Mini Masterpiece Contest and Art Show: Winners Announcement!

Along with falling leaves and the much-awaited return of pumpkin spice, the month of September also brought us an exciting first in library programming. The Fox River Valley Public Library’s Mini Masterpiece Contest and Art Show saw the artistry of the surrounding community on display in the form of dozens upon dozens of palm-sized artworks. But what made this experience truly special was the sheer amount of creativity and excitement from the participants of all ages that took part in the program. 

Labor Day week saw the hustle of close to two hundred art supply kits finding a home among residents of the Fox River Valley. Behind the scenes, library staff saw the bustle of even more kits being hastily made during the week to replenish the rapidly dwindling supply. Supply kits in hand, artists of all ages went off armed with the bare necessities -a brush, an assortment of acrylic paints, and a tiny blank canvas, empty with endless possibilities- to create their masterpieces. Just two days after the beginning of the pick-up period, those masterpieces began to trickle in much to the delight of staff who excitedly unpacked and looked at each one. In the end, nearly ninety pieces were returned just in time to be displayed on the opening day of the Dundee Library’s Community Mini Art Gallery. Participants can be sure that the tiny plastic gallerygoers were not the only ones who enjoyed the artwork. 

For a week, artists came into the library with their families in tow to participate in the voting period. There was more than one exclamation of awe and quiet pacing between one art piece and another that mirrored the careful deliberation taking place. Certainly, the staff related to the sentiment, glad it was not just they who had trouble choosing just one art piece per category to vote on as “the best.” With almost three hundred votes in total, it’s a wonder the ballot box didn’t bust at the seams. The success of such a well-attended voting period is a testament to the immense talent of all the artists who participated. 

With September having come and gone, so too ends our art contest. Submissions were divided into four age categories: youth, tween, teen, and adult; the votes were tallied, and a first-place winner was determined for each. Without further ado, here are our winners of FRVPLD’s first-ever Mini Masterpiece Contest and Art Show.

We would like to thank everyone who participated in this program. We sincerely hope you enjoyed it and will give us the satisfaction of participating again someday!