Forma Natura: Nature as Source
Exhibition Dates: January 25 – March 2, 2025
Alicia Escott, Juror

Nature is a source of inspiration for artwork of all mediums. Arts Benicia, a non-profit art center in Benicia, CA, invites artists to submit artwork for Forma Natura: Nature as Source, a juried exhibition that seeks to showcase artists’ representations of the natural world. As examples, themes may include: the interconnectedness of species with their habitats; environmental change and the fragility of species; the beauty of natural forms, seasons and change; the strength and sometimes devastating forces of nature: water, wind, cold, heat, fire; as well as other themes or abstract concepts. All 2D and 3D media accepted, and video files. 2D work may not exceed 36” in width or 72” in height, including the frame. 3D work may not exceed a 36” x 36” footprint.

Deadline for Entries:  November 8, 2024 (10:59 pm Pacific Time)

Jurying of entries: November 10 – 17, 2024
Notification to artists: November 20, 2024
Hand Delivery of artwork: January 10, 2025
Delivery of shipped artwork: January 7-10, 2025 (no later than January 10)
Members and Exhibition Artists Preview: Thursday, January 23, 2025, 6 - 7 pm
Opening Public Reception: Saturday, January 25, 2025, 4 - 6 pm
Close of exhibition: Sunday, March 2, 2025
In Person Pick-up of Artwork: March 4, 20251 - 4 pm (or by appt)
Return Shipped Artwork: begins March 4, 2025

Juror

Alicia Escott is an interdisciplinary artist based in San Francisco. She/they practices in solidarity with thinkers across fields undoing the construct of “nature” as a thing separated from us and our world. Escott’s work is informed by how we each are intimately negotiating our immediate day-to-day realities and responsibilities amid an awareness of the overarching specter of climate chaos, mass-extinction and the social and political unrest this rapid change, unprocessed grief and latent anxiety produces. Her work seeks to make space for the unspoken individual and collective experiences of loss, heartbreak and grief. She/they approach these issues with an interstitial practice that encompasses writing, drawing, painting, photography, video, sculpture, social-practice, and activism.

Escott’s work has been shown in over 100 art institutions, galleries, museums and alternative spaces. and reviewed in Momus, The San Francisco Chronicle and others. Escott is a founding member of 100 Days Action who were a recipient of the 2017 YBCA 100 List Award. She is half of the Social Practice Project The Bureau of Linguistical Reality that have been featured in The Economist, The New Yorker, The San Francisco Chronicle, KQED, ABC News and others. She works Nationally, Internationally and locally.

GALLERY LOCATION
1 Commandant's Lane, Benicia, CA 94510

GALLERY HOURS
Thursday - Sunday, 1:00 to 5:00 pm, during exhibitions. The gallery is closed between exhibitions.

CONTACTING ARTS BENICIA
Staff often works remotely. The best way to reach staff is via email or leave a phone message: Jean@artsbenicia.org; 707-747-0131.

ABOUT ARTS BENICIA
Arts Benicia is a community-based non-profit organization offering diverse and relevant exhibitions in its gallery and at other venues in Benicia, and providing engaging public programs, creative workshops for adults, and inspiring youth arts educational programming. Located in the Commanding Officer’s Quarters, an 1865 mansion in the historic Benicia Arsenal, Arts Benicia has been a vital part of the Bay Area regional art scene for over 36 years, supporting artistic development and enriching the larger community.

POLICIES
Arts Benicia has a history of selling artworks at every exhibition. Upon sale, a check and purchaser information will be mailed to the artist within 30 days after exhibition closure, to the address provided in the Exhibition and Consignment Agreement. Artists receive 60% on the sale of their work. Arts Benicia, a non-profit organization, receives 40%. Arts Benicia also bears all the sales transaction fees and collects and reports sales tax on artwork sales.

Entry fees are not refundable. Only use the member entry price if you are a current member, otherwise your entry will not be juried.

Exceptions for late delivery of artwork cannot be made.

RELEASES AND WARRANTIES
Artists agree to release Arts Benicia for damages in shipping or delivery. Artworks are insured while they are at the gallery. Our gallery includes a security alarm system and a security camera system.

Application Requirements

MEDIA
All 2D and 3D media accepted, video files. Any digital files must be in a common format and if the work is accepted the artist must provide the video player.

SIZE LIMITATIONS
2D work may not exceed 36” in width or 72” in height, including the frame. 3D work may not exceed a 36” x 36” footprint. There is a 35-pound weight limit for any hanging work. Floor weight for 3D work must not exceed 300 lbs. Please contact the staff with any special requirements for installation.

ENTRY PROCESS
Artists may submit one application. One application allows you to submit up to 6 artworks with appropriate payment of entry fees.

IMAGES TO SUBMIT
Up to 6 entries (images or files) may be uploaded...and a maximum of 6 artworks may be submitted. For optimal juror viewing, submit the highest quality images. For each image file, 1 MB is the minimum size; maximum file size for each still image is 5 MB. If your photo software specifies quality levels instead of pixels (i.e., you are submitting an image directly from a cell phone), choose "actual size" or “very high quality.”

Do not include your name in any of your file titles. Use the artwork title to name the files.

For questions on using café to apply for this call and prepare your images, etc. visit https://www.callforentry.org/artist-help-cafe/ 

CONCEPT STATEMENT, OPTIONAL
A brief explanation describing your concept to the juror may be submitted during the application process. This statement will be seen by the juror. Omit your name from this statement. This is not your artist statement which can be submitted upon invitation to the exhibition.

FEES AND PAYMENT

Entry fee is $35 (or $25 for current Arts Benicia members; selected at checkout) for one artwork; an additional $5 fee is required for any additional entries, up to a maximum of 6. For example, to submit 5 entries, a non-member artist will pay $35 for the first entry, plus an additional $20 ($5 each for four additional), for a total of $55. Fee may be paid through CaFE using a credit card or Paypal.

Entry fees are not refundable for any reason, in whole or in part. Arts Benicia members receive a discount on the entry fee, by selecting member at checkout. To review other benefits of becoming an Arts Benicia member, including NARM benefits, or to join online before submitting your entry, visit artsbenicia.org.

NOTIFICATION OF JURY RESULTS
The deadline is November 8, 2024, at 10:59 PM, PDT. An email will be sent via CaFE to all submitting artists by November 20 with jury results. Additionally, the results will be available in CaFE artist accounts after November 20. Arts Benicia will produce and distribute promotional materials in digital formats and make them available to exhibiting artists at no cost. 

It is the responsibility of all submitting artists to check for emails, possibly in your SPAM or Promotions files, for notification. If you do not receive notification about either acceptance or non-acceptance of your submissions by January 18 contact Arts Benicia via email at info@artsbenicia.org.

CONTRACT
All artists with accepted artwork must provide a signed exhibition contract to participate.

DELIVERY AND SHIPPING DETAILS
Artists must be able to deliver or pick up your work, or have someone else do it for you, on the designated dates. See schedule above. Exceptions for late delivery cannot be made. Late pickups will be charged fees for storage and retrieval of the artwork. Except in rare situations, we cannot store packing materials of hand-delivered work; take packing materials with you and bring them back when you pick up your work at the end of the exhibition. Artists should use UPS or FedEx to ship work to the addresses indicated in the contract. Artists shipping work to Arts Benicia must purchase a return shipping label. This is most easily accomplished at the time you purchase your outgoing shipping. Enclose the pre-paid label inside your package or crate or email it to jean@artsbenicia.org. We cannot access individual shipping accounts.

PREPARATION
All artwork must be clean, fully dry, and in good repair. Arts Benicia reserves the right to decline any artwork that does not meet the preparation standards or is otherwise unsuitable for exhibition. Examine your artwork for cleanliness under good lighting.

Artworks must have secure identification on the back or bottom of the work, with the Artist’s name and the title. If artworks require special installation, the Artist must include written instructions. 

Wall works must be wired. Works cannot hang from sawtooth hangers. Stretched canvas must not have exposed staples. Giclées are not accepted. Due to nature of the hanging system in the Commanding Officer’s Quarters, there are weight limitations (see SIZE LIMITATIONS above) and a cleat system is not permitted.  If your artwork requires an exception with regard to hanging mechanisms, please contact celeste@artsbenicia.org before submission to discuss the options. For 2-D work, Arts Benicia reserves the right to change the position of your hanging wire to accommodate the COQ hanging system.

ART SALES
Artwork must be available and for sale. Arts Benicia will retain 40% of art sales during this exhibition and mail a check to the Artist at the postal address the Artist provides above, in the amount equal to 60% of the sales price declared by the Artist in this contract or CaFE application (and either confirmed or amended on the Inventory Form, after selection to the exhibition), within 30 days of the exhibition closing date. The Artist agrees Arts Benicia is not responsible for any commission, division of sales, or financial obligation between the Artist and any other gallery, organization, or person. Arts Benicia handles all art sales, including sales tax.

ARTIST STATEMENT
Selected artists juried into the exhibition will be asked to submit their bio, artist statement, and resume, to be made available within the gallery. These materials are not required until after artist selection into the exhibition.

Eligibility Criteria

National and international artists invited to apply.