HOW TO APPLY 

Applicants are asked to submit 5 digital images of their Plein Air artwork and an artist statement through www.callforentry.org (CaFÉ ™). Please visit the CaFÉ™ website for complete instructions on how to apply. The entry fee is $40. All applications must be submitted by midnight (Mountain Time) on Saturday June 15, 2014.  Columbia Center for the Arts will not accept applications directly.  If you have participated previously, some of the rules have changed and are bolded below. 

ELIGIBILITY

Any resident of the United States and Canada is eligible to apply. However, upon acceptance, artwork delivered to the gallery must have been painted during the paint-out or in the three months prior, June - August 2014 in the Columbia River Gorge.  

DEFINITION

For this exhibition, at least 90% of the painting must be completed onsite and outdoors to be considered “Plein Air.” 

LOCATION

This protected area offers a diverse range of climate zones for artists to paint all within a 80 mile radius.  Nestled along the Columbia River, Hood River sits between the two snow-capped volcanoes, Mt. Hood and Mt. Adams. Just a 10-minute drive to the East takes you to the Transitional Zone where the Cascade Mountain Range meets the Desert.

SELECTION PROCESS

Phase 1:  Artists interested in being featured in the Plein Air Exhibition in September need to apply now and be pre-screened through CaFÉ in order to be included in the Pacific Northwest Plein Air Exhibition. During this initial review, a screening committee will evaluate the submitted images (these images must be examples of your actual Plein Air artwork) to determine if the artist will be invited to participate in the exhibition in September. 30 artists will be selected based on the Plein Air images they submit.  All artists who apply will receive electronic notification of the results of the screening process. Notification will be sent to the email address supplied when applying through CaFÉ.

Phase 2: The Artists identified by the screening committee will be featured in the September Exhibition. Accepted artists are expected to participate in the paint-out event during the week prior to the show opening.   

All artwork must be original in concept. Compositions taken from published material or involving copyright infringement issues will not be considered. No student work under supervision is eligible.  No work previously featured in the Columbia Gorge Region will be accepted. Artists may submit up to four pieces with a combined unframed area that cannot exceed 1250 square inches. Artists may submit one additional piece through participation in the Quick Draw. Accepted artists will receive follow up instructions including a detailed prospectus.

IMPORTANT DATES

April 7th - CaFÉ begins accepting applications

June 15th - Last date to submit application via CaFÉ Website

July 5th - Notification e-mailed

September 2nd – September 4th - Paint out dates 

September 4th - Artwork to be delivered to the gallery no later than 3 p.m.

September 4th – Quick Draw Event at Hood River Farmer’s Market. 4 – 6 p.m.

September 5th - Collector’s Preview Party & Public Reception, 4 – 6 p.m.

September 5th – September 28th, 2014 Overall exhibit dates

September 6th – Kathryn Stats Workshop. Details to be announced soon.

September 28th - Exhibition closes

September 29th - Pick up artwork date

EXHIBITION JUROR

We are pleased to announce that the juror for the 2014 Pacific Northwest Plein Air Exhibition is Kathryn Stats. Once the exhibition is hung, Kathryn will select the top paintings which will receive ribbons, cash awards and/or gifts. Recipients of the juror’s awards are automatically invited to participate in the exhibition next year (2015) and need not be screened. Her website is www.kathrynstats.com.

AWARDS AND PRIZES

1st Place ($1000), 2nd Place ($750), 3rd Place ($500), 4 Honorable Mentions, Best Sky, Best Mountain, Best Water, Bobbie Rosemont Quick Draw Prize ($1000).        

SUBMISSION

Fine art media will be accepted in the following categories: Oil • Acrylic • Watercolor • Pastel 

SIZE

Artists may submit up to four pieces of which the total unframed area cannot exceed 1250 square inches.

 PRESENTATION

Artwork must be professionally framed, * wired and ready for hanging. Required details include:  Wire in good condition, flat D-rings used on frames, cleaned up canvas edges without visible staples.  No work will be accepted with screw-in eye hooks (unless the eye hooks are not protruding beyond the back of the frame) or metal tooth hangers.  If you don’t know what these are - please ask and we will be happy to explain.  

*Contemporary painters sometimes present their work unframed.  This will be acceptable as long as the canvas or wood edge is at least 1.5” thick, and the edges are finished in a professional manner with cleaned up canvas edges and without visible staples.  All other hanging requirements will be the same. 

SALES

All work must be FOR SALE and priced with intent to sell.  • 60% to the artist • 40% commission supports Columbia Art Gallery, a non-profit community art gallery.

SHIPPING

If you live outside the local area and wish to ship pieces home, all packaging, shipping, insurance and related costs are the responsibility of the artist. Artist is to provide all packing material (box, foam, label) for artwork that will be mailed back to artist after the show. Artist will also make arrangements in advance to cover shipping costs.

EXHIBITION DELIVERY AND PICK UP

All hand-delivered artwork must be delivered to Columbia Art Gallery prior to or on Thursday, September 4th before 3 p.m. You may also ship artwork in advance to arrive prior to or on Thursday, Sept. 4th, 2013 to Columbia Art Gallery, 215 Cascade Street, Hood River, OR 97031.  All artists will fill out an Artwork Submission form for artwork entries that includes: Artist Name, Title of Work, Size and Price. This list is your receipt for entries, and must be presented when picking up any and all work.  Please pick up all unaccepted entries.  Accepted entries, regardless of whether they are sold, may not be removed until close of show. All unsold works must be removed promptly at the end of the show to make room for the next show. Art not picked up within 60 days after the close of the show will become property of the Columbia Art Gallery.    

ABOUT US

Columbia Center for the Arts is an independent 501(c)(3) organization in downtown Hood River, Oregon. Within the Art Center is the Columbia Art Gallery, a 141-seat black-box Theater, and an Education & Studio facility; these three components serve virtually every segment of the Gorge community.  For more details about any of our programs, please visit our website: http://www.columbiaarts.org/

INFORMATION

We have tried to ensure that the application information and instructions are clear and complete. Please consult the CaFE’ Web site for information about how to prepare digital images or complete an application. For technical support, contact CaFÉ at CaFE@westaf.org Monday through Friday, between 8:30 am and 5 pm Mountain Time. For questions about eligibility and other requirements, contact Columbia Art Gallery at gallery@columbiaarts.org or 541-387-8877 x 115.  All questions should be made attention to Caroline Mead, gallery manager.