Call for Entries: National Small Works 2014

Washington Printmakers Gallery is now accepting entries for the 2014 National Small Works exhibition, which will take place in August. This exciting show features small prints by 50 artists who live and work in studios located across the United States. This year’s juror – Jack Rasmussen, Director and Curator, American University Museum at the Katzen – will review all work that is submitted on or before our deadline, which is Saturday, May 31.

2013 NSW First Place Winner | “Waiting for Godot” by Diane Alire | Photogravure Print

About NSW – The National Small Works is an annual juried exhbition that has been hosted by Washington Printmakers Gallery every August since 1997. Featuring contemporary prints, NSW exhibits an impressive array of technique as well as subject matter by limiting the size of print entries (maximum size of 170 square inches). Each year a curator from an area institution acts as juror. Past jurors have included Robert K. Newman (owner and director of the Old Print Shop in New York, NY); Eric Denker (Senior Lecturer National Gallery of Art); Linda C. Simmons (Curator Emeritus, The Corcoran Gallery of Art); Katherine L. Blood (Curator of Fine Prints, Library of Congress); Helen Frederick (Founder and longtime director of Pyramic Atlantic); and Philippa Hughes (Founder and Chief Creative Contrarian of the Pinkline Project, as well as DC Commissioner for the Arts and Humanities); to name a few.

This exhibition is open to any artist 18 years of age or older residing in the United States of America. Submitted works must be: Original hand-pulled or digital inkjet prints; completed within the past two years; no larger than 170 square inches (image); and, no wider than 18″ (frame). Photographs will not be considered. Please note: All prints exhibited at WPG are original works of art created by the artist. Archival, signed, limited-edition inkjet prints are acceptable, as long as the image was initially created by the artist directly on the computer. Reproductions of existing artwork in any media are not acceptable.

For more information, to view the full NSW prospectus (PDF), or to submit your entries, please visit our overview page for this competition.

Artist Opportunities May 2013

We have a lot of recent graduates out there (congratulations, all!), and you may be wondering what to do with that art degree.  One of the easiest ways to get your feet wet in the art world is apply to a few juried shows.  If you get in, it can be a great resume booster, but also just a good learning experience in general.  If you’ve already got a portfolio organized, you can start with our 16th Annual National Small Works–the call for entries ends tonight at midnight.  If you need a little more time, check out these upcoming opportunities:

Press Room Mini Solos:  Ok, we had to plug one more of our own.  We are seeking artists age 18+ working in printmaking, papermaking, and book arts for our 2014 Press Room exhibition season.  This 10×17 former vault is a great place to show a suite of prints or the beginning of a new body of work.  Applications are due August 17.

14th Annual Will’s Creek Survey-put on by the Allegheny Arts Council in Maryland, this exhibition is a juried exhibition of contemporary artwork that is open to visual artists from across the United States, juried this year by Lauren Schell Dickens: assistant curator of contemporary art at the Corcoran Gallery of Art.  Over $5,000 in artist awards (including $2,000 for Best of Show) are at stake.  Entry deadline is July 1.

Vox IX: An exhibition of emerging artists at Vox Populi Gallery, this year’s jurors are artist Hilary Harkness and arts writer Hunter Braithwaite.  There are no prizes, but Vox takes no commission on any sales made.  Deadline is June 7.

NSW Deadline next Wednesday!

NSW 2010 winning print “Mandala” by Kiyomi Baird.

You have just under a week to apply for the 16th Annual National Small Works Exhibition.  Remember, we extended the deadline from the 17th to the 22nd.  Eligible works must be:

• hand-pulled prints (sorry, no digital prints or photographs)
• under 170 square inches (this is the print size , not paper or frame size)
• created within the past two years

This year’s juror is Philippa Hughes of the Pinkline Project.  In addition to founding this calendar/blog, she hosts the very popular Cherry Blast party every year and serves as a DC Commissioner for the Arts.  Ms. Hughes will be picking the 50 prints that comprise the exhibition, and then the winners from those 50.  First prize is a solo show in August of 2014.

You can see all the details about the exhibition and the call for entries here.  Have some other questions? Check out our FAQ.  Good luck!

Press Room Mini Solos 2014

“Entanglements” by Robin Gibson

We’ve had (and have scheduled) some great Press Room shows for 2013, including the current exhibition, In My Nature by Robin Gibson.  Are you a printmaker interested in having a show in the Press Room this year?  It’s great for a student (or student group) just starting to build a resume of solo shows, for an artist wishing to exhibit a smaller body of work or a specific suite of prints, or for someone who wants to try out something that’s a little more experimental–we’re really looking forward to the multi-media installation by Refugee Art Project next month!  As long as the work is 75% related to paper-making, print arts, or book arts, we’ll consider it.  There is NO FEE to apply!  Deadline is August 17, and notifications go out in mid-September.  Want more information? Check out the full prospectus on our website.

NSW Deadline EXTENDED

NSW 2012 Grand Prize Winner: “Not the Center of the Universe” by Cianna Valley (California), etching, aquatint, and spitbite.

Director Annie Newman will be out of town on the original deadline–which just didn’t seem fair for anyone having any last-minute registration problems.   So, we’ve extended the deadline to Wednesday, May 22 for National Small Works Entries. Remember, this year’s juror is Philippa Hughes of the Pinkline Project and the grand prize is a solo show in August of 2014.  You can read about our other prizes, as well as how to apply, at our website.

National Small Works Update

NSW 2012 Grand Prize Winner: “Not the Center of the Universe” by Cianna Valley (California), etching, aquatint, and spitbite.

We are about 3 weeks out from the National Small Works application deadline.  That sounds like a long time, but we’re about to hit a busy time of year–graduations, weddings, Mother’s Day, Cinco de Mayo, the battle against allergies–these are just a few things that might distract you from getting your prints submitted in time.  So, we suggest going online this weekend to submit your application.  This year’s juror is Philippa Hughes, founder of the Pink Line Project and DC Commissioner for the Arts and Humanities.  If she picks your work for the show, you’re in the running for a solo show in 2014, a $200 purchase award from Graphic Chemical & Ink, Co, and more.  So, document your work if you haven’t already, and submit your prints to get in the running!

NSW Reminder

2012 Graphic Chemicals Purchase Award: “Turf” by Curtis Bartone, two-plate aluminum lithograph

Are you thinking of applying to National Small Works?  Remember that April 17 is the deadline for early bird submissions, which carry the reduced fee of $20/4 images.  Can’t quite get everything together by then?  (We know, sometimes that plate needs to go back in the acid bath just one more time…) Don’t worry, the final deadline for submissions is May 18, but from April 18 til then the entry fee is $30/4 images.

Good luck!

Two Weeks Until the NSW Early Bird Deadline

Thinking about applying to National Small Works?  You have two more weeks to submit up to 4 images for $20.  After April 17, it goes up to $30/4 images. No matter when you submit, additional images are $5 each.  The final deadline is 11:59 pm on May 18.

This year’s juror is Philippa Hughes, founder and Chief Creative Contrarian of the Pink Line Project (as well as being famous this time of year for the recent Cherry Blast party).  Ms. Hughes is also a DC Commissioner for the Arts.

First prize is a solo show in August 2014 at Washington Printmakers Gallery.  Additional prizes are awarded as well.  You can read more about the competition, the exhibition, and how to apply on our website.  Good luck!

National Small Works 2013

NSW 2012 Grand Prize Winner: “Not the Center of the Universe” by Cianna Valley (California), etching, aquatint, and spitbite.

WPG’s 16th Annual call for entries to the National Small Works exhibition is now live!  As always, this exhibition is open to printmakers who are:

• 18 years of age or older
• residing in the Continental US
• creating hand-pulled, traditional prints (sorry, no digital or photographic works) under 170 square inches.

This year’s juror is Philippa Hughes.  Ms. Hughes left law practice to evangelize the power of art and transform lives, and is now the Chief Creative Contrarian of Pink Line Project.  Pink Line Project was established to inspire creative thinking in everyone, to build community and connectivity, and to open portals to art and culture for the culturally curious. Her vision for DC: to change the way people view DC, both residents and visitors. Through the Pink Line Project, she runs a consolidated and searchable calendar of all things cool and creative in DC and writes and maintains a widely read blog that highlights the best of DC’s creative scene. Ms. Hughes has established a reputation for creating inventive and collaborative environments in which people who would not normally have the opportunity to interact with each other gather to experience art and culture in alternative and stimulating ways, and has been a leader in the creative and temporary use of vacant, urban space throughout the city. We look forward to seeing what sort of show she’ll put together!

The early bird reduced fee deadline is April 17, 2013 ($20/4 images) and the final deadline is May 18, 2013.  First prize is a solo show in August 2014.  This year’s exhibiting solo artist will be Cianna Valley (her winning print is pictured above).  Be sure to check out all the details on our website and best of luck!

Artist Opportunities November 2012

Let’s jump right in!

Students!  It’s not too late to enter our Excellence in Printmaking competition, which show-cases MFA and BFA students focusing on printmaking.  This year’s juror is R.L. Tillman of printeresting.org  First prize is $500, and the deadline to apply is December 31. BONUS: If our Go Get Funding project reaches it’s goal by November 30, all entry fees will be refunded, so share the above link with your family and friends!

The long-running Mini Print International of Cadaques is celebrating its 33rd year.  Prints can be in any (combination of) media, but cannot be larger than 10×10 cm (3.1×3.1 in), and the paper cannot be larger than 18×18 cm (7.1×7.1 in)  More information, as well as the entry form, you can visit their website.

Finally, due to the effects of Hurricane Sandy, the deadline for Ink, Press, Repeat at University Galleries at William Paterson University has been extended to 11:59 pm on Tuesday, November 20.  This exhibition focuses on traditional and digital printmaking and book arts.  Grand Prize is a solo show at the University Galleries, and other prizes are awarded as well.  If you missed the original deadline, apply now!