Soliloquy fine arts and The Writers’ Block are pleased to announce a Call for Entries for the April/May, 2025 exhibition, intertwined.  Selected artists will be paired with a regional poet who will respond to their artwork with an original poem, expanding the concept of intertwining.  The resulting collaborations will be carefully curated in a group exhibition at The Writers’ Block at NW Flanders & Park Avenue in the Pearl District and will be the signature event for ekphraestival 2025, celebrating April’s National Poetry Month.

The festival will also feature a variety of poetry/art events at Blackfish Gallery, The Writers’ Block and other neighborhood locations including readings, performance pieces and multi-media presentations.  New this year will be prizes awarded to two artists for the clarity of their expression of intertwining and to two poets for how well their poems respond to the artwork.  We’re pleased and honored to have two accomplished judges for the competition: Kay Campbell, Professor Emerita of Art and Design at Oregon State University and member of Portland Art Museum’s NW Art Council + Maw Shein Win, Poet Laureate of El Cerrito, CA and MFA program instructor at the University of San Francisco. Click on each name to learn more about their respective contributions to the visual and literary arts.

The topic of intertwining is especially relevant right now as we confront the impact of many conflicting forces in our world.  We’re crossing frontiers in technology, communications, and the manner in which we regard one another and inhabit the earth.  Whether relating to communities of people, nature, or a spiritual dimension, intertwining is happening on a grand scale and we’d like to see how you interpret this dynamic.  Styles can be abstract or figurative, contemporary or classical; we’re looking for a variety of solutions to match the diversity in artistic expression.  Artwork portraying extreme political, sexual or graphic themes will not be considered.

ELIGIBILITY:  Oregon, Washington, California residents.  Delivery expenses to and from the gallery to be covered by the artist if artwork can’t be delivered by hand.

ENTRY DEADLINE:  6 p.m. PST Sunday, December 15, 2024  **this is a firm deadline, payment + submission must be made by 6 p.m. on December 15**

SUBMISSION FEE:  $30 for up to 3 entries

TO ENTER:  Submit payment by purchasing “ekphraestival 2025 call for entry application fee” at soliloquyfinearts.com/shop

NOTE:  Once payment is complete, you’ll receive a confirmation followed by an email message from hello.soliloquypdx@gmail.com listing detailed artwork entry submission guidelines (how to label in addition to file size requirements listed below.)  Payments are processed by PayPal through soliloquyfinearts.com.

ALL STYLES, 2D, 3D + DIGITAL MEDIA*:  All images submitted must be original artwork; no reproductions of any kind will be accepted, i.e. Giclee prints, unless the print is an original limited edition of artwork.  *Digital formats, including bite size videos not exceeding 2 minutes, will be considered for projection on The Writers’ Block exterior wall facing Flanders for First Thursday’s opening on April 3.

SIZE LIMIT:  30”X30”X2” for 2D, framing not required for cradled panels or stretched canvases.  Any other formats must be installation ready, framed or encased and wired for hanging (please contact hello.soliloquypdx@gmail.com with any mounting questions.)  No sawtooth hangers, please. 

For 3D, the base of the artwork must not exceed 12” and the height and depth each must not exceed 24”.  If intended to hang on a wall, artwork must not exceed 3 pounds and be suitable for ordinary installation.  If intended to rest on a plinth, artwork must be stable and not extremely fragile.

Mark your artwork clearly with your full name and include any special installation instructions. 

BASIC FILE REQUIREMENTS, 2D AND 3D: files no larger than 2MB, jpeg or png format, resolution from 72-300 dpi.  Please do not submit pdf’s of your work. 

VIDEOS: no longer than 2 minutes: submit a link to Vimeo, YouTube or individual website.

SALES COMMISSION:  30% to gallery, 70% to artist

JURORS/CURATORS:

Monica Geller/curator and director of events at The Writers’ Block, @thewritersblock.studio

Ruth Meijer/artist and director of Soliloquy fine arts, soliloquyfinearts.com/ruth-meijer, IG @ruthmeijerpdx

Kendra Roberts/director of public engagement at Blackfish Gallery, www.blackfish.com, @blackfish_gallery

QUESTIONS:

Any and all questions answered by email to hello.soliloquypdx@gmail.com or through the gallery website contact page at soliloquyfinearts.com.  Please DO NOT send a DM via Instagram. 

We’re excited to see your artwork!

KEY DATES:

Call for entries live from Friday, October 18, 2024

Call for entries deadline at 6 p.m. Sunday, December 15, 2024

Selection notification by Wednesday, January 15, 2025

Pairing of artwork with poet to be complete the week of January 27, 2025

Poet responses due Saturday, March 1, 2025

Catalog documentation + assembly by March 21, 2025

Delivery of artwork to The Writers’ Block the week of March 24, 2025 (specific dates TBD)

Exhibition opens First Thursday, April 3, 2025 and runs through May 23, 2025

Collection of unsold works TBD following exhibition closing