A Juried Exhibition and Sale for North Carolina Women Artists.
The George Watts Mill Alumni Center, The University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill.

Exhibitors' Kit

Questions:

Q. Am I eligible to enter?
A. All women currently residing in or attending school in North Carolina are welcome to enter, from beginning to master artists.

Q. How do I enter?
A. Complete the entry form on the prospectus (*requires Adobe Acrobat Reader) and send TWO identical slides for EACH ENTRY, a maximum of four slides per artist to:
The Women's Center, PO Box 1057, Chapel Hill, NC 27514.

On each slide, print your name, the title and place a red dot on the left hand bottom corner of the slide.

Q. How are entries judged?
A. Entries will be judged by SLIDES ONLY, Slide quality makes a difference in the jurying process. For information on preparing quality slides, please click here.

Q. How many pieces of art can I enter?
A. Each artist may enter a maximum of TWO PIECES OF ART.

Q. What kind of art will be considered?
A. All media will be considered.  However, we do reserve the right to exclude work that would be inappropriate for exhibition (such as apparel) due to difficult installations or space requirements.

Q. What is the deadline for entering?
A. Slides must be postmarked by Monday, December 15, 2003. Any entry postmarked after this date will be returned.

Q. Will the slide be returned to me?
A. If you wish, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope with your entry, and we will return one slide after the show. The other slide will be kept on file and may be used for publicity purposes.

Q. How do I prepare slides for entry?

  • Whenever possible photograph your work before it is framed (2-D work, without glass, without frame).
  • Photographing work in good daylight can work well, especially if the work does not have reflective surfaces. Do NOT try to photograph your work under fluorescent light or incandescent light without the proper filter. This will turn your work green or yellow.
  • Using slide film with the lowest ISO/ASA number (64 rather than 100) will give the clearest image because it's the finest grained film.
  • Shoot the whole roll of film if possible (take slides of several pieces of your work) slide film is cheap, having duplicates made is expensive.
  • Using a tripod (borrow one if you can) and a shutter release cable will save time and give you better results.
  • Fill the viewfinder of your camera as much as possible with the artwork. Use a plain background for any area in the frame that is not the artwork. Mat black is best: black mat board works well, or black velvet.
  • If you're using a manual camera, take several different exposures. Purchase a "grey card" from your photo store and use it to take a meter reading. Shoot a few frames at that exposure, then a few frames at exposures on either side of that exposure. This is called bracketing.
  • It is more economical to shoot several frames at the same exposure if you need duplicate images than it is to have duplicate slides made. It's also faster, because you don't have to wait for the photo store or processor to make the duplicates. Duplicates are never quite the same as the original in terms of lightness or darkness.
  • Whenever possible, project your slides before sending them off to a show or competition. It's hard to judge how the image will look by looking at it on a light table or holding the slide up to the light.
  • If your slides show other things than the artwork, it's best to tape off any extraneous details. Judges want to see only the artwork. You can do this by removing the slide from the mount and applying mylar tape to mask off the surrounding areas. Use a single edged razor blade or Xacto knife around the film to cut away any extra mylar tape. Then pick up the slide film with tweezers and place it back in the mount. This is best done on a light table wearing cotton gloves and using tweezers to grasp the film. Mylar tape and cotton gloves are available at many photo stores.
  • You can construct a makeshift light table with a small sheet of non-glare glass (11 x 14) and prop it up on all 4 corners with books or slide boxes. Put a piece of white paper beneath it and have it lit very well. You can avoid having to remove the slide film from the mount by asking the photo processor not to mount your slides when you give them the film to develop. In either case you will need to remount the slide after it's taped off in a new cardboard or plastic mount. These are available at most photo stores. Be careful not to get fingerprints or scratches on the film as you're sliding your taped off slide film back in the mount.

Q. Are there any limitations on the size of the art?
A. Due to limited display space, a piece must not exceed 4' in height or width. It also should not exceed 50 lbs. in weight. Three-dimensional pieces must be easily transported. Two-dimensional art pieces must be securely framed (no clip frames), wired and ready to hang. Please do not submit work that requires special installation. We reserve the right to exclude work we consider inappropriate for exhibition due to difficult installation or space requirements.

Q. Are there fees for entering?
A. A processing fee of $10 for one entry or $15 for two entries is charged. Fees must be paid upon submission of art.

Q. Will the art work selected for exhibition be for sale?
A. All selected art will be for sale, with The Women's Center retaining one third of the sale price. Due to the nonprofit status of The Women's Center, there will be no sales tax added to the price of the artwork. Payment for sold works will be mailed to artists within 30 days after the close of the show.

Q. What is the average price of art work that has sold in past shows?
A. In prior years most art work that has sold has been priced at or below $1,000.

Q. What are the reproduction rights for the show?
A. The Women's Center reserves the right to photograph any work for any publicity or promotional purposes. All works chosen for these purposes will be credited to the artist and the artist will be informed of its use.

Q. Will my work be protected while on exhibition?
A. Accepted work will be insured while on exhibition and will be handled carefully to avoid damage. However, submission of an entry is at the artist's own risk. The declared value of the work must be reasonable and in line with the artist's previous sales.

Q. When and how will I be notified if I've been selected?
A. Selected artists will be contacted by phone on Monday, Jan. 19, 2004.

Q. What are my options for delivering my work?
A. Artists may hand deliver their artwork to the Sheraton Chapel Hill Hotel on
* Tuesday, February 17 from 2-7 PM, or
* Wednesday, February 18th from 9 AM-12 PM.
Artwork NOT hand delivered to the Sheraton by the artist may be shipped via The UPS Store (form available online) in Chapel Hill.

Q. What kind of information should I include with my artwork when it is delivered?
A. Please be sure that you have a label attached to the artwork that has your name, the name of the piece and its medium, and the price as indicated on the initial entry. Also, provide at least two biographical notes for each submission. If this is a two-dimensional piece, affix one of them to the back.

Q. If my artwork is accepted in the show, what happens if it is sold?
A. Artists whose works have been sold will be contacted by phone before Feb. 29

Q. If my artwork is accepted in the show, what happens if it is NOT sold?
A. Unsold art must be picked-up on Sunday, Feb. 29 between 4-7 PM or Monday, March 1 between 9 AM - 12 PM at the Sheraton Chapel Hill Hotel.  If using "round trip" shipping service via The UPS Store, representatives will pack and ship the art for you. PLEASE NOTE: Works left after March 1, 2003 become property of The Women's Center. All packing and return shipping arrangements for unsold art are the responsibility of the artist. You may want to contact other accepted artists in your area to share in delivery and/or pickup of artwork. 


“Untitled” by Janet Harriman  
See all art