“I love the farmers’ market. It is so good in so many ways! For the vendors, for the community, for the tourists … fresh, wonderful food, remarkable crafts and creations, a venue for information and funds, and a place for kids, musicians and jugglers.”

Lopez Farmers’ Market Board Facilitator Nancy Bingham is enthusiastic about the island’s summer open air market — and she hopes Lopez artists will share that excitement and submit a poster for the 2008 contest.

The farmers’ market is holding its second annual poster contest, open to all Lopez residents as well as 2007 farmers’ market members, which will include some off-island folks.

Finished poster size should be 11 x 17, in full color, and with a minimum ½ inch white border on all sides for printing. The following information needs to be incorporated into the design: Lopez Island Farmers’ Market 2008, May 17-September 6, 2008, Saturdays 10-2 in the Village.

The winning poster will be used to promote the 2008 market season and will be available for sale at the market. The artist will receive a $400 cash prize and recognition as the 2008 Lopez Farmers’ Market poster artist. The winning artist will also be asked to attend a poster signing event at a scheduled Saturday market.

“It’s a great opportunity for someone to get their artwork seen by many, become famous even … and to make a nice bit of money for their work,” commented Bingham. “There are lots of graduates of “Art for the Artistically Afraid” [one of Bingham’s art classes] who would make excellent entrants. I encourage anyone to make a poster, be bold, be wild, be creative. What have you got to lose?”

Finished posters, camera ready, must be submitted no later than March 1, 2008 to: Debbie Collins, 1458 Bayshore Road, Lopez Island, WA 98261. This submission may be original art or a printout of a digital file. Each submission should be accompanied by artist contact information (name, address, phone, e-mail).

The submitted posters will be hung in the Lopez Post Office for the month of March. Community members are encouraged to submit a vote into the available box at the Post Office. The Farmers’ Market board will submit posters with the most votes to the farmers’ market members for a final vote at their annual meeting in April, 2008.

The Lopez Island Farmers’ Market will have exclusive rights to use the winning original artwork for one year, after which the work and the rights to the art will returned to the artist.

For more information, please contact Debbie Collins at 468-4140.