Yosemite Renaissance 40 - 2025 Exhibition
Submission Deadline - The Call to Artists for Yosemite Renaissance 40 is OPEN!
We re excited to celebrate our 40th anniversary supporting the arts in the Yosemite area. Please join us!
Prospectus
Submission Deadline - January 14, 2025
About Yosemite Renaissance
Yosemite Renaissance is a non-profit art organization dedicated to encouraging artists to create diverse interpretations of Yosemite National Park and the surrounding Sierra Nevada region. The organization seeks to inspire new generations to understand, preserve and protect our wild lands and natural places through art.
The Yosemite Renaissance Exhibition is an annual exhibit that offers an opportunity for artists inspired by nature and the California Sierra Nevada region to display and promote their art. The exhibit opens at Yosemite Gateway Art Center in Oakhurst, March 15th 2025, then travels on to other art centers in California through January 2026.
Awards
$4,000 in cash awards will be announced at the opening reception on March 25th, 2025 at Yosemite Gateway Art Center.
Submission Guidelines
The exhibit is open to artists worldwide. All submissions must be completed in English. Participating artists must be able to communicate in English, either directly or through an interpreter.
The exhibit is open to visual artists and artisans working in all media including but not limited to: oil & acrylic painting, watercolor, pastel, mixed media, printmaking, photography, digital art, drawing, fiber art, glass, woodworking, jewelry, ceramics, and sculpture. No film, video, interactive media or performance. Original works only. Limited edition prints and other multiples (photographs and digital/computer art) are allowed. No reproductions. Submitted works must be created in the last 5 years.
Philosophy and Approach
For over 150 years, artists have played an important role in the establishment of our state and national parks, inspiring people to visit iconic natural sites, and to protect our natural resources. Subject matter must be related to the landscape, environment, wildlife and people of Yosemite National Park and the California Sierra Nevada region.
Both representational and non-representational submissions are allowed. We encourage artist who apply to celebrate the beauty and wonder of nature through art, but also to consider and explore environmental issues, ecology, biology, forestry, current events, political, spiritual and cultural themes.
Contributing artists should be aware of the geographic range of the show. While the nexus of the exhibit is Yosemite, the scope of the show also includes Sequoia National Park, Sierra National Forest, Ansel Adams Wilderness, Mono Lake, Bodie, the White Mountains, and more. The high Sierra, east side and west side foothills and canyons from Lake Tahoe to Tehachapi are all included! The area is huge, consisting of hundreds of thousands of acres of rugged peaks, deep valleys, forests, chaparral, deserts, lakes and streams. If your work is inspired by these places, it will be considered.
Mastery of traditional media, technical expertise, style and personal vision are important factors in the selection process. One of the goals of Yosemite Renaissance is to encourage innovation. Jurors will consider the use of new tools, technologies, materials and techniques.
Sales
All works submitted must be available for sale. Yosemite Renaissance retains a 40% commission on sales. Credit card transaction fees are deducted from Gross sales before calculating commission. Once accepted for the exhibition, submitted works must be sold through Yosemite Renaissance, until the close of the exhibit.
PRICES CANNOT BE CHANGED AFTER ARTWORK IS SUBMITTED FOR CONSIDERATION.
The following instructions relate to completing the entry form on SmarterEntry.com. Please review them before and during the application process.
Entry is through SmarterEntry.com only. No other types of submission will be accepted.
Entry Fees and Procedures
Each artist is limited to eight entries. No more than two entries from any artist will be accepted for inclusion in the exhibit.
The cost for the first entry is $25. Additional entries (up to 4) are $15 each, and $10 each (from 5 to 8). Entry fees are non-refundable. Payment is by credit card through SmarterEntry.com. Payment is the FIRST STEP in the submission process, before documents or images can be submitted.
Artist Statement and Artist Biography
These two documents must be submitted BEFORE your images can be uploaded.
Your Artist Statement should be specific to the work submitted for the exhibit, describing the subject, your inspiration, approach and technique.
Your Artist Biography should include more general information of your career as an artist, including education, philosophy, history, and other highlights you consider important.
Image Requirements
Artists must submit one digital file for each piece of artwork entered. Please review the Image Format guidelines on SmarterEntry.com when you submit. PLEASE NOTE: We do not need to see the mat or frame in the digital submission, unless you feel it is a critical component of the work. Including the frame in the submission takes up space, can distort or obscure the image, and makes it harder for us to use the image for marketing purposes.
Digital files must be in a .jpg format. Each image must be less than 8 megabytes in size. We recommend dimensions of at least 1280 pixels on the long side. Higher resolution is OK as long as the file size does not exceed 8 megabytes. Do not submit images smaller than 800 pixels on the long side.
There is a special feature on SmarterEntry.com for 3D submissions that allows multiple images to be "stitched together" in order to show multiple views of a piece. Please be aware that this shrinks the images in order to combine them. We may request higher resolution images if the work is selected for the exhibit. If you are submitting 2 dimensional works, DO NOT select this option.
File Names
Please use your artwork TITLE as your filename. Do not use special characters. Letters, numbers, and spaces only. Please review the Image Format guidelines on SmarterEntry.com when you submit.
NOTE - The most common mistake when applying through SmarterEntry.com is the order of the steps required to apply. 1 - Pay first, 2 - upload the required documents, 3 - upload you images and fill out the related information.
Important information regarding the jury process, judging, shipping, and display requirements. Please read before framing and preparing your work for transport.
Selection and Awards Procedures
1. Preliminary and final selection for inclusion in the exhibit will be made by the jurors from the digital images submitted. Approximately 50 pieces will be selected for the exhibition.
2. If, upon delivery, submitted works differ significantly in appearance, size, or medium, the work will not be included in the exhibit.
3. Independent judges are invited to select the award-winners from the original art. The award-winners will be announced on the night of the opening reception in March 2025.
Jurors and Judges
A panel of artists, curators and art administrators will make the selection of works to be included in the exhibition. Award-winners will be selected by a panel of independent judges. Jurors and judges will be announced at the opening reception. We do not announce our jurors or judges in advance.
Notification of Jury Results
Jury results will be announced via email in mid-February 2025, and will be posted on our website www.yosemiterenaissance.org when they are available. Artists who are selected for the exhibition will receive additional information via email after the initial notification of acceptance.
Exhibit Specifications and Requirements
We recommend that two-dimensional works not exceed framed dimensions of 30x40 inches. Larger works may be submitted, but there is a possibility they may be rejected due to size constraints. Triptychs or other multi-image pieces (exhibited under one title) must be framed as a single unit.
All 2D artwork accepted for exhibition must be framed and wired for hanging, with any additional hardware provided by the artist if required. No SAW TOOTH hangers. Metal prints and gallery wrap paintings may be displayed un-framed. If you are not sure if your piece qualifies, please inquire via email before you submit.
We recommend that three-dimensional works not exceed 72 inches in height. Larger works may be submitted, however works that exceed 72 inches in height may be rejected due to size constraints. All works accepted for exhibition must be ready for presentation. Artist must disclose and provide any special display hardware or other fixtures required for display. The gallery has a variety of pedestals in assorted sizes available for 3D works.
Exhibiting venues reserve the right to refuse to display any artwork due to space limitations, display problems, or conflicts with museum / venue policies.
Delivery and Shipping Requirements
All artwork must be packed in sturdy, reusable containers made for shipping artwork. Airfloat or Uline foam padded shipping boxes are HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. No packing peanuts allowed. Bubble wrap and soft foam packing materials are best. Packing materials must be designed to be easily removed AND replaced for transport and return shipping.
All hand-delivered work must be protected in the same manner, for safe transport between venues during the traveling exhibit.
Exhibiting artists must ship their accepted artworks to Yosemite Gateway Art Center, 40982 Hwy 41, Oakhurst CA 93644 at their own expense. A pre-paid return label must also be provided by the artist. The gallery will receive works delivered personally by the artist or by proxy - delivery dates TBA.
The Yosemite Renaissance Traveling Exhibit
Works from the exhibition may be included in a traveling exhibit through February, 2025. Please indicate on your application if you would like your work to be included in the traveling exhibit. Venues include Yosemite Gateway Art Center in Oakhurst, Kings Art Center in Hanford, Carnegie Arts Center in Turlock, and Madera County Art Council Circle Gallery. While it is unlikely, venues may change without notice.
Due to space limitations, there is a possibility that some works will not be displayed at a particular venue during the traveling exhibit. Each venue will determine what they can display, at their own discretion.
Important Dates:
Opening date for submissions - September 1st, 2024
Closing date for submissions - January 14th 2025
Notification of Acceptance - February 15th, 2025
Opening Reception, Yosemite Gateway Art Center, Oakhurst CA – Saturday, March 15th, 2025
Exhibit travels (approx.) 5/1/25 – 2/1/26
Participation Agreement
Submission of an entry or entries constitutes:
· Agreement by the artist to the terms and conditions in this prospectus.
· Agreement by the artist that accepted entries will be available for display and available for sale.
· Agreement by the artist that images of submitted works can be used by Yosemite Renaissance, partners, and assigns for publicity purposes, and can be reproduced in printed or electronic form for the promotion of the exhibit and the activities of Yosemite Renaissance.
Liability
The utmost care will be taken in handling artwork while in Yosemite and other venues. However, no responsibility is assumed by Yosemite Renaissance, Inc., the National Park Service, the Mariposa County Board of Supervisors, exhibiting venues or any other sponsoring agency or assign for loss or damage from any cause. Artists wishing to insure their work are responsible for their own insurance.