains the right to determine what is suitable to display. The center reserves the right to not display any artwork that is deemed controversial, inappropriate, overtly political, violent, disturbing or otherwise not suitable for display in the center.  Nudes that are explicit or graphic will not be allowed, as the center aims to be family friendly and often has children and youth in the center. The center reserves the right to not display artwork that could present a risk to safety of people in the gallery, such as a sculpture that is not steady and could fall over or a piece with sharp points or edges. Determining what artwork is not suitable or safe will be generally be determined by a panel of artist members but may also be determined by the Director.

 

Artwork Categories:

Please note the Center reserves the right to make adjustments to the categories, depending on the number and type of entries received.  For example, two or more categories could be combined if there are a low number of entries.

1. Acrylic

2. Oil

3. Watercolors

4. Mixed Media

5. Drawings – including pencil, charcoal, markers, crayons, pastels, pen and ink

6. Photography 

7. 3D – including sculptures, fibers, ceramics, paper, etc.

 

Cash Prizes: 

  • One Best of Show will be selected by the contest judge and awarded $100.
  • For each artwork category, the contest judge will select first, second and third places.  First place awards will be $100, Second place awards will be $75 and third place awards will be $50.

 

Contest Judges:

Chele Wells, Founder, Creative Director and Podcaster, Owner of Hitting the Streets Podcast and Artrageous Art Hub in Sherman, Texas.

Award winning and accomplished, Chele Wells is a multi-talented individual with a passion for art, promotion, and podcasting. Her extensive experience in sales, marketing and recruitment industry has allowed her to develop a unique skill set that has helped her clients to create a buzz around their brand and business. Chele recently founded an art hub that encourages artistic expression and fosters a sense of community among individuals. Her commitment to creativity and providing a welcoming environment has made the art hub a popular destination for artists and art enthusiasts alike. Chele’s dedication to promoting her clients and fostering creativity has made her a respected figure in her industry.

She is also an artist. Her art is a reflection of her personality – colorful, bold, and expressive. She is constantly exploring new techniques and pushing the boundaries of what is possible with acrylic pouring and digital photography. Through her art, she aims to evoke emotions and inspire others to see the beauty in everyday moments. Whether it’s through the playful dance of colors or the intricacy of digital manipulation, she hopes to create a connection with the viewer that is both personal and universal.

Tim Rainer, Founder of the Living Grey Collective.

Timothy Rainer has been active in the arts for over a decade. He is the Founder of the Living Grey Collective, which represents artists from North and East Texas. A professional artist, Timothy has taken art and design courses at Texas A&M. His work has been featured in numerous group exhibitions across the United States and has earned him several awards, including recently having his design selected for the Sherman Cultural District mural project. His work is included in prominent private collections across the United States.

Rainer’s inspiration comes from nature’s cycles, man-made structures, and human interactions. He is a minimal contemporary artist that is currently exploring abstraction. His work examines the human condition through painting and drawing simultaneously, allowing layers to build. These layers may leave artifacts, remnants of the past. He works intuitively yet intentional, utilizing elements of color, shape, and line. His process begins with play followed by a set of predetermined rules that change between each series. These rules act as a method of control among all the chaos, a systematic approach. He works on multiple paintings at a time — some days filled with playful beginnings, other days bringing works to a refined end.