Prairie Art Guild to hold Annual Art show and contest

Heather Goddard
Posted 7/10/19

HARRISON, Neb. – No one is sure of the exact year the Prairie Art Guild in Harrison started, but around 1974 or 1975 Dr. Noel Gray of Chadron State College came to Harrison and taught classes during the fall semester to a group of ladies doing art who were interested in more formal learning.

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Prairie Art Guild to hold Annual Art show and contest

Posted

HARRISON, Neb. – No one is sure of the exact year the Prairie Art Guild in Harrison started, but around 1974 or 1975 Dr. Noel Gray of Chadron State College came to Harrison and taught classes during the fall semester to a group of ladies doing art who were interested in more formal learning.

Dr. Gray returned to Harrison every year for 12 years and he would teach whatever the students were interested in. Some of the classes he taught were drawing, color and design, water color, oil and acrylic, and hand built ceramics. He also taught a semester of Art History. From those classes came the Prairie Art Guild. The Guild began the art show in 1981.

Since that time, the art show has been held every year except 2003, 2005 and 2006. Sandy Martinson, Pat Skavdahl and Doris Wickersham have entered pieces of artwork almost every year since the show began. What started as a small exhibition to show off what the Guild members were doing has grown over the years to include artists from all over the Nebraska panhandle and parts of Wyoming.

Local businesses have supported the show through donated awards and it is run by volunteers.

This show is a judged but non-juried show and open to all 2-D and 3-D original artwork including drawing, painting, printmaking, mixed media, ceramics, sculpture, photography and digital art. 2-D work must be framed or gallery wrapped canvas with wire back (no saw tooth hooks or holes), and must not exceed 4’ in any direction. There will be no exceptions for hanging requirements. 3-D work must fit through standard doorway. Artwork must not have shown previously in a Prairie Art Guild show.

Award categories are as follows: $50 Best of Show, $30 1st place Fine Art, $25 2nd place Fine Art, $30 1st place Photography, $25 2nd place Photography, $30 People’s Choice, $25 and $10 Business Awards.

In 1995 the show had grown to 158 pieces and the lowest number exhibited was in 1998 with 47.

Entry fee is $15 per artist. As a non-juried show, all work that meets the requirements will be displayed. The Guild will include as much artwork in the show as gallery space accommodates. The entry fee will be waived for any artist willing to oversee the show for a block of two hours. All entries must be dropped off between 8:30 a.m. and 12 p.m. on Thursday, August 1. The show hours are Friday August 2, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday August 3, 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m.

Artists may choose to label a piece for sale and all work sold as a result of the show will be subject to a 30% commission (Prairie Art Guild members will be subject to a 10% commission.)

For more information, people can email Abbie Wickersham at abbie1529@gmail.com or Rex Rodenbaugh at rodenbaughrex@gmail.com.