Voting open for favorite on Holiday Card Lane until Dec. 20

MADISON – Individuals can vote for their favorite design on Holiday Card Lane through Dec. 20.

Madison Arts Alliance or MAA sponsors Holiday Card Lane as a venue for local artists to spread holiday cheer. During December, the painted cards are on display in historic homes’ front lawns on Church and Front streets in downtown Madison.

This year, individuals will vote on Facebook/Madison Arts Alliance. Click the photo of your favorite card, and click “Like” for your vote.

“You can vote on your favorite new holiday card by liking the photo. Please share (the Facebook post) to recognize these wonderful local artists,” MAA President Rosalie Holcombe said.

Seven new entries on Holiday Card Lane are vying for prize money:

* “Merry Christmas” by Suzette Smith – A traditional holiday scene with a decorated gingerbread house, the clock on Madison’s Main Street, gingerbread men and women dancing and peeking from Christmas trees and three residents’ cottages with pretty wreaths and trees. Sponsor is Madison Station Historical Preservation Society.

* Santa Claus’ arrival by Meigan Bailey – A nostalgic depiction, including a touch of fantasy, of Santa Claus arriving in his (Rotary) sleigh in a neighborhood. A girl stretches from a ladder to finish painting the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis). A happy polar bear sits atop Santa’s bag of toys. A boy magically paints a faraway treetop star. Sponsor is Rotary Club of Madison.

* The Nativity by Raven Mobley – A respectful painting of the Nativity scene with the Star of Bethlehem shining brightly above Mary and Jospeh admiring Baby Jesus. Angel Gabriel hovers in a beautiful sky of Van-Gogh-esque stars and orbs. A Wise Man arrives with a gift as a docile camel rests. Sponsor is Beltone Hearing Aid Center of Madison.

* Christmas wreath by Savannah Blackwell – A solitary Christmas wreath heralds the season with its evergreen boughs, tiny points of light and an oversized red bow. The simple but attractive design represents traditional trimming that many families use in holiday decorations. Sponsor is Chapman Sisson Architects.

* Santa’s reindeer by James Clemens High School students – A collection of animals waits for Christmas. An exhausted reindeer has massive antlers with a string of intertwined multi-colored lights. A calico cat stands upright to open the red barn’s door for the reindeer. A mouse wearing a candy-cane hat peeks from a coffee mug. Sponsor is Madison Station Historical Preservation Society.

* Christmas tree in nature by Liberty Middle School students – A massive Christmas tree stands in a snow-covered field by a frozen pond. Evergreen branches frame the view, illuminated by a star’s beam. Inquisitive deer admire the shiny tree, with its pinkish-coral glow. Sponsor is Madison Station Historical Preservation Society.

* Christmas bells by Discovery Middle School students — Two golden bells rest among evergreen branches. A bow of maroon and red brightens the bells. A heavy snowstorm howls around the bell. Like in nature, each snowflake bears a unique design and shows meticulous detail. Sponsor is Madison Station Historical Preservation Society.

Holiday Card Lane’s awards include “Best in Show” with $450 prize money; first place, $300; second, $200; and third, $100.

For more information, visit madisonartsalliance.org.