Youngsters invited to 'get creative' for DMR marine calendar art contest
PASCAGOULA, Mississippi -- The 11th annual Mississippi Department of Marine Resources student art contest is under way and students are invited to submit their colorful creations by Oct. 21. The statewide competition is geared for third- through sixth-graders in Hancock, Harrison and Jackson counties.
Winning entries will be featured in the DMR's 2012 Marine Information Calendar.
The contest each year is an effort to generate an interest in the coastal resources and promote an awareness of its value, according to Jennifer Goldman Leirer, public relations representative.
"We usually print about 10,000 calendars, and they have a lot of great marine information like the tides and moon phases," Leirer said. "People get so excited when we print them."
The calendars are distributed to bait shops and various other places, mostly along the coast.
"In January every year, we go to Jackson for Capitol Day and distribute them there," she said. "Oh, the kids in tour groups love to get them and the legislators love to get them, too.
T-shirt design celebrates beauty of Natchez
NATCHEZ — For Natchezians, a big part of attending the Great Mississippi Balloon Race is wearing it.
Natchez native and artist Will Smith of New Orleans submitted art again this year, which was selected as the iconic balloon race image that will grace T-shirts and posters.
The watercolor and ink illustration features the capital of a column on Stanton Hall, with balloons rising in the background.
“I snuck out on the front porch Stanton Hall and photographed one of those beautiful capitals on a column,” Smith said. “In the background are balloons rising above the oak trees.”
Smith said his submission for the 2010 race was chosen as well, it pictured the dome of Longwood, with balloons rising behind the dome.
“It’s the same idea,” Smith said. “It’s not the house, but an element of it, which symbolizes the beauty of Natchez.”
Beginning Monday, souvenir enthusiasts floated into the Historic Natchez Foundation on Commerce Street to take a look at the art and load up on T-shirts, tickets, posters, hats and more.
The 11th annual Mississippi Department of Marine Resources student art contest is under way with winning entries to appear in DMR's 2012 Marine Information Calendar. The agency has begun using the winning art for October on T-shirts printed by DMR for
NATCHEZ — For Natchezians, a big part of attending the Great Mississippi Balloon Race is wearing it. Natchez native and artist Will Smith of New Orleans submitted art again this year, which was selected as the iconic balloon race image that will grace
