ORNL credit union again sponsors Community Art & Mural contest
Local artists and school art programs will again have the opportunity to showcase their creativity in a unique fashion – by painting a large structure visible from a main access road in Oak Ridge.
The Community Art & Mural Program, sponsored by ORNL Federal Credit Union, was created in 2017 to support initiatives that make the arts accessible to all.
Its goals, according to a news release, are:
To support the credit union’s Core Community Values and Purpose: Together, We Thrive.
To recognize and highlight student artists, local artists, and nonprofit arts programs.
To create a public art display that is accessible to all.
To enhance the beauty of our region.
To invest in community improvement programs.
Show art on Rutgers Avenue
The program is an open competition for Oak Ridge school students to submit designs to be displayed on a cinderblock wall. The wall surrounds a generator situated on the campus of ORNL FCU’s main headquarters located at 221 S. Rutgers Avenue.
Not only can winning students have their design re-created on a large-scale, public platform, but they will win a $100 cash prize for the student (or team) and a $500 cash prize for their school’s art programs.
The competition is open to students and/or art programs in the Oak Ridge school system. Contest categories are grades K-4, 5-8, and 9-12.
There is no fee to enter.
There will be one winner from each grade category. Artwork can be designed by an individual or be a collaborative effort by a group of students. Finished entries must capture and/or represent the stated theme of “New Beginnings.”
Students will have between Dec. 1, 2023, and Jan. 31, 2024, to submit their artwork. A panel of judges will select and announce the winning designs by March 15, 2024.
The designs will be painted in the spring of 2024 by local artist Bryan Wilkerson, who will choose placement based on orientation and scalability. Wall sizes are: 38.5 foot by 15 foot area facing South Rutgers Avenue; 38.5 foot by 15 foot area facing North Purdue Avenue; and 19.5 foot by 15 foot area facing ORNL FCU headquarters.
Theme of art contest is ‘new beginnings’
The subject matter for the mural should capture the idea of “new beginnings.”
Artists should consider how the image will speak to the community and how public art speaks within the community:
● The mural must express the beauty of our community and deliver a positive message.
● The mural may be representational, abstract, and/or include mixed media.
To submit to the mural contest:
● Each entry must be submitted individually in an electronic format (image, PDF etc.) and include the artist’s name and grade level.
● Entries must be submitted by a representative from the school’s art department and include contact information. Schools are asked to send their top 10 designs for consideration in the contest.
● Original works of art must be retained by the school as they may be needed during the judging process.
● Entries must be sent to Jessica Emert at jemert@ornlfcu.com by Jan. 31, 2024.
About Bryan Wilkerson
A Tennessee native and professor of art and design at Roane State Community College, Wilkerson is a versatile artist whose work encompasses ceramics, murals, public art, and digital design, the release said. His creations are marked by a playful exploration of humor, craft, irony, and common symbolic references. Wilkerson is also known for his murals with vibrant and thought-provoking imagery.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: ORNL sponsors public art contest for local schools
