On Sept. 26, for the 68th consecutive year, members of the Charles X. Carlson Octoraro Art Association (OAA) and the senior executive of the Chester Water Authority (CWA) met for the annual Picture of the Year event to renew the lease of the historic stone pumphouse studio on the Octoraro Creek by the CWA to the OAA. The conditions of this lease are that the OAA must annually present original works of art by its members for judging and selection of one by the CWA.

This year, attendees included 16 OAA members, nine of whom exhibited a total of 20 original works of art. OAA president Jay Eaton of Oxford served as master of ceremonies. During the event, CWA executive manager Robert A. Judge Sr. reviewed the art exhibited and made his selection to add to the CWA art collection. Typically, the winning work hangs in one of the offices in CWA's Chester facility or in its plant in Nottingham.

This year's Picture of the Year was created by John Esworthy of Christiana. He painted a winter scene in oil, titled "Nature's Gift." Esworthy received a cash prize from the OAA.

Another tradition of this annual event is the selection of the People's Choice winners through the casting of votes by the OAA members present. This year's first-place winner was Ruth Lefever of Kirkwood for her watercolor of a back road through farm country, and second place went to Marsha Stiles of Quarryville for her watercolor, titled "Old Rugged Mill." Lefever and Stiles received cash prizes.

During the afternoon, members of the OAA spoke about their work during the past year. Their activities included hosting summer art and clay camps for children, holding art workshops by prominent local teacher-artists for interested members and providing a college scholarship to a young artist.