SHOPPERS, commuters, indeed everyone is invited to become an art critic this month in a bid to find the perfect image for Oxfordshire.

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Oxfordshire Artweeks, in which artists all over the county throw open their studios to the public, web publisher artistpublishers.com has launched an Oxfordshire-wide public vote for a piece of work which sums up living in the county.

Thirty artists taking part in Oxfordshire Artweeks have submitted a work of their choice which they think captures the spirit of the county.

The works include landscapes and portraits, photographs, embroidery and even sculpture.

And members of the public are being invited to become ‘art critics’ and vote for their favourite.

Among the 30 artists chosen is mum-of-one Alison Rodwell, 46, an administrator, from Hook Norton.

She said: “This is my first Artweeks and I’m thrilled my photograph of Hook Norton allotments is in this competition, pictured right.

“I chose the allotments because I thought they really sum up Oxfordshire’s rural history. I’m hoping Artweeks will also help me branch out further with my photography hobby and I’d be delighted if people voted for me!”

Elaine Newson, 49, and from Dry Sandford, near Abingdon, is now in her 10th year of Artweeks and has contributed the competition’s only textile piece.

She explained: “The piece is called Silver Birches and is of trees at Cothill Nature Reserve, near where I live. I really enjoyed making it with Merino wool and silk fibres and threads and hopefully other people will like it too. It’s fantastic art work is being put up in public areas and I’d be very flattered by any votes I get.”

Five banners featuring all 30 works of art will be going on show at The Westgate Centre, Abingdon Leisure Centre, Kingham Station, Chipping Norton Station, Chipping Norton Theatre and the Jam Factory in Park End Street, Oxford, during April.

There will also be 30 posters of each of the artists’ work going up at Oxford Station from mid-April until the end of May, on the footbridge between platforms. And all the works can also be viewed at artistpublishers.com Esther Browning, executive director of Oxfordshire Artweeks, said: “This is a great opportunity for the Artweeks exhibitors and it is wonderful to see the 30 diverse representations of Oxfordshire showcased in this way.

“I am sure that the public will enjoy this surprising selection of images, that they’ll vote for the one that most captures their heart.”

Voting is now open at: artistpublishers.com until May 27.

And those who place a vote will also be entered into a prize draw to win a beautiful print of one of the 30 choices on display, while the winning artist will receive £300 worth of printing from artistpublishers.com, a unique virtual gallery showcasing the work of artists from Oxfordshire and throughout Britain.

Almost 1,000 artists open the doors to their homes and studios during Artweeks, which this year runs from May 5-27.

In 2011 over 107,000 people visited nearly 500 venues across the county.

North Oxfordshire Exhibitions run from Saturday, May 5 until Sunday, May 13.

City Exhibitions run from Saturday, May 12 until Sunday, May 20.

South Oxfordshire shows run Saturday, May 19 until Sunday, May 27. For a full list of locations, visit artweeks.org