Long-running art competition opens at OPOMAC
The Graham Art Guild’s annual tradition, which brings together neighboring town artists and their artwork, is now underway at the Old Post Office Museum and Art Center.
The 2016 Lake Country Art Show and Sale features 134 pieces of artwork from more than 30 artists spread across Breckenridge, Weatherford, Mineral Wells, San Angelo, Granbury and other West Texas towns. According to the director of the OPOMAC, Marlene Edwards, the show has been hosted in Graham since 2002.
“The museum has had it every year since I joined in 2002, but this is one of the longest-running or is the longest-running competition judged show in the state of Texas,” said Edwards. “I believe this is its 50th year.”
Registration for the show began late last week, with judging of the art pieces beginning on Monday, Aug. 8 and a reception and prize ceremony set for Aug. 20.
Former Graham ISD Art Director Kathy Lambden is serving as the judge for this year’s show. A limit of five entries per person was a special condition for this year’s show and a new, lower entry fee of $25 was required for submission. Graham Art Guild President Cindy Parker said they tried to get the word out on the eligibility requirements for the show.
“We put out the prospectus, or the information, and because it is an area show, a Lake Country show, we invited other little towns that have art clubs; for instance, Graham, Wichita Falls, Weatherford, Bowie,” Parker said. “All the ones I can think of, I make sure they know about this because it’s open to everybody that is in an art club and has paid up their dues, so they have to pay up their dues in order to enter.”
Parker said that each year there are a lot of repeat artists who enter in their work, but all artwork submitted must be original and created within the last two years or not shown previously at the OPOMAC. All pieces entered must be for sale, with a 20-percent commission paid to the Graham Art Guild, but on top of selling their artwork, entrants also get potential rewards from the judging of the pieces.
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