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By Carey Reeder | Managing Editor

The local favorite Roy Wood Peach Festival Art Show that happens annually in June in Chilton County will turn 40 years old in 2023. The art show that brings together artists from across Chilton County will host its 40th year in conjunction with sponsor and host River Bank & Trust.

The art show gives all interested artists in the Chilton County area the opportunity to let their works be seen by their fellow residents.

“People around here love it,” art show coordinator Danny Finlayson said. “They enjoy coming by and seeing their work because most of them have not seen it out in the public before.”

The art show is split into two divisions this year — seniors and juniors. The art show brings in around 35 entries between the two divisions each year, and anyone who enters a piece of artwork will receive a ribbon to go with their works.

The deadline to submit artwork is June 21 and artwork will be received by River Bank & Trust from noon-2 p.m. that day.

The exhibit will be on display in the River Bank & Trust lobby from June 22-28 and judging will be held on the last day. Artwork needs to be picked up on June 29.

Finlayson recruited a judge from Montgomery to come conduct the judging of the contest. He will choose a first, second and third place finisher in each division. Both divisions will have an honorable mention named as well. $100 for first place in each division will be handed out as well as $75 for second place, $50 for third place and $25 for the honorable mention.

There are some rules that are in affect for the art show. Each piece of artwork must have been painted or created within the last two years and not been entered into the show before. The artwork must be an original work and not a copy, and all works submitted must be framed and fitted with wire to be ready to hang. Drawings, watercolors, pastels and other paper works must be matted, framed and fitted to hang with a wire as well. Artists can submit two pieces of art into the show, and there is no size limit for the artwork.

Finlayson said the original art show was a peach-themed art show where artwork had to be peach related. However, that has changed over the years to now any subject matter because people have painted a peach in every way imaginable.

“A lot of these people are not going to a museum to see their artwork,” Finlayson said. “For people to see something that someone from around here painted (is cool), and getting to show some of the talent we have around here that people do not realize we have.”

Finlayson moved to Chilton County with his family when he was two years old and has lived here ever since. He began painting while his wife was at the University of Montevallo and he helped her with an assignment to illustrate some drawings in a children’s book.

Shortly after, his wife got him some art supplies. Finlayson painted for about 10 years before he got into administration for Chilton County Schools and he stopped. However, he started painting again after he retired.

“I enjoy it a lot,” Finlayson said.

The 40th annual Roy Wood Peach Festival Art Show winners will be announced shortly after June 28.