Governor Rell: Online Voting Begins

For 375^th Anniversary Young Artists Contest

Works of 15 Finalists Displayed on www.ct375.com

Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced online voting begins today for the 375^th Anniversary Young Artists Contests. The statewide competition drew 275 submissions from children, ages 9-11.

“This is an entertaining look at Connecticut through the eyes of our children,” Governor Rell said. “We have received a wonderful variety of painting and drawings from many, many talented young artists. I commend all of them for taking part and helping our great state celebrate this milestone 375^th Anniversary.”

The 15 finalists have their artwork displayed on the state’s 375^th Web site – www.ct375.com – and in the upper Concourse between the Legislative Office Building and the state Capitol throughout the month of June.  The finalists will be invited to meet the governor and the five artists receiving the most votes will each receive a $100 U.S. Savings Bond.  

The public can vote online through the www.ct375.com Web site from June 1 through June 8. One vote per e-mail is permitted. The top-vote getter will be announced on June 10. All artwork received will go into a permanent collection of items celebrating the 375^th Anniversary.

The Governor thanked the panel of three judges who selected the 15 finalists from the 275 submissions without viewing the any of the applications that accompanied the artwork that indicated the schools and art teachers. The judges were:

• Bonnie Maneggia, a visual arts teacher and department chairwoman of the Metropolitan Learning Center, Bloomfield;
• Erin Garney, art teacher at Race Brook School, Orange;
• Carl Pastor, art teacher at Two Rivers Magnet Middle School, East Hartford.

Contest organizers thanked Pita Group for managing the 375^th Web site and DreamSakes of Manchester for scanning the finalists’ art on specially calibrated scanners that preserved that preserve and enhance the original artwork.

To help promote Connecticut’s 375^th Anniversary, the Governor assembled a commission of historians, educators, arts and culture representatives, fund-raisers and others. The 375^th Anniversary Commission is planning events that involve local schools, state parks, the arts community, museums and oral historians.

Services and items related to the state’s year long 375^th anniversary celebration are donated or purchased with donated funds.  Donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.  Go to www.CT375.com for more information and to donate. More information on 375^th Anniversary events can also be found at:

http://twitter.com/Connecticut375

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hartford-CT/Connecticuts-375thAnniversary/10150113573780463?ref=ts

http://www.youtube.com/user/ct375