MADISON COUNTY – Individuals who visited and enjoyed the paintings on Christmas Card Lane have voted to select their favorite designs.

Madison Arts Council sponsors Christmas Card Lane. Artists in Madison, Athens, Huntsville and surrounding towns painted the large greeting cards. Volunteers then mounted the artwork in lawns along Church, Front and Sturdivant streets.

Caroline Hunt of Madison was first-place winner for Christmas Card Lane 2018. Set on a blue background, Hunt’s design features seasonal phrases, like “Joy,” and stars in diverse shapes. Decorated trees surround a spaceship with strands of lights brightening the retro vessel.

In second place, Linda Jernigan-Hussong created “Winter Wonder Christmas,” a charming depiction of a traditional Christmas season in the country. A child’s sled is propped near a wooden gate. Gate posts are decorated in winding, green garlands with red bows, guarded by cardinals perched on top. The home place and red barn are situated at the end of a winding driveway covered in snow.

Miranda Hite chose a whimsical scene for “No Place like GNOME for the Holidays,” which claimed third place. Smiling gnomes savor peppermint-flavored coffee, candy canes and gingerbread cookies. Other gnomes are decorating their house, shaped like a giant mushroom.

Meg Compton’s reverent painting, “Ave Maria,” earned fourth-place honors. Great detail distinguishes the royal-blue robe and the pure-white collar and hood of the woman, whose hands are clasped in prayer.

Winner of the People’s Choice Award was Reagan Blackwell, a third-grader at Heritage Elementary School and the youngest artist involved with Christmas Card Lane. Blackwell painted a strand of Christmas tree lights because the decorations make her happy and indicate that Christmastime is near.

Returning artists for 2018 included Emily Barkley, Connie Churchill, Gerald Clark, Meg Compton, Lori Connors, Discovery Middle School students, Carolyn Dodson-Grimm, Jacob Ladd, Denise Onwere, Beth Paul, Lisa Riccardi, Jacob Sanger, Nadiya Smyrnova, Sandy Sparks, Stephanie Thompson and Ashly Weiss.

For more information, visit artsmadison.org.