Fine Arts Competition
Updated for 2026
This competition encourages artists to participate in the Festival with their entries featuring sheep, wool, and fiber arts-related subjects. The competition is open to ALL artists. Entry size is limited to 40 inches in any direction including frame. All entries must be framed and/or use stretched canvas and be equipped for hanging with screw eyes or D-rings and picture wire. No sawtooth hangers allowed. Watercolors, pastels, and drawings must be framed under glass. Featured Breed entries must highlight known characteristics of that breed. If made of wool, classes 7 and 13/14 (Miscellaneous) may represent any subject.
Artists are eligible to enter one piece of work per class, with the exception that an artist working in only one medium (Classes 1-5, 8-11) may enter two pieces of work in that class. For Classes 7 and 13/14, artists may enter two pieces of work. All entries must have been completed since the 2025 Festival.
Adult Division
Classes
- 1. Oil
- 2. Watercolor (traditional, gouache)
- 3. Pastel (chalk, Conte’ crayon, oil pastel)
- 4. Acrylic
- 5. Drawing (charcoal, graphite, pen & ink, colored pencil)
- 6. Featured Breed (Scottish Blackface) (any medium, Classes 1-5)
- 7. Miscellaneous (sculpture, framed needlework or needle felting, tapestry, etc.)
Premiums
- 1st – $20
- 2nd – $15
- 3rd – $10
- 4th – $5
- Best of Show – $100
- Reserve – $50
- Best Maryland Resident Entry – $50
- Best Featured Breed Entry – $50 (donated by Friends of Scottish Blackface Sheep)
Junior Division (18 years old or younger as of January 1)
Classes
- 8. Drawing – ages 10 and under (crayon, marker, pencil, colored pencil)
- 9. Painting – ages 10 and under
- 10. Drawing – ages 11 to 18
- 11. Painting – ages 11 to 18
- 12. Featured Breed (Scottish Blackface) – all Juniors (drawing, painting, mixed media)
- 13. Miscellaneous – ages 10 and under (sculpture, tapestry, shadow box, etc.)
- 14. Miscellaneous – ages 11 to 18 (sculpture, tapestry, shadow box, etc.)
Prizes
- 1st – $12
- 2nd – $10
- 3rd – $7
- 4th – $4
- Best of Show – $35
- Reserve – $20
- Best Maryland Resident Junior Entry – $20
- Best Featured Breed Junior Entry – $25 (donated by Friends of Scottish Blackface Sheep)
How to Enter
Artists planning to enter the Fine Arts Competition are encouraged to complete this short form to share basic information about their artwork so we can plan the display space in the Annex.
Complete the form here: https://forms.gle/JS2UrT2SAtdmj9K86.
Entries are to be delivered to the Main Exhibition Annex on Friday, May 1, between 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. All items must be submitted in person by the artist or their designee and claimed on Sunday by the artist. Juniors need not be present for submission, but should be present to claim their entries/prizes. Judging will be at 5:00 p.m. on Friday.
All entries must remain on display throughout the Festival and will not be released before 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 3. Premium money will be forfeited for any entries removed earlier. Please claim all entries by 5:30 p.m. Unclaimed entries become the property of the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival. .
The Festival Committee assumes no responsibility for damage or loss of entries, but will make every effort to display and care for all the art pieces entered.
There is no entry fee.
For information contact:
Michele McGuinness
Fine Arts Chairperson
301-528-8850 or moc.oohay@nniugcmcm
