Good tidings, Sapience.

As some of you know, Cyrene has recently completed construction of The
Prosperian Athenaeum. An addition to the Lyceum, Cyrene's esteemed
center for learning, our goal is to create a truly world renowned
collection representing authors, scholars and organisations from across
the realms. Already our bookshelves boast over ninety tomes on subjects
ranging from philosophy, history, arts and literature, and combat. We
continue to work towards the procurement of tomes, especially prior to
our upcoming grand opening. If you or your organisation is interested in
seeing your own works showcased within our collection, please do contact
myself or a member of the Cyrenian Library Committee - Crathen Fol'ia,
Zhisana Diceros, Lisbethae Etienne, Krypton Urth'Auren, and Madelyne
Ech'lir.

Plans for an upcoming grand opening celebration are in the works, as we
prepare to unveil the athenaeum to the public and open it to the people
of the world. These festivities kick-off with world-wide painting
contest. All of the pictures, paintings and portraits will be binded
into a tome to be showcased to The Prosperian Athenaeum collection.
Winners will be announced at the grand opening.

There will be two categories for the event and the theme is the same for
both: Literary People, Places and Things.

1. In the first category, the paintings will be done in the traditional
genre of paintings and portraits seen throughout time in Sapience, such
as one might commission. However, you will not need to purchase a
canvas, a letter will suffice for the purposes of the contest.

Here is an example of Category One, which happens to be of one of
Cyrene's beloved Celani:

Portrait of Kedawen
"This painting seems to capture the spirit of Kedawen in quiet repose.
She wears a dark, stygian coloured gown that creates a striking contrast
to her porcelain skin. Her chestnut coloured hair is parted down the
middle and rare, snow-white blossoms adorn her like a crown. Stray
strands of honey highlights float idly about her oval face and create
the illusion of an otherworldly glow. A soft smile touches her pink
lips, seemingly slightly amused. Her multihued eyes, ever shifting and
swirling, are painted with brilliant hues of deep red, bright green,
dark blue and pale yellow. Those mysterious eyes seem to shift even on
the painted canvas.


2. In the second category, the paintings will be created in a style that
might be described best as modernism or visualism. In this category,
paintings and portraits nearly jump off the page, they are so vivid.

Here is an example of Category Two, which took first place in the first
such contest Cyrene hosted in the Year 413 AF:

Thomas, the Carriage Driver
by Xethros

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Additional criteria include:
1. Must be representative of and appropriate to this realm
2. Must be of a respectful and non-obsene content befitting the city,
contest and realm.
3. Must be fully original works

Entries should include the title of the piece and must be signed.
Entries should be mailed to Beneficia via delivered letter.

Failure to meet these criteria will result in disqualification from the
contest.

Artists are not limited in the amount of pieces they can enter. However,
do keep in mind that if you enter numerous pieces in the same category,
you may end up competing against yourself, in a sense.

The deadline for entering is the end of Lupar, 475, which gives artists
just over a year to enter.

Judging will be done by a panel of Cyrenian judges.

The grand winners of each category will receive:

First Place - 25 credits
Second Place - 15 credits
Third Place - 10 credits

Please direct any questions about this contest to me.

Good luck to all artists and I look forward to seeing you all at the
upcoming grand opening!


Hail to the Arts and the talented artists, researchers and scholars who
so enrich life for all of us!


Penned by my hand on the 7th of Lupar, in the year 474 AF.