"Every picture or artwork tells a story" and the E.P. Foster Library and City of Ventura Public Art Program want yours as part of their co-sponsored "Art Tales" creative contest for local writers of all ages and abilities. For applications and guidelines, visit the City of Ventura's website at www.cityofventura.net/culturalaffairs. Entries are due by December 13.

To enter, check out the intriguing works of art from the Municipal Art Collection on temporary exhibit on the first and second floors of E.P. Foster Library at 651 E. Main Street, then submit an original short story or poem inspired by one of these artworks. Entries will be accepted in either English or Spanish and will be judged by a committee of professionals, educators, librarians, and City of Ventura staff. Winners will receive a cash prize of $50, see their work published on the City's website, and more.

The Municipal Art Collection was envisioned in 1999 to make the artwork accessible to the community by displaying the collection in the public areas of City Hall and other municipal buildings. The display at E.P. Foster Library marks the second of many planned exhibits or loans to be sited outside City Hall.

Each piece in this year's selections suggests a quality of mystery, challenging the viewer to puzzle over the work's meaning and providing an excellent writing prompt for students and adults alike. This exhibit includes paintings by Chloe Murdock and Christine Brennan, drawings by Paul Benavidez and Parmlee Gomez, and a bronze sculpture by Theodore T. Gall.

The Municipal Art Collection, on permanent exhibit in City Hall, continues to be an important attraction for both residents and visitors. Since its inception in 1999, the collection has grown to include 87 works by 68 artists, each of whom have made a significant contribution to the history of visual art in Ventura County - a main criterion of acquisition. The collection showcases the breadth and diversity of the county's visual art community through the representation of multiple media, including sculpture, painting, photography, etching, and ceramics.

The Municipal Art Acquisition Program was established to document the history of visual art in Ventura through the annual purchase of important works of art created by area artists. The Municipal Art Acquisition Committee, a sub-committee of the Public Art Commission, oversees the purchase of new artworks. The entire collection may be viewed online at www.cityofventura.net/publicart.

For more contest information contact: Denise Sindelar at 805-658-4793.

Image: Untitled, 1999,oil and gold leaf on masonite, Christine Brennan, from the Municipal Collection. All rights reserved.