Lights, Camera, Awareness!

Pekin, Ill., Oct. 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/-- The International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals Foundation (iaedp™) announces its third annual "Imagine Me Beyond What You See" Body Image Mannequin Art Competition. Created in 2010 as a key highlight of iaedp's annual educational Symposium, the competition is designed to promote healthy awareness and acceptance of body images, using mannequins as a unique and realistic palette for artistic expression. The winning mannequin entries will be unveiled and spotlighted at the 2013 Annual Symposium in Las Vegas, where they will be auctioned off with proceeds going towards the iaedp Foundation.

The competition solidifies iaedp's reputation for a standard of excellence in eating disorder education. Entries are accepted from October 1, 2012 through January 15, 2013 and are judged on clarity of theme, creativity and originality, quality of composition and design and the overall impression and presentation. Mixed mediums may be used on the mannequin. Past entries have included everything from paper mache to shards of mirror.

"We are very pleased to be in our third year of competition. The cathartic and therapeutic nature of the competition is what makes it unique," said Bonnie Harken, iaedp's managing director. "It was created to help people learn to accept who they are and be comfortable in their bodies. Feelings are hard to define by words. Our competition helps people express those feelings through art."

The contest is open to all; however, iaedp strongly encourages national and international treatment centers and private practices to submit.  Mannequins can be male or female forms in different body shapes and sizes. Entries must be electronically submitted to iaedp using photographs in jpeg format, high (300+) resolution files for enlargement, photos showing four different angles, and agree to sign an artist release.

Last year's competition attracted twelve captivating entries from around the country. The first place winning entry, "She is a Tree of Life," was created by Sara Burchfiel of Shoreline Center for Eating Disorder Treatment in Long Beach, Calif.  Burchfiel's entry also received the iaedp Professional's Choice award, decided from a vote held at March's Symposium 2012 in Charleston, S.C.

For more information about iaedp, visit www.iaedp.com

Editor's Note: Symposium 2013 will be held March 21-24 at the Westin Lake Las Vegas Resort

Contact: Susie Lomelino
[email protected]
214.269.2092/

SOURCE iaedp Foundation