Call Description

The Marin Society of Artists (MSA) is excited to announce the first exhibition of original hand-pulled fine art prints in its 98-year history. In addition to the prints on display, there will be printmaking workshops and presentations scheduled during the run of the exhibition.

Printmakers! Let's make this a celebration of the incredible array of traditional techniques and new technologies that make printmaking such a dynamic segment of the art world. These can include intaglio, relief, lithography, screenprints, and monotypes and monoprints. (Prints that are primarily digital, photographic, or reproductive are not eligible.) If you need clarification about eligibility, email MSAPrintmaking@gmail.com.

About the Marin Society of Artists:

Located in San Rafael, California, the Marin Society of Artists is a non-profit organization founded in 1927. With our partners, we sponsor ongoing exhibitions and programs at our Art Centre and in the community that promote cultural enrichment and the arts. The several galleries throughout the Art Centre house rotating displays of artwork available for purchase, and there are at least four shows per year in the online gallery.

About the juror:

Eileen Macdonald is a Professor of Printmaking at California State University, Chico. She was born and raised in the highlands of Scotland; she earned her BA honors in Fine Art Printmaking from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art, Dundee University, Scotland, in 1997. She began teaching printmaking in England before she relocated to the US to pursue an MFA at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. She has taught all aspects of printmaking and served on The Turner Print Museum board of directors at CSU, Chico since 2002. Macdonald has participated in exhibitions throughout the US as well as the UK, Canada, Japan, South Africa, Portugal, Korea, and Finland. She has been the recipient of printmaking residencies in the UK, Italy, Finland and Senegal.

Application Requirements

Entry procedure:

All entry is through callforentry.org. Please be sure to follow Call for Entry requirements for file type and size, and consult their excellent help section as needed. Please include the title, but not your name, in the filename. For example, use floweretching.jpg, not smithfloweretching.jpg. 

Cafe specifications: File type should be JPG or JPEG only. Dimensions 1200 pixels or greater on longest side. Under 5MB, sRGB. 

For additional assistance with online entry, go to the Call for Entry help page, https://www.callforentry.org/artist-help-cafe/.

Diptychs or triptychs count as one piece; use only one image of the entire diptych or triptych.

**We ask for a brief description (400 characters max) of technique(s) used in creating your print. This information will be included in the label on the wall by your print.

Framing Requirements:

All prints must be framed in a professional manner. Glazing must be acrylic or equivalent (no glass). No sawtooth hangers. MSA reserves the right to exclude any entry that presents complex hanging or exhibition challenges. Work cannot exceed 60” in height or width, including frame. 3D artwork not to exceed 48”x48”x48”, 50 pounds. 

For complete specifications, go to our website, marinsocietyofartists.org. Click on For Artists, then locate the call for Printmaking: Process and Possibility. At the bottom of the call page, click on Specifications and Policy. All accepted artwork must conform to these specifications. Work that does not meet these criteria will not be displayed in the exhibition. Contact MSAPrintmaking@gmail.com if you have further questions.

Eligibility Criteria

Open to all artists in the United States 18 years of age and older. Any work that uses printmaking as the sole or primary technique is eligible (intaglio, relief, lithography, screenprint, monotypes and monoprints, etc.) Prints that are primarily digital, photographic, or reproductive are not eligible. If you need clarification about eligibility, email MSAPrintmaking@gmail.com.

Awards:

First Prize: $400 

Second Prize: $200 

Third Prize: $100

Additional non-monetary Honorable Mention Awards, at Juror's discretion.

Notification of accepted and non-accepted entries will be by email from callforentry.org.

Note: All accepted artwork must be hand-delivered to the Marin Society of Artists (no shipping or mailing).

Calendar:

Entry deadline: September 5, 2025.

Notification to artists: September 19, 2025. 

Reception: Friday, October 10, 2025, 5 to 8 p.m. Coincides with downtown San Rafael 2nd Friday Art Walk. 1515 Third Street, San Rafael, CA 

Artwork Delivery: MSA will accept hand delivery of accepted art work at the gallery on Sunday, October 5, 2025, noon to 3 pm, and Monday, October 6, 2025, 10 am to 1 pm. 1515 Third Street, San Rafael, CA.

Artwork Pickup: Sunday, November 2, 2025, noon to 3 pm, or Monday, November 3, 2025, 10 am to 1 pm at the gallery, 1515 Third Street, San Rafael, CA.