Conroe Art League seeks entries for international competition: 5 things to know.

Entries for the Conroe Art League’s 2024 international art competition are being accepted through Dec. 11. 

Artists from Montgomery County and across the nation and world are invited to enter original 2D and 3D artwork in this juried competition and $5,500 will be awarded to the winners in March. 

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Here are five things to know about the Conroe Art League’s biggest show of the year:

About the Conroe Art League

The nonprofit Conroe Art League began in the spring of 1963 when seven local artists with an interest in fine art met at the home of art teacher Mary Alice Hunt. 

The first exhibit was held June 1, 1963 at the Conroe City Hall with 150 paintings on exhibit according to a passage on the Conroe Art League in the 1981 Montgomery County Geneaology Society History Book.

In November 2011, in partnership with the City of Conroe, the art league opened the Gallery at the Madeley in a historic building in downtown Conroe. Throughout the year, the works of art league members and others are on display at the gallery at 127 Simonton Street. 

The start of CAL International

The show launched in 2015 as a project of Conroe Art League artists Al Heilman and Ed Gorman. In 2022, organizers opened the competition to international artists. 

Also in 2022, Indonesian teen Vincint Prijadi Purwono traveled with his father, Rudy, from his home country to participate in the Conroe show. The art league members presented them both cowboy hats to commemorate their visit to Conroe. 

The scope of the show 

Conroe Art League member Bob Heintzelman is the chairman for the 2024 show. 

He said in 2023, the show saw 540 entries in the first round of the competition. The pieces are narrowed down to about 60 finalist pieces and then first through fourth-place awards are presented in a March reception. 

He said the benefits to local artists are to have their piece hanging among works from all over the country. 

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“That’s a real validation of your talent and a very prestigious thing to be able to put on your resume,” he said. The show also draws interest in the gallery as the artists’ friends and family come see the juried artwork. 

The 2023 grand-prize winner was a large tapestry by Linda Anderson titled “Force of Nature.” The fabric artwork depicted a woman among a floral background. 

The finalists from the 2023 competition may be viewed in a digital presentation. 

This year’s juror 

Patrick Saunders from San Antonio will judge the art work. 

Saunders is a professional artist who has traveled the world painting, teaching and judging competitions. Saunders most recently taught a workshop at the Conroe Art League this past weekend. 

His work may be viewed at his website. 

About this year’s competition 

Heintzelman said after the artwork is reviewed by Saunders in December, the first week of January, the roughly 60 finalists will be notified. They send their art pieces to the gallery and the finalists will be on display throughout the month of March 2024. 

The four winning pieces will be announced at a reception March 23, 2024 at the gallery. 

Entries may be made by visiting the Call to Entry page. 

“This is something the artists know about and look forward too,” he said. “It’s pretty remarkable thing that Conroe has this art gallery and we can do a show like this.”