By Rebecca Cox
Calling all student artists – the time has come to enter the 2012 Outstanding Student Artist of The Year Contest.
Presented by ArtLA.com for the first time, the contest is open to any student artist whether they live within the United States or overseas.
The top three contestants with the most number of votes on ArtLA.com will go onto the final. A panel of expert judges will then decide the ultimate winner, which will be based on creativity, technical ability, and originality.
The categories include etching, drawing, digital, giclée, lithograph, painting, photography, sculpture, and works on paper.
ArtLA owner Heidi Gray said student artists would have the opportunity to receive marketing and educational tools to launch their dreams.
“Being based in The Bergamot Station Arts Complex we see many kids and students of all kinds and ages who are very creative, love art, but just don’t get a chance to expose their work, so this will allow them to be seen, and for one lucky artist, win a fantastic prize,” Gray said.
The winner will receive a grand cash award of $10,000 plus a host of other prizes including an Apple Macbook Pro, Adobe Creative Suite 5.5, an ArtLA.com Presidential Package Membership, a $500 Blick Art Materials Gift Certificate, as well as having their work exhibited at the Bergamot Station Arts Center in Santa Monica.
While the contest is open to any student artist in the world, Gray said Santa Monica was a perfect place for this contest.
“With the Bergamot Arts Center being so prolific and also the largest art center on the West Coast as well as so many other galleries and coffee houses showing art, Santa Monica is probably one of the best places to be for an artist right now,” Gray said.
The competition is open to student artists of any age, but they must be enrolled in a school, or attending established classes at the time of entry into the competition.
Entry forms and instructions are available at ArtLA.com. Entries close Tuesday, April 10, 2012.
