Last year, the creative diversity of the Sidney Art Gallery’s annual spring open show was illustrated by a five-foot stand-alone wooden representation of a flower exhibited amidst a shower of oil paintings, watercolors, black-and-white photographs and other mixed media.

Some years before, a 6-year-old South Kitsap kid entered original paper origami, current gallery manager Deborah Danielson said.

In its steady 37 year history, the Sidney’s Helen Norris Open Art Show has seen the near gamut of Kitsap’s creativity, but with the dawn of each spring it clears its walls for the next big thing.

“I’m not too worried about filling the walls, I just like to see new people come in,” Danielson said.

This year’s show will again be open to all artists — Kitsap and beyond — starting at 11 a.m. May 2 and 3. Each artist can submit up to two pieces — into the categories of oils and acrylics, watercolor, drawing, mixed media — at the cost of $5 per hanging as long as their art is suitably framed, for sale and created within the past two years. Registration forms and guidelines are available at www.sidneymuseumandarts.com.

All entries will be judged May 6 and will hang throughout the month.

“I’m here every week (of the show) and I get to just go through,” Danielson said. “It’s like a kid in a candy shop … ‘Oooh, who do I want to ask back?’”

This year’s open show jurors — Belfair artists Wanda (photographer) and LeRoy (Realist painter) Jesfield — will also stroll through the aisles looking for the “oohs” and “ahs” and picking the top-three entries of each division. First place wins $50, while second, third and honorable mention will each be awarded ribbons.

And while the possibility is real for all artists in the show, winners have an enhanced chance of being asked back to the Sidney, Danielson said. Generally, the first-place winners will show during March of the following year.