The Western Kentucky Botanical Garden will host its 2011 Art Exhibit

The Western Kentucky Botanical Garden will host its 2011 Art Exhibit, which is a contest that offers a total of $1,000 in prize money.

Four prizes will be given – first, second, third and honorable mention.

Sister Mary Diane Taylor will judge the contest.  She is an Ursuline Sister of Mount St. Joseph.  She earned an undergraduate art degree at Brescia College and a graduate degree in art from University of Notre Dame.  Her entire career focused on teaching art, beginning with the establishment of the art department at Owensboro Catholic High School and Mount St. Joseph.  Taylor serves as the chairwoman of the Fine Art department at Brescia.

The garden’s art contest will run in conjunction with the garden’s weeklong Daylily Festival in June.

Artists who are 18 or older may submit two- or three-dimension pieces. The art must showcase subject matter from the Western Kentucky Botanical Garden.

Artists may not enter more than two entries.

Those who are interested in coming to the garden to paint onsite will not be charged admission fees. Artists should sign in at the office, indicating their purpose.

The entry fee is $20.

Work must be dry, framed and wired in a professional manner.  Paper artwork should be covered in glass.  No saw-tooth hangers will be allowed.

No prints or photographs are accepted.  If a piece wins, it may not be resubmitted.

All art must remain on display in the garden’s Welcome Center for the duration of the exhibit, which runs from June 10 to July 16.

Artists are responsible for insuring their artwork.

Sales will be processed through the garden office and a 10 percent commission will be given to the garden in the form of a fundraiser.

May 31 is the deadline to submit entry forms and fees. On June 10, artists may turn in their work from 10 a.m. until noon.

The Daylily Festival opens on June 17, which is the opening of the art exhibit.  The last day of the show will be July 16.

Artists will be awarded $400 for first place, $300 for second, $200 for third and $100 for honorable mention.

For more information, artists may contact John Medley at 683-7769 or 302-1366.