Area teen wins international art contest

COURTESY PHOTO Andrew Mullen, 14 Andrew Mullen, 14, noticed a poster for the Baker & Taylor calendar art contest at South County Regional Library this fall and decided to "take a shot at it." He didn't expect that his drawing would be one of 12 selected for a calendar that's distributed to public libraries and school libraries around the world.

This is the third year the book distributor has held the contest and the numbers have grown each year, with more than 3,000 entries submitted for the 2008 calendar. The company's marketing group judged each submission and selected Andrew's drawing as the artwork for August.

Andrew said he and his mom were surprised when they got the news.

"It's one of those things, submit it and forget it." Andrew said. But for the last two years, that philosophy has helped him in art contests at his local library.

"I did the bookmark contest and got honorable mention," he said. "Then last year, I did the poster contest and got first place, so it's like I'm going up a step every time."

The Baker & Taylor Calendar contest has some strict rules: the artwork has to feature the namesake cats Baker (a gray cat) on the left and Taylor (a brown cat) on the right. Andrew says it wasn't too hard.

"I just kinda had the idea and drew it little by little," he said. "I started drawings of animals in clothes, so I made one of them in their office," Andrew said, adding that the coffee mug one of the cats is holding bears the company's web address.

More than 25,000 copies of the 2008 calendar will be sent to schools and libraries around the world. Andrew will receive 20 copies to share with family and friends.

The South County Regional Library will receive a $500 credit for purchases with Baker & Taylor.

"We're really proud of him and staff is very excited," said Joanne Parker, Senior Librarian, Youth Services at South County Regional Library.