Winners of the 28th Annual Thomas Hart Benton Art Competition and Exhibition
Neosho Arts Council is pleased to present the 28th Annual Thomas Hart Benton Art Competition and Exhibition. Works will be displayed at the Big Spring Gallery inside the Neosho Area Chamber of Commerce. Artists are eligible to enter in either the "Emerging" category or "Professional" category. The "Emerging" category is for artists who are students or who are not represented by galleries or have held professional exhibitions. The "Professional" category is open to all artists. Emerging artists who win First Place or Best of Show previously in this competition will be considered Professional Division entrants thereafter. All entries must be original works by the artist, not previously entered in this competition or shown at the Big Spring Gallery, and completed in the past three years.
Open to artists 18 years of age and older | Emerging or Professional
Media: Open to original 2D works including painting, drawing, printmaking, mixed media, pastels, charcoal, ink, etc.
No photography, digital works, giclees, high relief works, or 3D works.
Open to artists 18 years of age and older | Emerging or Professional
Media: Open to original 2D works including painting, drawing, printmaking, mixed media, pastels, charcoal, ink, etc.
No photography, digital works, giclees, high relief works, or 3D works.
Judge: Regina L. Willard is an impressionist painter. Her work has been exhibited in numerous juried and non juried shows in the Ozarks winning multiple awards including Best of Show and People’s Choice awards. She was a Missouri Featured Artists with the Missouri Arts Council. She is currently a member of the American Women Artists Association and teaches workshops on oil painting techniques throughout the year. Her work centers on subjects such as florals, animals, abstracts, and figurative works.
Entry Fees: Up to two entries per artist will be accepted. Enter online at www.neoshoarts.net. Entry fee is non-refundable.
There will be NO at the door sign ups!
- Circle of Patrons Artist Members Registration (online only): $15.00 for one entry, $20.00 for two entries.
- Non-Members Registration Fee (online only): $20.00 for one entry, $25.00 for two entries.
Last Day to enter is August 22, 2023 at midnight!
Drop Off/Pick Up: All entries must be dropped off Thursday August 24 from 4:00 to 6:00pm or Friday August 25 from 4:00pm to 6:00pm at the Big Spring Gallery located at 216 West Spring Street, Neosho, MO 64850. No early drop off or late entry will be accepted. Works must stay in place the entire show (all of September and October). No early pick-ups. Staff at Neosho Area Chamber of Commerce cannot accept work. Arrangements can be made for contact free drop off/pick up, email [email protected].
Timetable:
August 22 - Deadline for Registration via neoshoarts.net only
August 24 - Drop Off of Entries 4:00pm to 6:00pm
August 25 - Drop Off of Entries 4:00pm to 6:00pm
September 30 - Awards Presentation and Critiques 2:00pm with public viewing after
October 26 - Pick Up of Entries 4:00pm to 6:00pm
Everyone is invited to attend the Awards Presentation and Critiques at the Community Room of the Neosho/Newton County Library (201 West Spring Street, Neosho, MO 64850). Afterwards the exhibition will be open to the public of all ages, so be sure to invite your patrons and friends!
Awards:
$500 Best of Show (from either Professional or Emerging categories)
Professional
$250 First Place
$200 Second Place
$150 Third Place
Emerging
$150 First Place
$100 Second Place
$75 Third Place
Plus a selection of Merit Awards and the Mary Ellen Pitts Memorial Pastel Award
Requirements:
- The exhibit is open to all artists 18 years of age or older, amateur and professional. All entries must be original works by the artist, not previously entered in this competition or shown at the Big Spring Gallery, and completed in the past three years.
- No Diptychs or Triptychs
- All exhibited work must be: professional-quality framed or gallery wrapped (gallery wrap canvas must have the sides painted, not gesso, with choice of 1) continuation of image, or 2) solid color.)
- Work must be wired properly and ready for installation. No sawtooth hangers or clips hangers will be accepted. All framed works are strongly encouraged to use plexiglass. Plexi can be found at any local hardware store (Lowe’s, Home Depot, etc.) and most will cut to fit your frame for free if you take the frame in with you to assure correct sizing. Neosho Arts Council is not responsible for damage to art work or frames.
- Maximum size is 36 inches by 36 inches including frame. Please measure your work before arriving.
- Maximum weight for work is 15 Lbs. To reduce weight, replace glass with plexiglass.
- No works exceeding $5,000 sale price, we do actively sell works during the show.
- All work must be for sale with a 35% commission collected by the Neosho Arts Council.
- The Neosho Arts Council reserves the right to refuse an entered work because of unacceptable presentation.
- All work must be family friendly: no explicit nudity or pornography
- There is a storage fee of $5 per day for works not picked up by 6:00pm October 26.
- Any work still in storage by January 1, 2024 becomes property of Neosho Arts Council.
- Works will hang the full two month duration of the exhibition in both the Big Spring Gallery and online at neoshoarts.net.
Liability: Neosho Arts Council and Neosho Area Chamber of Commerce are not responsible for loss or damage to artwork while in transit to and from the show, or while on display. The artist agrees to allow the Neosho Arts Council, at its discretion, to utilize photographs of exhibited work for publicity purposes, not for reproduction.
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