More than 100 entries were submitted and judged for the seventh annual art competition put on by the Brookhaven Regional Arts Guild, which held its reception to announce the winners Thursday at the Lincoln County Library.

Since BRAG was established, it has been devoted to keeping creative culture alive and well in Brookhaven through exhibitions, art walks, competitions, workshops and more. This is the seventh year for the annual art competition, which is held in October each year.

BRAG President Sue Minter said this show is one of the most popular in the area because of the prizes and the stiff competition.

“We have great artists,” she said. “It’s stiff competition in all categories.”

There are seven categories: acrylic, oil, pastel, watercolor, photographs, ceramics, mixed media, 3D and drawing. Prizes are given to first ($100), second ($75) and third places ($50) in each category, along with ribbons. Honorable mention receives a ribbon. There is also a $150 prize for best in show and $100 for people’s choice. People’s choice will be chosen by library patrons throughout the month of October and announced on the last day of the exhibition on Oct. 31.

A healthy crowd filled the Vernon Room at the Lincoln County Library to view the works and hear the results of the judging. The judge for the competition was Cecilia E. Baker, a native of Mississippi who now resides in Ridgeland. She is a signature member of the Alabama Pastel Society, member of the Degas Pastel Society of New Orleans and founder of the Pastel Society of Mississippi. A well-known and respected teacher, she conducts classes, workshops, presents programs and schedules private lessons.

Content ranged from painting and drawings of flowers and scenic landscapes to photos of rural gems and macro photos of nature. A few abstract pieces joined watercolors of well-known local establishments and acrylic and oil paintings of far away places and family members. One of the most unique pieces was the work by Rhonda Rich, who won first place for the mixed media category.

Her work “Tid Bits of Time” is a piece Rich said she made for her sister-in-law, Tammie Brewer, after Rich and her husband inherited and moved into his grandparents’ home. Rich said she found stuff she found banal yet seemingly significant such as buttons, safety pins and probably every watch Brewer’s grandfather ever wore. Rich said she thought it would be a wonderful keepsake for her to turn these little pieces of familiarity into a gift for Brewer, who took care of her grandparents.

“Things like that get discarded, and it’s something she [grandmother] kept all those years and what a waste it would’ve been to chunk it or donate it to some outreach,” Rich said. “Now it’s on a piece of art, it’s something she can treasure.”

Rich won first place in the category for the work, which uses layers of paint and knick-knacks to create an interesting aesthetic quite different than what one might think when they think of “grandparent’s house” — though

clearly special and given new life.

Best of show went to “Windsor Ruins” by Prudence McGehee for a drawing featuring a column from the scenic location.

First place in drawings went to “Working in the Garden” by Rosemary Leggett; first place in pastels went to “Papa,” also by Rosemary Leggett; “Ginko Branch” by Sue Calcote won first place in water media; David Gallager claimed first as well as an honorable mention for his photography works “Brushes,” and “Onions,” respectively; first place in oils went to “Apples on Skillet” by Minda Smith; first place in 3-D works went to “Winged Bowl,” by Ray Petitfils; in mixed media a piece called “Tid Bits of Time” by Rhonda Rich claimed first place and first place in acrylics went to Kathy Nix for “Mary May.”