AUSTIN—More than 200 students from schools all across the state have their artwork on display in Austin as part of the "Texas Landscapes & Celebrations" art contest sponsored by the Texas Education Agency and Texas Commission on the Arts.

This statewide competition was created to showcase student art depicting two things held very dear in the state of Texas—Texas landscapes and celebrations. Intended to honor and recognize excellence in art education in the public schools of Texas, the artwork submitted could depict any Texas landscape, such as beaches, cities, pastures, towns, lakes, rivers, schools, prairies, mountains, flora or fauna, in any season. The art could also illustrate a tradition or celebration that is considered special.

Open to all Texas public school students in grades K-12, more than 700 entries were submitted for judging. A panel of judges convened at the capitol in Austin and winners were selected from four grade groups: K-2, 3rd-5th, 6th-8th, and 9th-12th. The judges were faced with the difficult decision of selecting about 200 pieces to include in the exhibit.

Students whose artwork received either an Award of Excellence or Award of Merit are included in the exhibition. In addition, those students received a medal and a certificate.

The winning artwork will be showcased at the Austin headquarters of TEA, TCA and the Legislative Budget Board through Feb. 8.

The William B. Travis State Office Building, the headquarters of TEA, is located at 1701 N. Congress Ave. The artwork is displayed on the building's first floor. The budget board is located on the fifth floor of the Robert E. Johnson building at 1501 N. Congress Ave.; and the TCA is located at 920 Colorado on the fifth floor of the E. O. Thompson State Office Building. The buildings are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Also on exhibit at TEA is a collection of three-dimensional artwork from schools located in North Texas that include Mesquite, Carrollton-Farmers Branch, Grand Prairie, Plano, and Richardson Independent School Districts.

Nearly 40 pieces of figurative works created by high school students are included in the exhibition called "Through the Eyes of Artists: 3-D from North Texas." Featured artwork includes pieces created from a variety of mediums, such as plaster, clay, wax, and even bronze.

All the artwork on exhibit will be featured later this year in Perceptions, an online art gallery hosted by TEA and TCA. The link to this collection is at www.arts.state.tx.us/perceptions/.

Selected works from the exhibit can be viewed at: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/comm/page1.html. If a high resolution photograph of the artwork is needed for publication, please call the TEA Communications division at (512) 463-9000.