Entries will be accepted from students in grades 4-8 through April 12 for a Clarendon Hills Centennial Art Competition that is part of the village’s centennial celebration.
One winning entry will be selected from each of the five grade levels and the competition is open to children who live in Clarendon Hill or attend a school in the village. Submissions are limited to one per student and should be turned in at the Clarendon Hills Public Library, 7 N. Prospect Avenue.
Assistant Village Manager Mera Johnson said the village’s Centennial Committee came up with the idea for the competition, and a committee member, Belinda Lutz Hamel, owner of Hamel Dental and a former art teacher, was interested in the project. She collaborated with The Birches Assisted Living & Memory Care, Clarendon Hills Library, and North Hill Framing to plan and organize the details for the competition.
Each winner will receive a $100 cash prize from Hamel Dental, and the winning artwork will be displayed at Village Hall through the end of the year and used for a 100th special edition library card.
Johnson said the age range of grades 4-8 was chosen because it most represents the schools actually located in Clarendon Hills, and children in those grades can work independently.
“We are looking for a variety but also want to streamline the process, so as many kids that live in Clarendon Hills can participate,” Johnson said. She said a subcommittee will review entries and vote on winners for each grade level. Winners will be selected based on originality, artistry and use of theme, “What inspires you most about Clarendon Hills?”
Copyrighted characters, such as Disney, Pokémon and Minecra, may not be used in artwork, and entries need to be two-dimensional, measuring 11″ x 14”, horizontal or vertical, on art paper or thin cardboard (no canvas). Each artist may use whatever medium they prefer, such as paint or markers.
Winners will be notified by email and there will be a special showing of entrants’ artwork from 5 to 7 p.m. May 21 at The Birches, 215 55th St., with artists and their families invited. The artwork will remain on display at The Birches through the end of May and may be picked up the first week of June by students at the front desk of The Birches.
To enter, students must complete a contest form and release, to be submitted with their entry. The form can be found online at www.clarendonhills.us/DocumentCenter/View/2419/Clarendon-Hills-Kids-Art-Contest-Rules?bidId=.
Johnson said the committee didn’t discuss how many entries they expect.
“But we are hoping for an enthusiastic response, as 100 years is a big milestone, and we want artists to celebrate what makes Clarendon Hills a wonderful community,” she said. “The Centennial Art Competition, and the other events planned for the Centennial, is what truly makes Clarendon Hills the volunteer community. We are hoping to inspire kids to participate, connect, and be inspired to be the future generation of community volunteers.”
Chuck Fieldman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.