The Color of Joy – Artist Call & Author Call

Artists leverage the power of color to evoke emotions or tell stories, exploring the use of bold hues to express feelings of joy, optimism, and passion.
Authors may celebrate a meaningful color in their prose or verse striving to immerse the reader. Or, set a scene that invokes feelings of joy, optimism or passion.

Opening Reception –  Thursday, April 16, 6pm, Firehouse Gallery

Art Judge – Eileen Carey

Education / Professional Career
Eileen Carey is a Connecticut-based artist and art-educator. She received her BS and MS degrees in Art Education from SCSU and has taught art at Joel Barlow High School, Redding and Woodhouse Academy, Milford.

Exhibitions
An active painter, Eileen has exhibited her work in a variety of Connecticut and New York venues including the Ely Center For Contemporary Art New Haven, Artspace New Haven, Creative Arts Workshop New Haven, Five Points Gallery Torrington, Zahn Gallery Westbrook, Nelson Gallery Cheshire, Bowery Gallery NYC, Open Studios Chelsea NYC, Leo Hotel NYC, Monastery Gallery Of Art West Hartford.

Affiliations
Eileen has been associated with some key local art organizations:
– Board Member of New Haven Paint And Clay Club,
– Exhibiting Member of the Rowayton Arts Center
– Member of the Connecticut Women Artist Inc.

Written Works Judge – Elaine Nadal 

Professional

• Elaine Nadal is Poet Laureate of Milford, Connecticut.
• She is the author of When and Sweat, Dance, Sing, Cut, published by Finishing Line Press.
• Elaine’s new book of poetry,  The Undressing of a Moon, described as “a lullaby for the brokenhearted”,  will be released on June 19, 2026. A special  preorder discount is available until April 24th.  See full details here. 
• A Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net-nominee, her work has appeared in several journals. 
•   www.elainenadal.com

Education / Experiences

• Elaine holds a master’s degree in liberal studies from Wesleyan University
• She also earned in Spanish secondary education and fine arts (music).
• She has studied in Spain and Puerto Rico
• Elaine has delivered a TEDx talk on hope, poetry, and music. 

In Her Own Words

• Writing is a way of making sofrito out of the experiences and varied truths of life.
• It is also a way of honoring the memory of her Abuela Flor, from whom she learned about struggle, determination, compassion, and love.              

Eligibility

• The subject is open to the artist’s choice.
• Artwork may be two- or three-dimensional.
• Work must be original with the artist’s own concept and design.
• Work must have been created in the past three years and not previously exhibited at the Milford Arts Council galleries.
• Any painting or drawing style may be employed for 2d works including digital painting.  
• Any traditional 3D medium such as stone, wood, metal, or clay.  (3D Printing not accepted)
• Size and Weight Restrictions
  • Art work cannot exceed 30” in width and 30″ in height, including frame.
  • No work can weigh more than 20 pounds.
  • Contact the MAC office to request a size or weight restriction exemption
• Not eligible: classwork, reproductions, audio or video-art, AI generated works, giclee prints, 3D Printing.

Submission Guidelines

• Artists may submit a maximum of three (3)  artworks for consideration, priced for sale or NFS.
• Your work must be submitted via our online form. The link to the form and instructions follow below.
• Entry fee: $20 1st work / $10 for each additional 1-2 works. 
• Written Works $10 for each piece – 1 work per submitter.
• If you are entering both an artwork and a written work, pay for each type separately using the buttons below
• Member discounts apply to the first artwork submitted.
  • Log in at shopping cart page with your MAC Member ID to get this discount. 

Jury Acceptance

• The jury accepts works based on the expectations described in this prospectus as to theme, size, media, etc.
• Only paid submissions received by the deadline are considered. 
• Jury notifications are emailed to everyone who submitted work – whether accepted or not.
  • Add visualarts@milfordarts.org to your contact list to assure receipt of notice.
  • We recommend that you add this address to your contacts list. 

Awards and Sales

• Judge(s) often base their reviews on clarity of the theme, originality, craftsmanship, composition, presentation (framing / mounting can be an influencing  factor).
• Judge’s awards will be – ART: First Place-$250, Second Place-$150, Third Place-$100;  POETRY: Best in Show, $100
• Award winners will be notified via email prior to the opening reception.
• Award winners will be announced at the opening reception and on the MAC website following the reception.
  

• Sales are handled by MAC staff. CT State sales tax applies to all sales.
• MAC receives a 30% commission on all sales, price your work accordingly.

Preparing Your Work for the Exhibit

Aim for a quality presentation.
The quality of your presentation reflects on your work, on you and makes the art more likely to sell.
Your work should be neatly finished, dry, and properly prepared for display.

Artwork on paper should be mounted under glass or Plexiglas, matted and framed.

• Use a frame and a mat cut chosen to complement your work. 
• Make sure glass and mat are clean.

Artwork on canvas or panel may be submitted unframed.

• The edges of the canvas or panel should be finished.
• Continue your painting around the edge.
• Or paint the sides solid black or complementary color.

Wire the Work Securely 

• Ensure the frame or stretcher bars are sturdy and able to hold attachment hardware.

  

• Secure attachment hardware to the frame (not the backing).
• Best attachment hardware are D-Rings;  screw eyes don’t lie flat on the wall.
• Use a twisted steel picture hanging wire heavy enough to support your work securely.
• Attach wire about ⅓ of the length of the frame height from the frame top.
• Leave enough slack in the wire to create a 2 inch gap from the wire to the top of the frame. 
  • This will hide the picture hook
• More Wiring Info: For more detail about wiring, see this best practices guide.
• Not accepted: 
  • Works that are not securely wired.
  • Works with clip frames, saw-tooth hangers, French cleats or brackets. 

ID Tags

• We recommend a permanent marking or labeling of the back of your work with your Name, Title and Contact info so that the piece can be returned to its rightful owner.  
• A similar, temporary paper tag should be taped to the front of the piece to locate the final wall label for your work at the exhibit. 

Shipping Artwork for the Exhibit

• If shipping artwork to be hung in the exhibit, please include a prepaid return shipping label including any insurance coverage. 
• Artwork will be packaged as safely as possible in the original shipping materials, unless other materials are provided. 

Online Submission Form / Instructions

• Start the Form – Click the button below to open the submission form.

  • We use Google Forms to capture the data for the entry form. Google requires that you sign-in to your Google account for security purposes.

  • This sign-in is just to access the form. Once the form is open for entry, you will be asked to enter an email address (does not have to be your Gmail address). This email address is the one we will use to contact you about acceptance or any other details about the exhibit that might come up.

• Section 1: Enter your contact information

  • Your email address is critical. Use one that you monitor often.
    Be sure you’ve spelled it correctly.

  • Include a mobile phone number. We may call or text if we need to reach you quickly, or email fails.

• Section 2: Upload images and details of your work

  • Note that photos are used for acceptance by the jury and the judge(s) may use them become familiar with the overall items in the show.  (Live judging takes place after the show is hung.)

  • Both the picture and and measurements should include the entire display(if 3-D) or 2-D as you expect it to be presented (with or without a frame).

  • File formats accepted: JPEG, PNG, HEIC, WEBP

  • Your photo files should be named in this format: YourName_Title of Work.

  • Provide details about the work.  Title, Medium, Height, Width (each including frame), Price (nsf is OK).  

  • Optional but very helpful to visitors, jury and judges is your Artist Statement about the work.

  • Submission photo hints – see this website for helpful information Here is a website.

• Section 3: Terms of Entry / Disclaimers

  • Please read the Terms of Entry and all disclaimers thoroughly and carefully before submitting the form.

  • Submit the form.

  • A submission confirmation page will appear with payment links

• You may use the links on the confirmation page to pay for your submission(s).

  • There are three links. Use the one corresponding to the number of entries submitted – 1, 2 or 3 works.

  • Or, use the payment links at the bottom of this page.  They are equivalent.
  • If you are submitting both artwork and a written work you must visit the shopping cart once for each type.

General Terms of Entry for MAC Exhibits

• For juried exhibits, artwork is selected through a competitive process. Artists submit images and information for the artworks they hope will be selected by the juror.  A non-refundable fee, (required for many MAC exhibits), must be paid to be included in the jury selection process.

• Reasonable care and precautions are taken for the safe custody of works of art deposited at MAC galleries. Works of art can, however, only be received in the gallery on condition that neither the MAC nor its staff shall be liable for any loss or damage to works of art, which might occur while they are in the gallery or in transit.

• It is the responsibility of the artist to deliver accepted work(s) according to the specifications of the prospectus (media type, dimension limits, etc.) and to ensure that all works are properly and safely wired for hanging upon delivery to a MAC gallery.

  • The MAC reserves the right to request complying changes or to reject the work(s) on delivery.

• Deposited artwork that is not picked up within 30 days of scheduled artist pickup date will become property of the MAC.

• The Milford Arts Council receives a 30% commission fee on all work sold through exhibits, please price accordingly.

Questions
Call 203-878-6647 (Tues-Fri) or email info@milfordarts.org.  

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