While the Judges' selections of the top winners in the July Art Contest at the Mesquite Fine Arts Gallery were marked with the winning ribbons, the art pieces selected for the People's Choice and the Sponsor's Choice were held in close confidence until Thursday, July 19, when they were announced at the monthly art reception.

This month's contest theme “I’m Seeing Red,” is the largest collection of original artwork presented yet in the Gallery’s summer art competitions.

The public is always invited to select their favorite art piece, a difficult task because of all the beautiful selections. This month the People's Choice was awarded to Judith Hetem for her artwork titled "Brakkie."

The sponsor of this month's contest is the Mesquite Citizen Journal. The staff of the online news site, now one year old, selected "Cat n' Cardinal" by artist Cheri Chandler as their favorite.

VVAA runs the summer series to keep artists and visitors connected with the Gallery during the hot season when so many snowbirds vacate their Mesquite nests. Entry is not limited to members, however, and information about future competitions can be found at the website, www.mesquitefineartscenter.com.

See additional Mesquite Citizen Journal stories “I’m Seeing Red” Biggest Art Contest Yet-Slideshow and Find Your Peaceful, Easy Feeling at the Art Gallery-Video