Ekphrasis Collaborative Exhibit 2024
Artists Inspire Authors | Artists Create, Authors Respond
The Lamorinda Arts Council (LAC), Lamorinda Arts Alliance (LAA), and CA Writer's Club, Mt. Diablo (CWC) Collaborative Exhibit at the Art Gallery at the Orinda Library...
Introduction
In 2023, curators from Lamorinda Arts Council (LAC), Lamorinda Arts Alliance (LAA), and California Writers Club, Mt. Diablo (CWC) collaborated to develop this creative ekphrastic project. This will be our 2nd annual Ekphrasis Exhibit.
“Ekphrasis” is a Greek word for writing that describes or explains other art; a detailed description of a work of visual art as a literary device. Plato did it first.
The Show Title and Theme is: “Ekphrasis”
Exhibit runs from April 29 to June 28, 2024
This project culminates as an exhibit of fine visual artwork and the literary work it inspires to be enjoyed by the public as well as fellow art and literary enthusiasts.
LAC invites 20 Artist Initiators & 15 Author Responders to be accepted on a first come, first served basis. Open to current or joining members of the Lamorinda Arts Council as Art Partners.
The registration period is January 12th - February 7th. Late registrations will be accepted if space is available but there will be fewer visual art pieces to choose from.
Author Responders will receive Initiator Artist images from the Ekphrasis Committee via email on February 8th.
Registration for 2024 is now Closed.
Information & Eligibility
Members of LAC and LAA will initiate works of art for the Ekphrasis Exhibit 2024. Members of LAC and CWC, Mt. Diablo will author a piece of writing in response to each Artist’s artwork.
All artwork styles, subject matter, and mediums are welcome. Poetry, prose, flash, and all genres are welcome. There’s lots of room for interpretation so do what appeals to you. Below are suggestions to help with deciding on artwork to enter into the show…
- Offer some sensory detail in your work.
- Think about whether there is a theme involved as a point of focus.
- Does the piece tell a story, or does it have some enticing pull that provokes the imagination or tug emotionally?
- What inspired you to create it? Is this reflected in your piece of art?
- Author writings will be displayed next to each artwork.
Open to current or new members of the Lamorinda Arts Council as an “Arts Partner” (enrollment is $25/year). Art Partners must be current through the end of June 2024.
A free workshop is available to inspire you and answer questions on January 17th, 7 - 8pm via Zoom. Contact LAC Ekphrasis Curator Bill Carmel at ekphrasis@lamorindaarts.org to join us or to find out more.
Important Dates
(Detailed calendar below)
- Artist Initiator Registration & Submission Period | January 13 - February 7. Extended!
- Author Responders Receive Initiator Artist Images | February 8: Sent via email by the Ekphrasis Committee
- Exhibit Dates | April 29 - June 28: The Art Gallery at the Orinda Library (26 Orinda Way, Orinda, CA) has been reserved for the Ekphrasis Exhibit for two months this year. The exhibition is open during normal library hours.
- Artists & Authors Reception | Saturday, May 4, 1:00 - 5:00pm: A presentation of Ekphrasis will be made in the auditorium featuring examples of both visual artwork and written art responses with an ongoing reception to meet the artists and authors. This presentation will be videoed and displayed on CWC, LAA, and LAC websites and various social media and YouTube channels.
Sequence of Events for Participants
- Participants can be LAC Arts Partner Artists or Authors.
- Artist Initiators may submit 1 -3 new or existing visual artworks to the Ekphrasis Committee.
- The Ekphrasis Committee posts visual artwork submissions on the LAC website, presented anonymously, for viewing by the Author Responders.
- Authors review the artwork online and choose 3 pieces for writing a response, ranking them in order of preference. They will be paired with one visual art piece, on a first-come, first-served basis.
- The Ekphrasis Committee pairs Author Responders with one of their three choices and informs each participant of their pairing.
- Author Responders choose to respond to one visual artwork with one relevant existing or new creative writing.
How to Submit Visual Art or Writing
Once you have submitted your registration information, ensured your current good standing as an LAC Arts Partner, and paid your registration fee(s), the Ekphrasis Committee will email you detailed instructions to submit Visual Art: 2D and 3D dimensions, attribution (title, price, etc.), file type and dpi of images, etc.
Investment
- Enrollment as a Lamorinda Arts Council (LAC) Arts Partner: $25/year
- Initiator Artist Ekphrasis Entry Fee: $20 for the first visual art submission. $10 for a second and $10 for a third submission. Three submissions maximum per Artist Initiator. Scholarships may be available upon request.* Registration fees are nonrefundable. There will be a 20% commission charged on any sales.
- Author Responder Ekphrasis Entry Fee: $20 for the first writing submission, $10 for a second, and $10 for a third submission. Three submissions maximum per Author Responder. Scholarships may be available upon request.* Registration fees are nonrefundable. There will be a 20% commission charged on any sales.
- Ekphrasis 2024 is now open for entry! Register here. We need your registration information to develop analytics for our grant applications. We respect your privacy. Your contact information will only be used for relevant communication related to LAC.
*Scholarships may be available. Our policy is that no one shall be turned away from participating in Ekphrasis due to lack of funds. Contact ekphrasis@lamorindaarts.org for more information.
Detailed Calendar | Ekphrasis 2024
- 1/13: Artist Initiator and Author Responder Registration & Submission Opens
- 1/17: Artist & Author Workshop via Zoom
- 2/7: Registration & Submission Closes at 11:59 pm PST
- 2/8: Artist Initiators will be sent Notifications for Acceptance/Non-Acceptance from the Ekphrasis Committee via email
- 2/8: Author Responders will receive Artist Initiator artwork images from the Ekphrasis Committee via email (Responses will be processed in first-come, first-serve ranked-order (include top three choices).
- 2/14: AuthorResponders will be notified of the art piece they are paired with
- 3/10: Deadline for Author Responder to return written responses: by 11:59 pm PST
- 4/27: Delivery of Work (In-take) from 11:00 – 11:30 am
- 4/29: Exhibition Opens | Gallery Hours are M – Th, 10 am to 8 pm, Fri/Sat, 10 am - 6 pm
- 5/4: Artist & Author Reception | Local artists & writers agree to attend. Exhibiting Artists’ families, friends, and collectors should be invited to attend.
- 6/28: Exhibition Closes
- 6/29: Pick Up Work (Take-down) from 10 – 11am. If artists cannot be there at the required time, they need to make arrangements with someone with written authorization to pick up artwork on your behalf.