2024 Art In The Pearl Festival of Fine Arts & Crafts:

Thank you for your interest in applying for the 2024 Art In The Pearl Festival of Fine Arts & Crafts.
All applications must come through the Zapplication.org website. Please use this link.

Zapp Link: https://www.zapplication.org/event-info.php?ID=11709

EVENT INFORMATION

The 28th annual Art In The Pearl Fine Arts & Crafts Festival takes place Labor Day weekend Saturday, August 31 through Monday, September 2. The show is located in the North Park Blocks of the Pearl District in Portland, Oregon. 130 exceptional visual artists have been selected to exhibit by an independent jury panel composed of both working artists and art professionals. The Emerging Artist Program provides regional artists in the early stage of their art career an opportunity to gain experience marketing and showing their work. In addition to the exhibiting artists, the show offers art education, demonstrations and performance art. 

 Art In The Pearl is a nonprofit organization founded and produced by a dedicated volunteer board of directors composed of local professional artists. Our focus is on promoting the arts, educating the public and strengthening creative and educational bonds with the community.

We acknowledge that the history and culture of arts and crafts shows have not been inclusive to BIPOC artists historically and currently. We are working to dismantle this structure, and our own, to generate a more equitable space for artists and arts workers. All are welcome to our show and to apply. BIPOC, LGBTQUI2S+ artists and people from historically marginalized communities are especially encouraged to apply. -Art In The Pearl Board of Directors

GENERAL INFORMATION

2024 Artist Prospectus & Application

The 28th annual Art In The Pearl Fine Arts & Crafts Festival consists of 130 artists. Art In The Pearl will invite the top scoring juried artists to exhibit at the 2024 event. A waitlist is also determined based on jury scores. This three day event gives patrons the special opportunity to meet and purchase art from exhibiting artists in-person.

Important Dates

Application Deadline: 

February 15, 2024

Jury Notifications: 

April 1, 2024

Deadline to accept invitation to participate and pay booth fee:

May 15, 2024

Last day to cancel participation in 2024 show and still receive 50% booth fee refund less the $45 admin fee:

June 30, 2024

Load-In/Set-up:

Friday, August 30, 2024

Festival Dates/Hours:

Saturday, August 31, 2024

10am – 6pm

Sunday, September 1, 2024

10am – 6pm

Monday, September 2, 2024

10am – 4pm

Jury Selection and Process

A total of 130 artists will be chosen to exhibit through a highly competitive jury process. Applicants remain anonymous during the jury process. All of the jurors will view each artist’s set of images on a monitor in a horizontal grouping. The materials, dimensions for each image and artist statements will be made available to the jury. Artistic excellence and innovation are the sole criteria for selection of exhibitors. The five jurors will view all artist images at the same time. Scoring is based on originality, design, technical proficiency, and craftsmanship. All scores are combined and averaged. Art in the Pearl establishes no quota or entitlement by media category. The top scoring artists receive invitations to exhibit. Remaining applicants in the final round are placed on a waiting list of alternates. Decisions of the jury panel are final. We reserve the right to move applications into the most appropriate category.

Monitor Jury: Images are viewed simultaneously from left to right horizontally. 

Jurors: There will be five jurors composed of professional artists, art educators and gallerists.

Jury Format: Two days: First day scoring Yes, No, Maybe and second day scoring 1-10

Applications for Jury: Sorted by the date the application is received

Digital Images

– Five images are required for each application. Four images must be of individual pieces of work (No groupings). The fifth image must be a booth shot. If you are applying as an emerging artist or it is your first time applying to an art fair, please submit professional photos of your work in a gallery or displayed as a body of work.

– The purpose of the booth image is to ensure the artist has a complete body of work which is represented both in the first four images and also within the fifth image. It also helps identify the scale of the artist’s work.

– Note: This is a blind jury process. Applications with identifying information will not be shown to the judges. Do not submit any booth images with any identifiable signage, photos, name or business names of the artist(s)!

– In addition, any work outside of the medium and context of the 4 images submitted that may appear in the booth shot will not be considered accepted by the jury, due to its mere presence in the booth image. If artists have multiple bodies of work, Art In The Pearl encourages them to submit these in separate applications.

Images: 4 images of work + 1 booth image are required.

Collaborating Artists

Artists submitting an application as a collaborating artist or partnership must submit the names of both collaborators with the application. Artists may not add a partner after the jury.

Waitlist

Artists will be notified if they are on the waitlist and if a spot becomes available. Please do not call.

The Regional Emerging Artist Program

The Emerging Artist Program is designed to assist regional (Oregon and Washington based) artists who have minimal to no experience exhibiting and selling their artwork. Artists who are in the early stage of their art career and/or have made a recent career change to art are encouraged to apply. Emerging artists may not have previously participated in more than 2 juried art shows and/or gallery exhibitions. Acceptance to the Emerging Artist Program will be determined by a combination of jury scores and committee review.

Upon acceptance, emerging artists will pay a discounted booth fee of $300 and will exhibit in a 10×10 booth space. Art In The Pearl will provide the canopy. Emerging artists will be responsible for their own display setup. Art In The Pearl will provide a mentor to help guide the emerging artist participant through the details of festival preparation, display, and sales.

– If a booth image is not available, submit an image taken of a grouping of works representative of the works to be exhibited at the show.

Artists may apply to either the Emerging Artist Program or the general show, but they may not apply to both. Art In The Pearl reserves the right to prescreen and research any emerging artist applicant to make sure they conform with the requirements for this category and have the level of experience represented in the application.

Booth Fees and Acceptance of Offer to Exhibit

Notifications will be sent via email April 1, 2024. Selected artists must confirm and pay the booth fee in Zapplication by May 15, 2024. Failure to respond by May 15, 2024 will result in revocation of the invitation and immediate invitation of an alternate from the waitlist. A $45 administration fee will be charged if an artist withdraws after having submitted booth payment. The applicant is responsible for keeping their contact information current on their Zapplication profile. Please see the detailed refund policy in General Rules and Regulations. 

Booth Fee:

10 wide x 10 deep – $650

15 wide x 10 deep – $1055

10 wide x 20 deep – $1080

20 wide x 10 deep – $1295

Emerging Artist  Program 10 wide x 10 deep – $300.

Sales

Art In The Pearl is a nonprofit organization that receives no commission on the sales of artwork. Artists keep all proceeds. There is no sales tax in Oregon.

Admission

Our extensive marketing program is directed towards a diverse population from the Portland metro area, as well as a nation wide audience. Admission is free to the public.

Artist Statement

The application requires a description of materials, process, and technique. Please describe your work and process, not your philosophy or inspiration. This statement (to be posted in your booth) is part of our mission to educate the public.

Awards

Three Best of Show awards are given to artists for outstanding work. Award winners are invited to return in their awarded category the following year. The artists will be featured on the Art In The Pearl website and social media platforms.

Media Categories

Media categories are used by Art In The Pearl as a tool for organizing artistsʼ images into logical, related groups for the juryʼs review. While a balanced show that equitably showcases both works of fine art and craft, as well as diversity among media is a principal objective, Art In The Pearl establishes no quota or entitlement by media category.

2-D Mixed Media: includes any combination of a variety of materials used to create an original work of art that is by design to be displayed on walls with a one-sided orientation.

3-D Mixed Media: incorporates more than one type of physical material to form an original work of art visible from 360 degrees.

Ceramics: all original clay work other than jewelry is accepted in this category. No machine-made or mass produced work is permitted. Work produced from commercial molds is not acceptable. No more than 15% of display may consist of slip cast work which has been designed by the Artist. If multiple pieces of the same design are displayed, each piece must be signed.

Digital Art: this category includes any original work created solely by the artist utilizing computer technology to craft visual images. Work must be properly signed and numbered as a limited edition, not exceeding 250 per image, using only archival quality materials. Traditional photographs taken through a digital media should apply in the Photography category. No work printed on canvas will be accepted for display at the Festival.

Drawing: compositions that are created by the artistʼs hand using dry media including chalk, charcoal, pastels, pencil, wax crayon, etc. or from the fluid medium of inks and washes applied by pen or brush are to be entered in this category.

Fiber: all work crafted from fibers including basketry, embroidery, weaving, tapestry, leather work, batiking, and papermaking. No machine tooling, machine-screened patterns or other forms of mass production are permitted. All pre-manufactured

wearable items are prohibited, regardless of additional modification or enhancement by the artist. The Fiber Wearable category includes all items that are worn or used for adornment.

Glass: No forms of mass production are permitted. All pre-manufactured items are prohibited, regardless of additional modification or enhancement by the artist.

Jewelry: all jewelry, whether the work is produced from metal, glass, clay, fiber, paper, plastic or other materials, must be entered in this category. Work must be designed, created and executed by the artist. All work displayed must be similar in style, quality and method to the work presented in the artistʼs images. No more than 15% of a piece may consist of commercial findings, and no commercial casts, molds or production studio work is allowed.

Metalwork: original work created through the forging, twisting and fabricating of various metals. No production studio work is allowed.

Painting: original compositions created by the artistʼs hand in oils, acrylics, watercolor etc. are in this category.

Photography: Photographers are encouraged to do their own printing. Photographic prints made from the artist’s original image, which have been processed by that artist are included in this category. Photographers are required to disclose a detailed process description. 

***All work must be signed, numbered, and dated in limited editions of no more than 250 per image***

No photographic images printed on canvas are allowed. The photography category includes hand colored, Polaroid transfers, emulsion transfers, etc. Please do not enter such work in the Mixed Media category. Signage of an overtly commercial nature listing the availability of numerous sizes, print surfaces and/or framing options is prohibited.

Printmaking: defined as multiple originals where the artistʼs hand has manipulated the plates, stones, blocks, composite reliefs, or screens. Prints must be properly signed and numbered in limited editions not to exceed 250. Printmakers are required to disclose both their creative and printmaking processes.

Sculpture: three-dimensional original work incorporating any materials that are designed and executed by the artist. Any work that is reproduced must be signed and numbered. No production studio work is permitted.

Wood: original works in wood that are hand-tooled, machine-worked, turned or carved.

Thank you for your interest in Art In The Pearl Fine Arts & Crafts Festival!

BOOTH INFORMATION

Booth Details

Accepted Artists will be allocated a space measuring 10ʼ deep by 10ʼ wide for their display. (A limited number of double wide and double-deep booths are available.)

Artists are responsible for appropriate insurance, the security of their belongings, and protection of work and display.

Artists are to provide their own display structure appropriate for an outdoor event. Booths must be of sound construction, conform to fire code regulations, and must be capable of withstanding inclement weather.

Artist is responsible for the back, sides, and top of the booth. Please keep your back-storage and back of the booth area neat and covered. Booths must be visually presentable to adjoining booths and must not obstruct or endanger neighboring booths or the general public.

Artists must confine booth structure and all work, boxes, chairs, and other display materials within the allotted exhibit space. 

Contracted security will be provided 6:30pm Friday until load-out Monday evening. Art In The Pearl will not be responsible for damage to work or display due to weather or unrelated incidents.  

There will be a security fence around the perimeter of the show installed Friday and will remain up through the duration of the event.

 If an exhibitor does not have a tent, a local rental company is available for assistance.

Browse bins may occupy no more than 15% of booth space, must be aesthetically pleasing, and may not obstruct traffic flow.

***These requirements will be enforced for reasons of safety and crowd control, at the sole discretion of the Art In The Pearl.

Fees

Upon receipt of an acceptance letter, the selected artist is required to reserve and pay for their booth space through Zapplication by May 15, 2024, if they wish to exhibit.

The following are the booth space fees

10ʼ wide x 10ʼ deep – $650

15′ wide x 10′ deep – $1055

10ʼ wide x 20ʼ deep – $1080

20ʼ wide x 10ʼ deep-  $1295

Emerging Artist 10′ x 10′ – $300

Electricity – 600 watts – $95

All space is subject to availability at the time of reservation.

Refund Policy

In the event of a cancellation, Art In The Pearl will refund 50% of the booth fees paid in advance if Art In The Pearl receives written notice of cancellation no later than June 30, 2024. No refunds will be made for cancellations after this date. A $45 administration fee will be charged if an artist withdraws after having submitted booth payment. In the event that Art In The Pearl withdraws its invitation to an artist or removes an artist from the show for violating a rule or policy, any prepaid booth fees will not be refunded.

 2024 Jurors 

John Hasegawa

Associate Professor John Hasegawa is a native of Seattle, Washington. John is the head of the Ceramics department at Mt. Hood Community College, teaching beginning and advanced Ceramics. He received a BA with a double major in Philosophy and Mathematics from the University of Puget Sound and a second BA in Art. He also earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in Ceramics from the University of Oregon. John has taught both introductory and advanced level ceramics at Emporia State University in Kansas, Worcester Craft Center in Massachusetts, Armory Art Center in Florida, University of Oregon, and University of Massachusetts – Dartmouth. He recently moved back to Oregon from Paducah, Kentucky, where he taught Ceramics, 3-D design, and Digital Photo classes at Paducah School of Art in Paducah. His work has been exhibited nationally and he has won numerous awards for his ceramics.

Nicole Nathan

Nicole has worked with arts and cultural organizations throughout the northwest for over two decades. Trained in curatorial practice and collections care, her foundation of work is sharing the stories objects have to tell us, while bringing art and artists to the fore. Nicole has curated a host of exhibitions including Quality is Contagious: John Economaki and Bridge City Tool Works and State of Oregon Craft. Over her career, in addition to the Arts Council of Lake Oswego (OR), Nicole has served such institutions including Museum of Contemporary Craft (OR), Museum of Pop Culture (WA), Japanese American Museum of Oregon (OR), and the High Desert Museum (OR).

Nicole received her BA in Anthropology and Art History from Linfield College, and her Masters in Museum Studies from the University of Washington, focusing on exhibitions and collections management. She has held positions throughout her tenure focusing on the public’s interaction with objects in the context of pop culture, natural history, anthropological, and craft museums, to public art and historical sites.

Otis Quaicoe

Born in 1988 and raised in Accra, Ghana, Otis Kwame Kye Quaicoe now lives and works in Portland, Oregon. Quaicoe presents his subjects in the form of portraiture where he engages with ideas of empowerment through his bright and luminous depictions of African men and women. This is embodied in the postures of his sitters, who appear set against bright, vibrant monochromatic backgrounds.

Ann Marie Cianciolo

Ann Marie started her jewelry business in 1997 after getting her BFA in Fine Arts.  She has been doing art festivals for 25 years such as the Smithsonian Craft Show and the Philadelphia Museum Show.  She has won numerous awards:  Best of Show in the Scottsdale Art Festival, Best of 3d in Old Town Art Festival and most recently, Award of Distinction at the Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival.  She has been featured on the CBS Sunday Morning Milwaukee Show and has been in numerous publications.  Her work is inspired by nature, sculpture and her sense of humor.  She tries to find a balance between the absurd and serious, modern and antique, feminine and strong.  Her process includes casting pieces from nature and fabrication. 

Darryl Cox

Concentrating on the artistic element of surrealism and unlikely juxtapositions, Darryl Cox, JR seeks out singular picture frames, wherever they may exist, as well as extraordinary tree branches and roots salvaged from the wilderness of America uniting both elements into one. A repurposed frame, a reclaimed tree branch or root, and his passion for sculpting — Darryl uses a variety of media, carving, molding and painting to create art that unites a humble object, as well as an intricate object, into a kind of its own. Joined together to tell a combined story.

Darryl‘s works are owned by collectors in numerous countries. They have been presented through select gallery and non-profit events, as well as featured in many online and print publications recognized in North America, Europe and Asia.

Since youth, Darryl has been drawn to art, studying many genres through formal education, practical experience and self-learning. He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from Western Oregon University. After completing his degree in 1995, he has remained actively employed in art and design. For the past 15 years, making Fusion Frame sculptures has been his primary artistic focus.

Darryl lives and works in Bend, Oregon, USA. He participates in a limited number of exhibits annually, and the majority of his works are commissioned in advance, acquired online or at an exhibit. 

If you have further questions you may contact us at [email protected] or call us at (503) 512-9071.

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Artist Applications For 2024 Open Now

Applications for our 2024 show are now open. Please look at our How To Apply page for information. And then apply on Zapplication.org by following this link.

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