Allied Arts is now accepting entries for the 27th annual Oconee Artists Exhibition, a juried art exhibit featuring works of art from artists who reside in nine counties located along the Oconee River.

Six categories of art are being accepted for entry into the show including drawing, mixed media, painting, photography, printmaking and sculpture and artists can enter up to three pieces for judging.

“It is a juried exhibition and we have lots of entries,” said Allied Arts Executive Director Randy Cannon. “Artists can enter up to three pieces and then we have a judge to come down and he’ll select what is in the show. It makes for a better show. Then, we’ll hang and arrange the show after he’s decided what will be in it and who the winners are.”

The show, which will be on view after judging from April 25 through May 21 at the John Marlor Arts Center, located at 201 N. Wayne St., after an opening reception and presentation of awards on Sunday, April 25 at 1 p.m.

Three Best-in-Show awards will be given, including a $150 first place prize, $100 second place prize and a $75 third place prize. 

Additionally, top entries in each category will be awarded a certificate of merit if the juror feels it is warranted.

Allied Arts gallery director Bryan Renko said the exhibit is a great opportunity for a wide range of artists to get exposure.

“We oftentimes are able to identify artists at the Oconee show and invite them back for a single exhibition at the Marlor House,” said Renko. “The Oconee show is a great opportunity for new and emerging artists for sure.”

Many artists enter the contest and some categories are more popular than others, he said.

“We get a lot of photography and painting entries. Those are our largest categories,” he said. “We have had as many as 80 entries or so entered into the show and the average [number of entries] is probably somewhere between 40 and 60.”

Artists with a wide range of skills and experience are represented in the show, he added.

“We have Sunday painters that are 80 years old all the way to 18-year-old college students,” he said. “The variety of artwork and style is really nice with this event.”

 This year’s judge for the event, Preston Snyder, is a former Milledgeville resident and Georgia College & State University graduate who now lives in Atlanta.

“He holds a business degree and then also an art degree,” said Renko.  “He is an oil painter. I try to recruit a judge who lives outside the area of eligibility and then I look for art requirements. He fit the bill and he exhibited here about a year ago.” 

Entries will be accepted until April 9 and all mailed entries must be post-marked by that date. 

Entry forms and a prospectus can be obtained by calling Allied Arts at (478) 452-3950 or picked up at during regular business hours at Allied Arts.

Entries are accepted for artists residing in Baldwin, Greene, Hancock, Jasper, Jones, Putnam, Taliaferro, Washington and Wilkinson counties.

For more information, please visit www.milledgevillealliedarts.com.  Entry forms are also expected to be available on the Web site in the near future.