Mystery Art returns to the Kemp Center for the Arts – Times Record News

Amateurs and accomplished professionals alike have a chance to see their work displayed side-by-side at the Mystery Art Exhibit. The Kemp Center for the Arts, located at 1300 Lamar, will host the Exhibit from Sept. 30 through Oct. 21. The Mystery Art Exhibit is unique to other art installations because submissions are open to anyone, and will remain open until Sept. 8. The artwork is displayed without the artist’s name, adding to the intrigue of the event.

Kristen Conrady Shiplet, development coordinator for the Kemp Center for the Arts, said the Exhibit typically receives between 175 and 250 submissions. She added that the event increases accessibility to both creating and collecting art.

“Any artist can participate, from a seasoned professional to an absolute beginner. We have all ages from babies doing their handprints in paint, to, we’ve had somebody was 100 enter the Exhibit before, so all ages are encouraged to enter, all skill levels,” Shiplet said. She added later that, “It is a good opportunity for someone to see their work hanging, and they don’t know if the artwork hanging next to them is done by a professional [or] by a child. It just provides the artists with an opportunity to see their work hung professionally to inspire them to keep creating.”

In keeping with the theme of increasing local awareness and appreciation for art and artists, most events associated with the Exhibit are free to the public. The first event is a dinner and preview of the Exhibit on Sept. 30, for which tickets will go on sale soon.  The gallery will open to the public Oct. 1. Free events scheduled include a kickoff party and artist reception Oct. 6, a collaboration with the Wichita Falls Poetry Society for a poetry reading Oct. 13 and a finale and closing reception Oct. 20, which will also feature a live auction.

Shiplet said the auction gives art collectors of all experience levels the opportunity to expand or begin their collections, with the unique caveat that buyers don’t know what artist they are purchasing from.

“It makes it very accessible for a first-time art purchaser. You can bid on things in the auction at a price point that you’re comfortable with, and you can start to develop your aesthetic or your style with what you’re interested in,” Shiplet said.

Submissions  for the Exhibit are required to be in an 8-by-10 format for paintings, or an 8-by-8-by-10 size for sculptures. Artists may submit up to two entries for the Exhibit, and top pieces in each category are eligible for cash prizes. The categories are abstract, animal, floral, landscape, portrait, still life and symbolism. Additional information and guidelines for submissions can be found at https://www.artscouncilwf.org/mystery-art.

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