ElkGrove Competitions / Calls for Entry
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Expressions in Plein Air 2025
EXPRESSIONS IN PLEIN AIR – 2025
CALL TO ARTISTS! – Prospectus
Reception- SEPTEMBER 6 - Show continues through SEPTEMBER 25
CONDITIONS OF ENTRY:
- All artwork must be original fine art quality conceived and created solely by the entering artist.
- Artwork previously accepted into any EGFAC Competitions will not be accepted.
- EGFAC has the right to reject artwork that does not look like the digital image.
- All artwork must be framed and ready to hang, and no larger than 40”x40” including the frame. Unframed oils/acrylics accepted only if the painting extends around edges. Artists are responsible for all shipping costs. Including the return shipping paid shipping label.
- All art must be for sale.
- The Elk Grove Fine Arts Center will handle all sales from the exhibition and retain a 40% commission from all sales.
SHOW DESCRIPTION: – Plein Aire painting is about leaving the four walls of your studio behind and experiencing painting and drawing in the landscape. The practice goes back for centuries but was truly made into an art form by the French Impressionists. Their desire to paint light and its changing, ephemeral qualities, coupled with the creation of transportable paint tubes and the box easel—the precursor to the plein air easels of today—allowed artists the freedom to paint “en plein air,” which is the French expression for “in the open air.”
JUROR: John Angell is an award-winning photographer and encaustic artist with artwork in the Museum of Encaustic Art permanent collection, private collections throughout the US, as well as Tokyo and Strasbourg. His recent work uses encaustic in combination with photographic images and mixed media to create one of a kind works of art. It brings a depth of color, luster, texture and mystery to the work. Since 2021, his work has been accepted into over 100 exhibitions including nearly a dozen solo shows. He received honors in twelve of those shows including 4th Place in the prestigious Crocker Kingsley exhibition and top honors in the YoloArts Art Farm show. John lives in Sacramento and received his BFA and BA in Art History from the University of Michigan.
CATEGORIES : - all mediums are accepted
AWARDS - RIBBONS AND MONETARY AWARDS:
Best of Show- $100; 1st Place - $75; 2nd Place - $50;
ENTRY FEE : - $15 Gallery Artists / or $20 fee per entry per piece (non-refundable) – limit 3 entries per artist. To enter go to www.elkgrovefineartscenter.org and click on the Exhibitions Tab and then Calendar of Events
IMPORTANT DATES:
Exhibition Date – September 6 – September 25
Application Deadline – July 21
Acceptance Notification – July 25 via email.
Receiving Accepted works at EGFAC – August 29 & 30 9020 Elk Grove Blvd Suite 101, Elk Grove, CA 95624,
11am – 5pm
Artist Reception – September 6 , 4-7pm, at 5:30pm awards will be announced.
Pick Up Art Works – September 26 & 27 , 11am – 4pm
11th ANNUAL OPEN FINE ART COMPETITION
Call To Artists! The return of
11th ANNUAL OPEN FINE ART COMPETITION
Reception July 5, 2025 -Show continues through July 24
Categories 1) Water Media; 2) Oil; 3) Acrylic & Mixed Media; 4) Three Dimensional; 5) Drawing & Pastel
Entry Fee - $15 –member fee and $20.00 – non-member fee per entry per piece (non-refundable) – limit 3 entries per artist. 3 entries for $50.00.
Conditions of Entry - All artwork must be original fine art quality conceived and created solely by the entering artist. The majority of materials used in piece will determine the category. Artwork previously accepted into the EGFAC will not be accepted. EGFAC has the right to reject artwork that does not look like the digital image. All artwork must be framed and ready to hang with a wire, and no larger than 40” x 40” including the frame. Unframed oils/acrylics accepted only if the painting extends around edges (gallery wrap.) All art must be for sale. The Elk Grove Fine Arts Center will handle all sales from the exhibition and retain a 40% commission from all sales.
Judge - Carrie Markel is a mixed media artist who has worked and lived in Northern California for most of her career. Her enthusiasm and extensive knowledge in art history, methods, and techniques has been shared with students of all ages; as a credentialed art teacher, museum interpreter, and art workshop presenter. She has taught watercolor, drawing, and printmaking workshops at the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento, the Elk Grove Fine Arts Center, Women’s Wisdom Art, and UC Davis School of Education.
Her dedication has taken her to the Kennedy Center stage to present a visual performance piece and to Turkey to collaborate with arts teachers and students to create a multi-media performance.
As an artist Carrie has exhibited in numerous solo and group shows. She has received new works grants to create site-specific art installations for the Nature Conservancy and the Sacramento Redevelopment Agency. Her large format watercolors, monotypes and mixed media works are part of many public and private collections.
Awards-
First Place in each category - $200; Second Place in each category - $100; Best of Show - $300;
To Apply-
1) Apply Online – At https://elkgrovefineartscenter.org/gallery/, click on Open Fine Art Competition. You will then click “Smarter Entry” , which takes you directly to our online entry portal, Smarter Entry where you will pay fees and upload digital images. Note: 3-D entries should include 3 views (front, side, and back) of artwork.
IMPORTANT DATES
June 4– Application Deadline
June 11 – Acceptance Notification – via email
June 27 & 28 - Receiving of Accepted Artwork 11-4pm, at the Elk Grove Fine Arts Center, 9683 Elk Grove Florin Road; Elk Grove 95624. Also bring your signed liability form upon delivery.
July 5 - Saturday 4-7pm - Artist Reception First Saturday – Category Award Winners will be announced and presented at the Reception on July 5th at 5:30. All participants and guests (family and friends) are encouraged to attend.
Show runs from July 5th through July 24th
The exhibition is Free to the public. The Elk Grove Fine Arts Center is open from 11 – 5pm, Wednesday through Saturday and Sunday 11-4pm.
July 25 & 26th - Pick- up art work –from 11-5pm. All artwork must be picked up or a $5.00 holding fee will be charged per piece per day.
WIDE OPEN SPACES COMPETITION 2025
WIDE OPEN SPACES – 2025
CALL TO ARTISTS! – Prospectus
Reception- June 7 - Show continues through June 26
CONDITIONS OF ENTRY:
- All artwork must be original fine art quality conceived and created solely by the entering artist.
- Artwork previously accepted into any EGFAC Competitions will not be accepted.
- EGFAC has the right to reject artwork that does not look like the digital image.
- All artwork must be framed and ready to hang, and no larger than 40”x40” including the frame. Unframed oils/acrylics accepted only if the painting extends around edges. Artists are responsible for all shipping costs. Including the return shipping paid shipping label.
- All art must be for sale.
- The Elk Grove Fine Arts Center will handle all sales from the exhibition and retain a 40% commission from all sales.
SHOW DESCRIPTION – Nature and outdoors have inspired countless people, provoking deep thought, strong friendships, and a rooted bond with earth. Revisit or discover your love of nature. The human spirit needs Nature and in every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks.
JUDGE: A native Californian and a Design graduate of The University of California at Davis, Teresa Steinbach-Garcia works in a painterly realistic style. Landscapes, Still Life, Figure and Intricate Design work are all fair game. Inspired by many artists, she combines her background in watercolor with pastels to capture the nuance of light & place, interpreting the man made and nature-made worlds. Teresa worked in both The Graphic Design and Fine Art realm before devoting much of her energy to raising a family on 5 acres in the rural countryside of Wilton, California, tutoring and instructing on a part time basis. With time to teach and explore, join art societies, participate in Plein Air Events and recently becoming a pupil again at Terry Miura’s Friday class she has embraced the challenging rich life of a full-time artist. She currently exhibits at Its Street Studio Collective in Winters Ca. She teaches both Pastel and Watercolor classes in the Sacramento Area, Mendocino and Paris. (Well, once in Paris!)
CATEGORIES - all mediums are accepted.
AWARDS - RIBBONS AND MONETARY AWARDS:
Best of Show- $100; 1st Place - $75; 2nd Place - $50;
ENTRY FEE - $15 Gallery Artists / or $20 fee per entry per piece (non-refundable) – limit 3 entries per artist. To enter go to www.elkgrovefineartscenter.org and click on the Exhibitions Tab and then Calendar of Events
IMPORTANT DATES
Exhibition Date – June7 through June 26
Application Deadline – EXTENDED TO April 20th
Acceptance Notification – April 24th via email.
Receiving Accepted works at EGFAC – May 30 and 31. 9020 Elk Grove Blvd Suite 101, Elk Grove, CA 95624,
11am – 5pm on Wed-Sat or 11-4 on Sunday
Artist Reception – June 7 4-7pm, at 5:30pm awards will be announced.
Pick Up Art Works – June 27 and 28 , 11am – 5 pm
3-1-25 dsr