Open Call to Artists

🌿 Growth – Stories in Bloom 🌸

Curated by Carol McLaughlin Kortnik

Key Dates

• Submission Deadline: January 20, 2026
• Artist Notification: January 23, 2026
• Artwork Check-in: Monday, February 23, 2–4 PM
• Opening Reception: Friday, February 27 at 7 PM
• Exhibit Dates: February 27 – April 4
• Artwork Pick-up: Monday, April 6, 10 AM–4 PM

Exhibition Theme

Every work in Stories in Bloom reveals a chapter of growth—personal, creative, or collective.
This juried exhibition invites women artists to explore Growth in all its forms: cycles of nature, personal transformation, spiritual evolution, healing, identity, community, and renewal.

Awards – $700 in Cash Prizes

First Place – $200

Second Place – $125

Third Place – $100

Best Painting – $50

Best Multimedia – $50

Best Photography – $50

Honorable Mention – $50

Best Young Artist – $25

People’s Choice – $50

 

Eligibility & Entry Guidelines

• Entry Fee: $20 per artist (flat fee for up to 3 works)
• Youth 17 and under: Free entry
• Eligibility: Open to all women artists working in any 2D or 3D medium
• Submission Limit: Up to three artworks
• Sales: All artwork must be for sale
  • Artist receives 60%
  • Josephy Center retains 40% to support programming
• Restrictions:
  • No AI-generated artwork
  • Artwork previously exhibited at the Josephy Center is not eligible

 

Image Submission Requirements

• One digital image per artwork
• JPEG/JPG format only
• Minimum 1800 pixels on the longest side
• Images must accurately represent the final artwork
• Unframed canvas is acceptable if 1.5″ deep with painted/professional edges
• Label the back of the artwork with:
  • Artist name
  • Artwork title
  • Dimensions
  • Medium

 

Exhibition Requirements

• All mediums accepted (2D & 3D)
• Maximum framed size: 48 inches on the longest side
• Sculpture limit: 30” high, 40 lbs max
• All works must be professionally presented:
  • Wired for hanging, or
  • Properly mounted for safe gallery display
• Accepted artwork must remain for the full exhibition period

Submission Process

Artists submit via Show Submit HERE may edit their entries up until the submission deadline. No price changes after deadline. Submissions not adhering to requirements may be excluded. Acceptance notifications will be emailed directly to the artists via Show Submit. The JCAC curatorial team’s decisions on placement and installation are final

Shipping & Delivery

Artists may deliver work in person or ship to the Josephy Center:

If shipping:

• Artwork must arrive before February 23rd
• Artist must include a prepaid return shipping label
• Use reusable shipping boxes designed for art; label box with last name on narrow edge

After the exhibition:

Shipped artworks will be returned within one week. Artwork without prepaid return shipping will be invoiced with a handling fee for return. After 30 days, unclaimed artwork incurs a $50/month storage fee. Artwork unclaimed after 180 days will be considered legally abandoned.

 

Sales

JCAC retains 40% commission; artists receive 60%. Artists will be notified promptly when artwork sells. Sold works remain until the close of the exhibition.

Liability

The Josephy Center for Arts & Culture will take great care with all artwork; however, JCAC is not responsible for damage, loss, fire, theft, or shipping-related issues. Submission implies agreement to all conditions. Images of accepted artwork may be used for promotional purposes.

Questions? Contact us at:

exhibits@josephy.org
541-432-0505
josephy.org

 

 

Submissions Open HERE on Show Submit!

 

Subscribe to our newsletter HERE for notifications!

 

 

About the Curator: “Fine Art Dedicated to the Natural World”

Carol McLaughlin Kortnik is primarily a self-taught artist but had a semester of drawing at Walla Walla Community College in the early 1980’s.  She is adept at working in watercolor, pastel, bronze sculpture, fiber arts, and mixed media collage.

In 1988 she and her husband Mark opened one of the first main street galleries in Joseph, Oregon.  Now after 38 years they own and operate Aspen Grove Gallery where she displays her original paintings, fiber art, bronze sculpture, and mixed media collages.  She likes trying new media and she displays all her creations in the gallery and also in her Creative Cottage annex building.

Carol has won many first place and People’s Choice awards at art shows she has attended in the Northwest.  She was honored to be included in the most celebrated bird art show in the country, the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Bird Art Show in Wisconsin.  Her work has been featured in several art magazines.  She was chosen to be an artist on the OPB Oregon Art Beat television program because of her wide variety of creative skills and mastery of many diverse mediums.

Carol has also created a series of mixed media collages that honor Americas most influential women in history.

Carol’s latest art work is called “painting with fabric”.  Starting with a watercolor, she adds texture and depth to it by adding fabric and fibers to give the piece a three dimensionality.  Carol has had great success and recognition with this new addition to her creative body of work.

Carol is now creating art pieces with peyote beading and her own designs influenced by the Native Americans. Carol also has past art work that shows similar influences in her ledger styled art.

Carol is constantly looking for new ways to express her creativity and spends her days in that exciting venture as one of Joseph’s most established professional main street artists.

 Carol invites visitors to their Aspen Grove Gallery on main street in Joseph, Oregon.