Entries sought for Smokiam photography show

SOAP LAKE - The Art Guild of the Soap Lake Area is requesting public entries for the Smokiam Photography Show, which has been moved to Aug. 3, 4, 10 and 11. Entries must be submitted on July 27 and 28 at the show venue, Las Brisas Arts and Conference Center, at the intersection of Second SE and Daisy streets, Soap Lake.

Entries will be accepted from noon to 6 p.m. unless artists have made other arrangements, Al Lundberg, one of the show organizers, said. Artists must submit entries in person, he said.

Entries are $5 each; photos must be a maximum of 20 by 30 inches and ready for hanging, Lundberg said. It's a juried show, so all entries will be evaluated by professional photographers, he said.

Originally the show was held the first two weekends of July, but there are many other activities then, Lundberg said. There aren't that many shows devoted to photography in Eastern Washington, he said, and as a result the Smokiam show is one of the biggest in the region.

In addition to the juried show, Smokiam will include an exhibit by David Michelson, featuring his black and white photos of farmsteads in the Columbia Basin. A display of quilts also is planned, featuring the "Quilts of Valor," which are made for donation to the U.S. armed forces.

The show has two categories, traditional, photos created within the capabilities of the camera or darkroom; and manipulated, photos altered with the aid of computers or other techniques. There's a student category for youths younger than 18, and Lundberg said he's encouraging kids age 15 and younger to enter. There are many kids out there with interesting pictures, he said; "please select your best and enter."

Submitting the entries to a jury allows each photographer to get a personal critique of their work, Lundberg said. "We look at it as primarily an educational tool," he said.

"It's always a fun show," he said. People who want more information on the show can contact Lundberg at 509-246-6259 or by email at thelundbergs@webtv.net.