They range from large papier mache works, wood sculptures, mosaics and just one cottage and it's not pink.

They are the entries for the prestigious Charman Prize with more than 100 artists submitting work in an exhibition that, according to judges, represents an egalitarian collection of art being made in Bermuda.

Elise Outerbridge, collections manager at Masterworks Museum of Art, said: "I just think that it is astounding that in a population of a little under 70,000 people you have this range of talent and this isn't even the whole thing, as there are people who chose not to enter or didn't have time to enter.

"I know coming from a little city outside of New York with 60,000 or 70,000 people, once a decade you get somebody who was a football star, an artist or a musician or whatever and it seems to me that Bermuda has demonstrated a lot of athletic talent and musical talent, now this is really highlighting that there is a lot of artistic talent down here.

"Unfortunately for people like Che Caines (a teenaged student who recently showed with Manuel Palacio) it is really too bad that there isn't more support for arts on the Island, more scholarships, which will allow Bermudians to go overseas.

"They need to go out there and see good art in good places and come back and interpret it in their own way, rather than sitting here in a vacuum like this is all there is."

The Charman Prize was launched last year by British businessman and Bermuda resident John Charman, president and CEO of Axis Capital Holdings. It is open to all resident Bermudian artists, as well as non-Bermudians who have been resident on the Island for at least six months prior to the entry deadline.

His keen interest in art, and ownership of a growing collection of original works, led to his friendship with Masterworks Foundation founder/director Tom Butterfield, and ultimately the art prize, which bears his name.

This year there are 112 entries, 27 more than last year, and artists taking part range from the well known such as Manuel Palacio, Sharon Wilson, Graham Foster and Christopher Grimes to unknowns such as Chris Dawson, a first time entrant.

Categories have increased and the judging criteria changed to make space for people creating works with social commentary and those using innovative techniques.

There is so much work that it had to be spread between the Rick Faries Gallery and the Rose Garden Gallery at the Masterworks Museum of Art.

Ms Outerbridge added: "You have to give absolute full credit to John Charman for being so generous to the art community, because he has increased the prizes.

"There is a $10,000 overall prize and four prizes of $2,500 for each criteria, and there are three honourable mention prizes per category."

The judges include Molly Eppard, assistant director of the Hollis Taggart Gallery in Manhattan, Susan Menconi, of Menconi & Schoelkopf, and current artist-in-residence Peter Zokosky, who has done extensive teaching at the Getty Museum in California.

Ms Eppard said: "It is a strong body of work. Some of it was aggressive and bold and exciting. You could tell that a lot of care and thought processes went into these submissions."

The preview is from 5.30 p.m. to 6 p.m. tonight. The awards presentation begins at 6 p.m. and the sale of the art and viewing lasts until 7 p.m.

For more info ring 441-236-2950 or email mworks@logic.bm