This weekend the city of Picayune will be alive with art as

the Knights of Columbus Council 6872 hosts its fifth annual art show.

Picayune’s Knights of Columbus is a Catholic based fraternal service organization, Grand Knight Bryan Cassagne said. The group follows the principles of charity, unity, fraternity and patriotism.

Cassagne said that last year the Knights raised more than $38,000 for local charities through all of their fundraising efforts.

“Along with fundraising,” Cassagne said, “our group completes thousands of community service hours.”

The Knights volunteer at the Senior Center of South Pearl River County, Bridgeway Apartments and Sav-A-Life.

For the past four years, the art show has raised more than $10,000, all of which has benefited pro-life movements and Sav-A-Life, Cassagne said.

The Sav-A-Life Center is located on Goodyear Boulevard and provides resources for women with unplanned pregnancies, Cassagne said. The center’s staff offers counseling, food, clothing, toys, pregnancy tests and ultrasounds.

Ninety percent of the art show proceeds is donated to the Sav-A-Life Center and Cassagne said the remaining ten percent from this year’s show will be donated to other centers for the purchase of ultrasound machines.

The theme of the art show this year is “Life Finds a Way.”

Cassagne said the art show’s theme always centers around life and for the artists, the art does not have to reflect human life; rather, it opens up the field for them to produce different types of art.

There will be two different groups judged, Cassagne said, one will be professional artists and the other will include students in grades first through twelfth, Bridgeway Apartments residents and senior center participants.

The professional artists will compete for cash prizes and ribbons, Cassagne said.

There are six different art categories, oil, acrylic, watercolor, photography, three dimensional and mixed and other media.

Cassagne said that only original work can be entered.

“After the pieces are judged, they will be available for sale,” Cassagne said. “Each artist may enter one not-for-sale item. 20 percent commission on each sale will be retained by the Knights to benefit Pro Life ministries.”

The art show has continued to be a big fundraiser, Cassagne said. The idea was suggested by their friends at the Pearl River Art League.

“It gives them a place to display and sell their art,” Cassange said. “We have a lot of dedicated volunteers and generous local businesses who all have helped sponsor this event.”

Cassagne said that art entries can be dropped off until Friday, Sept. 5 at noon. Judging begins at 12:30 p.m.

Registration is $10 and each art entry costs an additional $5.

There will be an artists and patrons only party on Friday, Sept. 5 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The art show will be open to the public on Saturday, Sept. 6 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday Sept. 7 from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. The event is free to attend.

The Knights of Columbus is located at 408 Carroll St. behind Dockside restaurant.

For more information contact Cassagne at 601-466-3460 or through email at steelworkerbryan@yahoo.com.

Find out more about Sav-A-Life at www.savalifems.org.