The Art Department at Adams State University (ASU) is having a regional juried scholarship exhibition for high school juniors and seniors. The contest will accept any type of original art that can be framed or that can be displayed. All work has to have been created in the last two years. The deadline for all entries is October 20.

All submitted work, regardless of scoring, will be featured on an online gallery. As well, all contestants will be invited to a lunch reception on December 1 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. at ASU. At the reception they will be giving out prizes to all the juried artists. The first, second and third placed artists will be given scholarships for Adams State University. Guests who go to the lunch reception will be able to tour the art facilities at ASU and speak with the art faculty.

There will also be an exhibition in the Hatfield Gallery at ASU specifically featuring the works considered by the jurors from November 27 through December 15. Applicants that are doing the exhibition will get more detailed information on October 26.  All proceeds for sold art will go directly to the artist.

If a student artist submits their work, this will be the first time Manitou Springs High School (MSHS) will be competing in this contest. The event will be a good challenge for students and “a good check to see where they’re at, and where their skills are in comparison to other people their own age,” said Paul Bonner, one of the MSHS art teachers who is encouraging students to submit their work. Bonner is an alumni of ASU and found out about the contest from one of his old professors. “(Encouraging students to submit their work) is a nice way for me to give back to where I went to school and promote the school,” said Bonner. By participating, students will be able to get experience submitting work to art shows. Bonner hopes that if any student’s work is chosen that they’ll be able to see what it’s like in a college art department, and later they may decide to major in a form of art. Keeping in mind that MSHS doesn’t get too many opportunities to enter into a college art show, this can be a great chance for aspiring artists to learn the ins and outs of the art community.

“Art teaches a lot of different skills that we use everyday, like problem solving and critical thinking. It’s also a great way for kids to express themselves in other ways,” Bonner said.