Prospectus
Mosaic Arts International 2017: Fine Art
SAMA’s Annual International Juried Exhibition
Presented at the Janice Charach Gallery, Jewish Community Center of Metropolitan Detroit, West Bloomfield, Michigan
April 27 – June 15, 2017
Introduction
The Society of American Mosaic Artists (SAMA) invites artists working in mosaic media to submit applications to Mosaic Arts International (MAI) 2017: Fine Art. Held in conjunction with SAMA's annual conference, the juried exhibit presents the best in contemporary fine art mosaics from SAMA's diverse international membership. Fine Art is a segment of the Mosaic Arts International 2017 exhibition series that will be presented at the Janice Charach Gallery, April 27 – June 15, 2017. The Janice Charach Gallery provides a forum for the creation, exhibition and interpretation of visually oriented media. They promote works of fine art created by Jewish and non-Jewish artists providing unique opportunities for emerging and acknowledged artists.
Additional segments of the Mosaic Arts International series will include a juried site-specific exhibition presented online and in print and an invitational exhibition to be presented in the Janice Charach Gallery. The 2017 Conference—The American Mosaic Summit—will be held at the Marriott Detroit Renaissance Center in Detroit, MI, May 2 – 6, 2017.
The Mosaic Arts International exhibition series invigorates a new perspective of mosaic art in numerous contexts, and celebrates established, as well as, emerging artists, working in the medium today. All segments combined represent a total of between 45 – 70 artists. The Society of American Mosaic Artists is a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating, inspiring, and promoting excellence in mosaic arts.
PROSPECTUS
Calendar
December 1, 2016 Digital Submission period opens on www.juriedartservices.com
January 13, 2017 Digital Submission Deadline ($45 entry fee through January 10, 2017, $50 late entry fee January 11 – 13, 2017)
January 27, 2017 Notification of selection e-mailed
April 18 – 20, 2017 Accepted works must be received in Michigan, including hand-delivered and shipped
April 27 – June 15, 2017 Exhibition (works must remain in exhibit for the entire length of the show)
May 4, 2017 Artist Reception at Janice Charach Gallery
June 19, 2017 All work to be returned or shipped by this date
Selection Process
The choices of the selected entries are solely decided by the jurors. SAMA Board Members and/or Staff facilitate the administrative aspects of the jury process and in no way influence the outcomes. The decisions of the jurors are final.
Jurors (alphabetically)
Gary Drostle, London, United Kingdom
Based in London, England, artist Gary Drostle has been creating large-scale public mosaics for over twenty-five years. Gary is President of The British Association for Modern Mosaic and is on the editorial board of BAMM’s ANDAMENTO mosaic journal. His work has won numerous awards including The MAI Award for Contemporary Innovation in Mosaic in 2014, MAI Best in Show 2013, and MAI Best Architectural Mosaic in 2008. He also recently won the NTCA TileLetter Award for Best Mosaic Installation for his major commission for the University of Iowa in 2011. Gary is a regular lecturer at the Chicago Mosaic School.
Shug Jones, Plano, Texas, USA
Shug Jones transitioned from life as a professional painter to that of a mosaic artist in 2001, when she co-founded Tesserae Mosaic Studio, Inc. in Plano, Texas. In 2007, she won the award for Best Large-Scale Exterior Mosaic at the Mosaic Arts International Exhibition in Mesa, Arizona. She has taught and exhibited internationally and her work, included in numerous books on mosaic and decorating, is also represented in private, public, healthcare, education, and hospitality collections. Shug and her collaborative partner, Julie Dilling, recently completed two projects for the Cancer Center at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas, Texas. Shug retired from large-scale installation mosaic work in late 2016, and is now concentrating exclusively on her fine art mosaics under the name Shug Jones Mosaics.
Sergio De Giusti, Redford Township, Michigan, USA
Sergio De Giusti’s work has been exhibited in both the United States and Europe in such places as the Detroit Institute of Arts; Newark Museum; Tampa Museum; The Smithsonian; the British Museum in London; Minnesota Museum of Art; the Council of Cultural Affairs in Stockholm; the Hungarian National Gallery in Budapest, and the Institute of Culture in Zacatecas, Mexico. He produced bronze panels for the doors of the Church of San Vito in Maniago, Italy.
In Detroit, De Giusti created sculptures for the Rick Finley U.S. DEA Building; a bronze relief for Wayne State University Law School; General Anthony Wayne sculpture for Wayne State University; and bronze sculpture for Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Michigan building. Most recently, De Giusti finished 16 bronze reliefs for The Labor Legacy Monument in Hart Plaza, Detroit, and a memorial sculpture of founder William Davidson for Guardian Industries in Auburn Hills. Awards include a 1991 Michigan Creative Artist Grant, a 1996 Arts Achievement Award from Wayne State University, Wayne County International Artist Award, and a Knighthood from the Republic of Italy. De Giusti received his B.F.A. and M.F.A. from Wayne State University and resides in Redford Township, Michigan.
Awards - Totaling $5,000
Best in Show - $1,800: work receiving highest collective marks from Jury through all rounds of review.
Technical Distinction - $500: work that exemplifies excellence in the methods, materials, and execution of traditional mosaic-making. Selected by the jury consensus.
Contemporary Innovation - $500: work that best encourages experimentation and challenges the definition of mosaic art. Selected by the jury consensus.
Juror’s Awards (3 given) - $300 each: individual award of merit selected by each juror.
Members' Choice - $ 300: Selected by the attending membership of the 2017 American Mosaic Summit.
Eligibility
Open to all current SAMA members, age 18 and over. Applications will not be accepted by SAMA until membership status is verified. (Dues may be paid in the SAMA Store at www.americanmosaics.org if applicant is not a current SAMA member, or if membership term will expire prior to time of submission.) Only one accepted work per artist will be exhibited in the Fine Art Exhibition unless multiple works by one artist is deemed necessary to the overall exhibition by the jury. Artists may also separately submit works to the Site Specific Mosaic Exhibition and could potentially have work accepted to each of the MAI juried exhibitions for 2017. In the instance that a submitted mosaic is a collaboration, ALL collaborators must be current members at the time of entry for the work to qualify.
Submitted artwork must be the artist’s original design, completed within the past two years (January 2015 through December 2017), and not previously exhibited in a SAMA exhibition. If an entry was created in a recognizable style or influence of another artist, at the time of submitting your entry, please identify this fact and that your influence was from another artist who is known, unknown, contemporary, or deceased. Art center or school open studio time projects will be accepted. Reproductions of ancient mosaics ARE NOT permitted. No reproductions of "copy-free" or copyrighted material (even with permission) allowed unless it is copyrighted by the submitting artist. No work executed during an educational experience such as a technical workshop, master course, or directed study may be submitted. Obvious copyright infringement will result in the removal of all work for consideration prior to jurying.
Entry Requirements
Each artist may enter up to three (3) original works.
Each entry may be in one of the following categories: Wall Mosaic, Free-Standing Mosaic, Large-Scale only. Site Specific Mosaics must be submitted separately and will be juried in a separate process.
Fine Art Category Definitions
Wall Mosaics - Mosaics that are mounted to a vertical flat surface and are two-dimensional panels, bas-relief panels, or wall sculptures.
Free-Standing Mosaics - Mosaics that are sculptural or three-dimensional in form that stand by themselves, on a pedestal, or floor surface.
Large-Scale Mosaics - Wall and Free-Standing Mosaics that exceed weight and size limits for gallery display and are not permanently attached to a fixed structure or building. To be exhibited by photographs in a video display within gallery, on SAMA Website, and in catalog only.
Weight and size limits: UPDATED FOR 2017!
● Wall Mosaics - 100 lbs. and no wider than 60 inches total (including spacing between multi-sectional work).
● Free-Standing works placed on a pedestal - 100 lbs. No size limit.
● Free-Standing work on the floor - 100 lbs. No size limit.
If a work is selected to the exhibition and is within the weight and size limitations, it MUST be shipped or hand-delivered to the venue to be placed on display. If a work is too large and/or too heavy to meet the size and weight limitations, it should be entered in the Large-Scale category and will be shown by photographs if selected.
Artwork should be sturdy and ready for hanging or installation at the time of delivery.
● No saw tooth hangers.
● No pressed wood frames.
● The hanging wire and frame grommets must be well-secured and the frame, hanging wire, and grommets must be weight-appropriate to hang the artwork.
The SAMA Exhibition Committee reserves the right to decline hanging/staging an entry if the guidelines are not followed and will return the entry at the artist’s expense prior to the opening of the exhibit.
Image Guidelines
The jury process will take place by digital image review. Slides are not accepted.
● All submitted images shall be formatted in the following file size and resolution as a jpeg:
Images must be sized at 3600 ppi (on the long side of the image) at 300 dpi.
● Submit your primary image as the best overall image that you want to have printed in the catalog.
● If there is a frame around your finished mosaic, you MUST include it in your image submission.
● Digitally altered images may be disqualified.
● Images should be accurate representations of the work.
● Images WILL NOT be reviewed if all guidelines are not followed.
● SAMA reserves the right to pull a work from the exhibition if it arrives for installation and does not match the image submitted for the jury process.
● SAMA reserves the right to not include a work in the catalog if the submitted image does not meet the specifications for print quality.
Important: the quality of photography contributes greatly to the clarity, sharpness, color, lighting, and understanding of your artwork which assists the jurors in their decision-making process and offers the highest-quality photograph for printing purposes.
Remember: You are a professional so think like a professional!
Here are some professional photo tips to follow in order to obtain quality images that improve your chances of getting your work selected into the exhibition.
● Use a 35mm digital camera with at least 12 mega pixels. Do not use iPhones or point-and-shoot type cameras. Or, hire a professional to photograph your work according to the image requirements stated above.
● Always photograph at the highest resolution the camera will provide.
● Make sure that the complete image is in focus.
● Front-light the object being photographed. Backlit objects will mute the colors.
● Never submit a bad photo that you would not want to see on a website or in print.
Digital Submission
All submissions to the Juried Member’s Exhibition are required to be entered via digital submission through Juried Art Services, www.juriedartservices.com. If you are not already registered with Juried Arts Services (JAS), you will need to register prior to submitting your application. Once registered, you will also be able to access other exhibition opportunities available to you through the JAS site. Members without internet access are encouraged to visit their neighborhood library or other institutions that provide free use of computers with internet access. Those with extreme circumstances regarding no internet access, may contact the SAMA office to discuss possible solutions—however, keep in mind, only digital images (no slides) will be accepted. If you experience difficulties submitting your entry in JAS, please review the HELP section of the JAS website for directions, guidelines, and helpful hints in preparing your application information and images for submission.
Incomplete applications submitted to the JAS Website will be deemed ineligible.
Your application fee entitles you to enter up to three (3) SEPARATE artwork ENTRIES. A SEPARATE APPLICATION AND FEE MUST BE SUBMITTED TO JURIED ART SERVICES IF YOU WISH TO ENTER WORK FOR CONSIDERATION FOR THE MOSAIC ARTS INTERNATIONAL: MOSAIC SITE SPECIFIC EXHIBITION.
ENTRIES CONSIST OF ONE (1) PRIMARY IMAGE (this image is to include framing and any presentation elements that are integral to the presentation of the work) AND UP TO TWO (2) DETAIL IMAGES FOR EACH ENTRY for a maximum of nine (9) images total. Please provide the same information for the detail image as you do for the primary. Above it says framing must be included in the photo and here it says if it is integral. Are these the same descriptions?
For each work, you will need: Height, Width, Weight, Year Created, Insurance Value or Total Sales Price, Category Designation (Wall, Free-Standing, Large-Scale) and a brief listing of materials. Be precise in the description of materials (ie: "glass" is insufficient and should be identified as "vitreous glass," etc.) A term such as “mixed media” is also insufficient without some description of the most important materials included. Description of the substrate is not required. SAMA reserves the right to edit all lists of materials and dimensions to a common standard for labels and catalog text.
Important Tip: Please prepare all text in advance of working on your application at www.JuriedArtServices.com so you can have it readily accessible to enter into the system.
When you complete your digital application at www.JuriedArtServices.com, please pay the entry fee on the Juried Art Services website. Payment must be made with debit or credit card. The entry fee is nonrefundable.
Through January 10, 2017, the Entry Fee is $45
January 11 – 13, 2017, the Late Entry Fee is $50
Digital Application Checklist
Please have the following ready before going to www.JuriedArtServices.com. The process is estimated to take 30 minutes.
● Digital images for a maximum of 3 works, one full view and one or two details for each artwork entered.
● For each work, you will need: Height, Width, Weight, Year Created, Insurance Value or Total Sales Price, Category Designation (Wall, Free-Standing, or Large-Scale), and a brief listing of materials.
● Debit or Credit Card information.
● Current SAMA membership.
Selected Works
Artists selected for the exhibit will be asked to provide an Artist Statement about the work selected to be used for exhibition and publication purposes. All final statements of work accepted to MAI may be edited for publication and presentation consistency by SAMA and will not exceed 200 words.
For more information on appropriate content for your artist statement, please do your own research. There are several great tutorials, worksheets, questionnaires, and samples available on the internet. Here are a few to get you started… https://www.artbusiness.com/artstate.html,
https://www.mollygordon.com/resources/marketingresources/artstatemt/, https://www.artstudy.org/art-and-design-careers/artist-statement.php
Note that artists whose work is selected to MAI 2017 must maintain their membership status through December 2017.
Images of selected works will be retained for the SAMA Library. Submission indicates granting of rights to SAMA to reproduce work in a print catalog, publicity poster, on the SAMA website, and in additional publications and websites for publicity purposes. The printed catalog will be sold for SAMA fundraising purposes as well as used for marketing of SAMA. Artists retain all copyrights to their individual works.
Selected work received that differs from the submitted images, will be excluded from the display. No substitutions of accepted work will be allowed.
The SAMA Exhibition Committee reserves the right to decline hanging/staging a selected work if the guidelines are not followed and will return the work at the artist’s expense prior to the opening of the exhibit.
If it is proven that eligibility requirements and submission guidelines have not been adhered to after a work has been selected by the jury, the work will be omitted from the exhibition and the member will not be eligible to enter work for consideration in future MAI exhibitions for five (5) years.
Artists who decline to exhibit selected work will be ineligible to enter SAMA shows for five (5) years.
Insurance & Liability
Indicate the fair-market insurance value on work that is indicated as not-for-sale (NFS). Artists are to secure their own insurance for transit. SAMA and the Janice Charach Gallery assume no responsibility for works while in transit, to or from, the exhibition. Artwork must be in good condition and able to withstand the ordinary strains of transportation. Artists will be notified of any work that arrives in damaged condition to determine insurance claim needs. The SAMA Exhibition Committee and the Janice Charach Gallery reserve the right to decline hanging/staging an entry if the artwork is received in a damaged condition and will return the entry at the artist’s expense prior to the opening of the exhibit. SAMA and the Janice Charach Gallery will provide insurance on all works while on exhibition.
Sales Price – Updated for 2017!
Set your total sales price to include a commission of 50%. Work will be sold at the price entered on online submission form. All work must have a sale price that includes the 50% commission or, if not-for-sale, a fair market value for insurance must be indicated. Money received from any sales will be split with 50% for Janice Charach Gallery and 50% for the artist. The artist’s share will be issued to the artist within 30 days of the sale of the work.
Shipping
The work MUST be received at the venue by the dates specified.
Shipping instructions and identification sheet will be included with notification of acceptance. Artists are responsible for:
● paying shipping costs via trackable mail (UPS, FedEx, DHL, etc.) to the staging site;
● checking with the chosen carrier regarding insurance and correct packing procedures and customs documentation for international shipments;
● ensuring that work is shipped in a substantial, reusable shipping container that meets shipping standards with proper protective cushioning and support for the artwork installed inside the container;
● ensuring that hanging hardware is installed on the work prior to shipping; and
● including any relevant instructions for hanging and repacking.
ABSOLUTELY NO FOAM POPCORN OR SHREDDED MATERIALS PACKAGING.
Artists will be notified of work that arrives in a damaged condition. The SAMA Exhibition Committee reserves the right to decline hanging/staging an entry if the guidelines are not followed and will return the entry at the artist’s expense prior to the opening of the exhibit.
Return Shipping: Shipping of artwork back to the artist after the exhibit is at the artist’s expense.
● The artist MUST provide a return ‘Shipping Label’ barcode sticker that is prepaid for the return destination and can be scanned by the return expediter. SAMA will work with Artists outside the US to arrange for return shipping when pre-paid label is not possible with shipper in their country. SAMA will charge additional handling fees on a case-by-case basis in circumstances where prepaid returns by artists are not possible. Work that is not able to be shipped or picked up within three days after the close of the exhibition, becomes the property of SAMA.
● Please state on identification sheet—included with your work—if the work will be returned via air or ground.
● If the return destination changes during the running time of the exhibition, then it is the artist’s responsibility to send the corrected prepaid labeling via snail mail to SAMA by June 1, 2017. Work will only be returned to a street address. NO POST OFFICE BOX NUMBERS will be accepted for shipping.
● Neither SAMA nor the Janice Charach Gallery will be responsible for breakage due to incorrect packing or an insufficient container when returning artwork as it was originally shipped.
Entry into the exhibition confirms acceptance of all conditions above. Please read all conditions in detail.