Attention all Photographers, its time to get your entries ready for Mena Art Gallery’s annual Photography Competition. Over $2700 in cash prizes will be presented this year to the winners in two divisions – Adult and Youth (ages 12 to 17). Beginning July 28th to Sept 1 with the one Best of Show prize being $300, 1st place in 5 categories in the adult division being $200, and many more prizes to be awarded. Holly Springs Real Estate has generously donated $100.00 for the "People's Choice" award, and a $100.00 floral award has been donated by Shelton Bohlman, Florist. Also a $100 Memorial Award has been donated by the gallery in honor of the late R. L. Norris. See the entry rules for more information.

Pickup for the show will be on Wednesday, September 1st from 10 am to 4 pm.

You may also call the gallery at 479 394-3880 or Richard and Janis Shull at 479-243-0725 for additional information. For a copy of this anuual show rules and entry form,Photography Show Signup and Exhibition Rules

Well known local artist, Bill Wells will be offering us a one man show of his works. His works include watercolor, oils, and mixed media which can be found in many private collections across the country. Bill says watercolor is still his first love though. Reception is September 5th and the show will run through September 29th.

1)Works on canvas, wood,gesso board,etc. including oils and acrylics.

2)Works on paper, including watercolors, pastels, pencil, prismacolor, ink, and original prints as etchings or woodblocks.

3) Photography and computer generated art.

4) Three dimensional arts and crafts.

Works may not be copies or kits and must be accompanied by a sample of the source if they are a derivative. Also a limit of 4 entries per person please. For a copy of show rules and entry form,check back. Call the gallery for more information at 479-394-3880.

Tim Ernst, the well known Arkansas' Wilderness Photographer will be bringing his photographs to share with the Mena Art Gallery. He has been hiking, driving and crawling around the wonderful Ozark Mountains for most of his life, preserving the images he sees on film for everyone to enjoy. His photographs have appeared in hundreds of national, regional and local publications. Some of his credits include National Geographic, Audubon, Backpacker, Outside, Outdoor Photographer, American Hiker, Natural History, Country, Chevy Outdoors, and Arkansas Times magazines, Sierra Club and Hallmark calendars, National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service maps and brochures, Readers Digest Books, and The New York Times. Much of his time these days is spent teaching digital photography workshops in the Buffalo River Wilderness.

Ten collections of Tim's wilderness photographs have been published as coffee table picture books - Arkansas Portfolio: Twenty Years of Wilderness Photography (1994), Wilderness Reflections: An Intimate Look at Wild Places in America (1996), Buffalo River Wilderness (with watercolors by William McNamara, 1998), Arkansas Spring: Dogwoods, Waterfalls and Wildflowers (2000), Arkansas Wilderness: My Favorite Photos from the Natural State (2002), Arkansas Portfolio II: Spectacular New Images from The Natural State (2005), Buffalo River Dreams (2006), Arkansas Waterfalls: Scenic Icons of the Natural State (2007), Arkansas Landscapes (2008), and Tim's newest picture book Arkansas Wildlife (published in the fall of 2009). Tim is hard at work on his next new Arkansas picture book - Arkansas Fall that will be published in the summer of 2010.

Each year Tim creates new slide programs of his work and tours them around the region, normally in November and December. These audio-visual programs come to life with moving photos and wonderful music that you really have to experience to believe. We feel very lucky and honored that Tim will share this with the Mena Art Gallery. The slide program has been scheduled for the evening of November 1st and is to be held at Mena Mountain Resort. More information will be provided as the time draws closer. The Tim Ernst show will end December 1st.

Show rules and entry form will be posted later. Reception Dec. 5th from 1-3 pm. Pick up Dec. 29th from 10am to 4 pm.