Mississippi Earthtones Plein Air Competition

Mississippi Earthtones Festival at Alton's Riverfront Amphitheater

(Alton) � Area artists are invited to enter the second annual Mississippi Earthtones Plein Air Competition, sponsored by the Artfully Alton committee of the Alton Marketplace Association. The contest will be held and judged on Saturday, September 19, at the Mississippi Earthtones Festival at Alton's Riverfront Amphitheater.

The contest will consist of painting or drawing a true-to-life scene depicting the Mississippi River or surrounding scenery as viewed from the festival grounds. Registered artists will have from Noon to 5 p.m. to complete their work of art, which must be executed outdoors and on-site. Artists will have the opportunity to have their work juried at the festival and win cash prizes. Artists representing a wide variety of expertise and media - oils, acrylics, watercolors, pastels, drawing and mixed media - are invited to create artwork of the Mississippi River and surrounding scenery en plein air, which is a French expression meaning "in the open air".

Registration is $15 by September 15 or $20 for walk-up entries. The registration fee includes eligibility for cash prizes, entry into a lecture on acrylic material and methods to be held on the day of the event at 11 a.m., and a primary mixing set of Liquitex acrylic paint that would be appropriate to use in the competition ($25 value).

Artists will have their blank canvases to be used the competition stamped immediately following the lecture and will then have the following five hours to complete their entry. Work will be shown from 5 to 7 p.m. for judging.

Registration fees are non-refundable. Checks and money orders are accepted made payable to the Alton Marketplace Association or fees may be paid online with PayPal at www.altonmarketplace.com. Please note that if you pay online, you must still mail in your signed entry form. For more information please visit the above website or call Alton Marketplace at 618-463-1016.