Blanche Ames Art Exhibit Returning to Easton for 11th Year

The Borderland State Park is hosting national artists in September as part of their Blanche Ames National Art Exhibition.

 “We are going to hold an opening reception for an art exhibition we hold every year,” said friends of Borderland State Park vice president Robert Bendt. “It’s absolutely free to the public.”

Bendt said the event is going to be held at the Ames Mansion on Sept. 21 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., though according to the Friends Web site, the exhibit itself will be open on Sept. 17 through October 5.

“There will be 37 artists exhibiting work from 28 states,” he said.  “The entries were drawn for any artist 18 or older and a legal U.S. resident.”

The juror for this year’s exhibition was David Preston Wells, and cash prizes for the first, second and third place entries will be handed out.

The event was first organized by Bendt and Friends president Norma Urban in 2002 to showcase New England artists. Three years later, the exhibition attracted national attention and has shown artwork from all over the country.

In 2012, 380 pieces were submitted and the selected works had entries from 20 different states.

Refreshments will be served at the opening reception.