Exhibition - call for art

• You must be a LMA member in good standing.  The requirement of attending two (2) meetings in 12 month period has been reinstated.  All other requirements apply.  For information about how to become a member, visit the "Join LMA" page. 

• ONLY WORKS THAT HAVE BEEN CREATED WITHIN THE LAST 3 YEARS AND HAVE NOT BEEN PREVIOUSLY EXHIBITED IN ANY OTHER LMA SHOW WILL BE CONSIDERED.

The League of Milwaukee Artists seeks large works of art for the juried exhibit “Refresh The Soul,” an exhibit sponsored by and to be held at the Ovation Chai Point on Prospect Avenue in Milwaukee. The title is provided by Randy Crosby, coordinating the exhibit for art|Ovation, inspired by the words, “Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life,” quoted by art critic Aline Saarinen as attributed to Pablo Picasso.  With this, your interpretation can be fairly broad.

This show will be exhibited at the Dor L’Dor Gallery at Ovation Chai Point, 1400 N Prospect Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53202. Deadlines and delivery: Juried work will be delivered to Chai Point on April 27 between 4 and 7 p.m., so please mark your calendars now. The online submission deadline is midnight, April 21, 2023.  Artists will be notified by email of the juror’s decision by April 25.

This is a BIG works show. Your entries must be no smaller than  22x30” and up to 48x60”. All works must be framed or properly finished if gallery-wrapped and wired for hanging with the center’s hanging system. For larger and heavier works, it is recommended that additional hanger D-rings be attached about 3” from the top of the painting on the left and right side of the frame to allow for proper hanging.  For safety reasons, your work should not protrude more than 4” from the wall when hung. Only 2-D work is accepted into this show.

Your work will be first cleared by Randy Crosby for acceptance of content before it is seen by our selected juror and judge.

The awards, generously provided once again by Ovation, will be:

$125 Best of Show

$100 First Place

$75 Second Place

$50 Third Place

$25 Honorable Mention

The exhibit runs from May 1 - June 30. At a later date, we will find out if and when an opening reception will be, in accordance with Ovation’s assessment of the health and safety of their residents, at any rate no earlier than May 14, 2023. If there is no reception, awards will be provided directly to the artists.

Accepted artists will receive an agreement to be filled in and signed with each of their works as they are dropped off.  Randy will be the one doing the art intake. including artist name, address, phone, email, and work details: title, size, medium, and price. Show labels will be generated by Ovation. Ovation will not require a commission for your artwork. The contact information you provide will be the way that buyers can contact you directly. Your works will only be available for removal after the show ends.

Upload images as JPG or JPEG files with only the title of the work in the file name. Example:  "titleofartwork.jpg."  Please omit "The" or similar words from the title when naming the submitted file. 

• An artist statement about yourself and your work should also be included. Artist statements should be in PDF format with the following file name format: "lastname_artiststatement.pdf."

• The maximum total for all uploads together cannot exceed 15 MB. If you have difficulties submitting your digital application, please contact the Webmaster: davidlkurtz@wi.rr.com.

A maximum of three entries are allowed per artist. 

All members applying must be LMA Members in good standing (no arrears/attended the required number of meetings, etc.) to qualify. All works must be original and done within the last three years of the entry date (i.e., after April 21, 2020).

Below are some images of the gallery space.

The League of Milwaukee Artists is presenting works of art invoking aspects of spring, especially as celebrated in Polish culture. - Sponsored by The Polish Center of Wisconsin Art Gallery. 

The exhibit runs from March through April 2023. Gallery hours are 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday.

Interested buyers will contact the artist directly for payment and collection, but works must remain on exhibit till the end of the show. The Polish Center does not require a commission, so all proceeds go to the artist.

The words of Elio Garcia - Juror and Judge of the exhibition:

"The poetics of the reemergence of spring and the vibrancy in color are two of the broad strokes often referred to for this upcoming season. As I sat at my desk looking over all of the amazing and color filled work of In Praise of Spring, I couldn't help but feel that energy and excitement from all the submissions. Even though the judging process is never easy, I want to assure you all that as a collective the varying mediums of work and techniques in creating gave me not only inspiration, but light and a sense of rejuvenation our upcoming spring forward will be providing to us all.

As well what a lovely space to be showing your work in! Rich in culture and beautifully crafted work itself.

Collectively speaking: seeing all of the work online and being able to see such in the face at the Polish Community Center of Wisconsin gave me so much warmth, but also much difficulty...in the sense of judging. To reframe that "difficultly" was more so indecisiveness. From rich cool expressive techniques, to robust warm and immersive landscape, to intricate and beautiful patterns, & lively landscapes that capture the small + large moments of being awe-stricken by nature. I had a lot to engage with, circle in thought metaphorically and quite literally - but, I digress.

I want to congratulate you all showing in this showcase today and I want you all to know how lucky I feel as a guest in your space to be a part of this in ways I have. To see your work and learn about you all individually as artists and professionals. I would like to share that even though I am not able to be here with you all in your opening reception, I have been looking extensively at your work with the installation photos I took when I came in to judge the work this week and taking in the glory that your pieces all carry. You all bridge together a sense of community and masterful artistry that ALL should have the privilege to see. I invite you all to engage with at least one piece here and imagine yourself in that moment your fellow creative has captured. That is one way myself, that I engage with artwork and have myself with your work here. 

As the snow melts- our wind still cold, frigid, and unforgiving. The ground thaws absorbing all, little by little. Our trees, our plants, our grounds, our places of nature await to charge forward and bestow us all with its vastness in life. Take those moments of relief, moments of breathing, moments of reflection of the standstills from winter...let it be rinsed in these spring showers. As we too blossom in these warmer and brighter days to come.

Cheers to you all."