Water is Life art contest draws 250 entries

The sixth year of the Freshwater Society’s Water is Life art contest has encouraged student artists from across the Minnesota to share their talent and knowledge.

About 250 students from more than 80 schools competed this spring in the contest, which invites artists to create work that reflects on the importance of water to living things and on the many threats water faces today.

For the first time, this year’s contest was expanded to allow participation by students in all regions of Minnesota.  The contest is a collaboration between the Freshwater Society and Minnesota’s Education Service Cooperatives.

Regional competitions, hosted by the eight service cooperatives, took place in March and early April.  Students compete in six categories: drawing, mixed media, painting, photography, sculpture and video. Each contestant is required to submit an artist’s statement explaining his or her work.

The artwork was judged by a panel of local art and natural resource professionals.

Four students from each region were  chosen to participate in the state competition.  An exhibit of all of the finalists’ art and announcement of the six winners  will take place on May 5 at the Gray Freshwater Center in Excelsion.  All finalists will receive a cash award and recognition. The top six artists will receive $500 scholarships.

The 2010 finalists’ and scholarship recipients’ art becomes a traveling exhibit, displayed at many public places throughout the state, including the state Capitol.

The artwork and artist statements convey  powerful messages about the importance, scarcity, protection and beauty of our most important resource.  The schedule for the 2010 Water is Life Art Exhibit will be available at www.freshwater.org.

Congratulations to all of the students who participated in the contest!  Your messages are being heard.