Forest Preserve District Art Competition Deadline Is Feb. 1

WILL COUNTY, IL — The deadline is fast approaching for the Forest Preserve District of Will County's "Vernal Equinox: Spring Awakens" art competition. Officials say all art mediums are welcome, with the exception of performance art and film, but art must be submitted by Feb. 1 to qualify.

"Since the application process opened in late fall, around 100 different artworks have been submitted," said Suzy Lyttle, an interpretive naturalist for the district. "It has been really inspiring to see all of the different mediums. We have photography, watercolors, acrylic and oil paints, wood block relief prints, ink, charcoal and more. Plus, it is exciting to see where the artists are located. We have people submitting from Crete, Romeoville, Park Forest, Shorewood, Bolingbrook, Glenview and Chicago, to name a few."

Officials said artists will be notified by Feb. 8 if their submissions have been chosen for the competition. Selected artworks will be on public display from March 12 to 31 at Plum Creek Nature Center in Crete Township. Art competition winners will be determined by a jury and the top three entries will receive gift cards of $500, $250 and $200, respectively . Members of the public can also vote for a "people's choice" favorite through March 28.

Art exhibit hours will be 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday. The winners will be announced during an artists' reception set for 6 p.m. on March 30 at the nature center. Artists will be in attendance and light refreshments will be served. The free reception is for ages 21 and older; registration is not required. Competition awards and artists' reception funds are being provided by The Nature Foundation of Will County. To submit art for consideration and to review all of the competition’s rules, visit bit.ly/juriedartshow.

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