Alachua County library will host its eighth annual summer art show virtually

The Alachua County Library District will hold its eighth annual summer art show in early August virtually this year.

The art show, which will be an online collection, is open for submissions from people 18 and older until July 29. There will be no selection or judgement process as it provides an opportunity for art to be publicly featured by the library. 

Only two art submissions are allowed from each contributor, and each submission must be accompanied by a completed entry form. Digital art, photography, paintings, 3D art and any other mediums of art are accepted. 

“The library’s adult art show is an opportunity to share your works with the community, and to discover other local artists, and to put your work out there for a larger audience,” Rachel Cook, the public relations and marketing manager at the Alachua County Library District, said. 

Turnout for the art show has been increasing over the years. In 2019, 62 works were submitted by 43 artists and in 2020, 99 works were submitted by 51 artists, Cook wrote in an email.

Art submissions include a variety of styles from realistic to abstract. In last year’s show, Michael Roberts submitted two acrylic paintings, using broad strokes reminiscent of the impressionist style. Susan Pérez’s oil paintings depicted vibrant natural sceneries from forests to the ocean. 

Cook said the pieces were typically displayed at the headquarters library branch when it was in-person, and a reception usually spotlights a visiting or feature artist. She said the library will evaluate how to best host the show next year. 

Chelsea Collison, a 32-year-old outreach manager of the Florida Trail Association who participated in the art show last year, said it is a great opportunity for her to display her mixed media artwork, an art form where more than one medium or material is used, such as collages. 

“I always enjoy an opportunity to be able to share artworks that I’m working on in a community setting like the library,” she said. “I just like being part of the bigger project and showcasing my artwork alongside other community members and staying involved with the library’s events.”

She said contributing to the show was her way of showing support for the library and the absence of a rigorous selection process should encourage more people to contribute to it. 

“If you’re new to creating art or you’re new to sharing your art with the public, the library is a really great way to kind of baby step into that by participating in their art show,” she said. “It’s not a huge difficult challenge to do.” 

Contact Phong Huynh at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @phongphont.

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