ATHENS, Texas-Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) officials intend to make the 2010 State-Fish Art Contest expo at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center (TFFC) in Athens the biggest and best in the contest’s history, and they need your help.
Wildlife Forever, the national sponsor of the contest, has agreed to move the national competition and expo from the Mall of America in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, to TFFC for the July 17 event.
The Toyota Bass Classic Foundation funds the Texas division of the contest, including cash prizes for Texas winners. However, in order to put on a Texas-size event, TFFC is seeking the cooperation of additional sponsors to put on a day-long outdoor show with hands-on activities and exhibits for the contest winners, their families, and the public.
Outdoor-related businesses and organizations are invited to have a booth to display and sell merchandise or to sponsor a demonstration or hands-on activity such as outdoor cooking, camping, archery, casting, fly-fishing, making fish prints or rock climbing.
Especially wanted are artists who combine an interest in the outdoors with their art, whether it be sculpture, painting, woodcarving, pottery, jewelry-making or more. "We want to showcase a broad range of outdoor activities and types of art to acquaint students with the variety of artistic endeavors, recreation and career opportunities available to them," said Zoe Ann Stinchcomb, coordinator of the Texas division of the contest. "The ultimate goal of the contest is to foster a lifelong interest in conservation and the outdoors through art."
Artists are invited to have a booth to sell their art and to demonstrate the techniques used in making it.
The State-Fish Art Contest is open to any student in grades 4 through 12 in public, private or home schools. Texas entries are judged at TFFC and are due March 31. Contest information and entry form can be found at www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishart.
Texas SportsGuide Texas Bass Fishing Magazine writes: 
