Kick off the Florida Lil' Picasso Art For Autism Competition Sunday May 22nd!

[Guest guest]

To kickoff the Florida Lil' Picasso Art For Autism Competition, Picasso's Paint Your Own Pottery Store in Lake Worth will host a "Paint-A-Thon" this Sunday May 22 from noon to 4 p.m.At the "Paint-A-Thon" children and their parents can gather to paint pictures or pottery for autism awareness. There will be activities for kids, food and a raffle giveaway. All donations from the day with go toward autism awareness and the Lil' Picasso Arts Foundation. Children can also use this day to create works of art to submit for the Lil' Picasso Art For Autism art contest.The art contest will include hand-painted artwork from children ages 2 to 18 who have autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The work gathered from the artists will be published for distribution to specific special needs communities and nationally with portions of proceeds going to autism and the arts. The competition is an opportunity for ASD diagnosed children to appreciate the arts, while showing their excellence in artistic workmanship. In some cases, this can be a path for autistic children to communicate through a form of artistic expression.Competition entries may be submitted through Jan. 31, 2012. Entries must be original works on a 8.5 x 11-inch sheet of paper. A painting of any theme will be accepted, but prefabricated designs will not. For a full list of guidelines visit http://www.lilpicasso.org.Helping to judge the art contest will be the Wyland Foundation, which encourages environmental awareness through education programs, public arts projects, and community events.The Lil' Picasso Art For Autism art contest is hosted by the Lil' Picasso Arts Foundation, and the Extra-Ordinary Empowerment Network.Picasso's Paint Your Own Pottery Store is located at 6169 S. Jog Road in Lake Worth and can be reached at for directions.For more information visit http://www.lilpicasso.org