Jury Guidelines for Fine Art & Craft

Every item sold in the Tamarack facility is approved through a jury process where the artist’s product is critiqued by a panel of Master Craftspeople and Artists who look for outstanding craftsmanship, unique design, creativity, and use of materials that are of exceptional quality. Each artist’s work is evaluated and critiqued by a panel of jurors who excel within their specific media type.

• Submitting images of your work for critique will determine whether you will attend an in-person jury session.
• Evaluation for acceptance into Tamarack occurs at the in-person jury.
• If accepted, your work will be placed into the Tamarack System for possible purchase.
• Only West Virginia residents are eligible to place craft, fine craft, mixed media, fine art, and photography in Tamarack for sale.

How to Apply for an In-Person
Jury Session

To be considered for an in-person jury, Tamarack accepts digital image submissions of work via an online submission process. Submissions will be accepted 14 (fourteen) weeks prior to an in-person jury date and will close 6 (six) weeks prior to an in-person jury date. To be considered for inclusion for an in-person jury session, each artist is required to submit the following:

• Contact information
• CV/Resume listing education, gallery affiliations, awards, private collections and other significant accomplishments.
• Exceptional quality images of artwork. Photography of your work matters. Substandard images could impair your chances of acceptance to the in-person jury.

Submitting Images

Entrants must submit the required amount of images based on the following categories:

• 5 images of craft
• 5 images of fine art
• 10 images of photography

Entrants should submit images of a single item that reflect superior craftsmanship as well as images that show a cohesive body of work. Artists may submit in more than one media designation, but each category will be juried separately.

If online submission of images is not possible, artists may also send a CD of their entries and contact information to Tamarack, the Best of WV One Tamarack Park, Beckley, WV 25801 attn: Artisan Services

Notification

If you are accepted to the in-person jury, you will be required to provide proof of residency at the time of jury.

Entrants will be notified of acceptance to the in-person jury in a timely manner by a Tamarack staff member with instructions for how to prepare for the jury session. Should an entrant not be accepted, they will receive a thoughtful evaluation of their digital submissions and information on how to access assistance should they decide to reapply.

What Tamarack Looks for:

Before uploading images for consideration, please review the following jury criteria. These specific areas are what Tamarack jurors evaluate when compiling their critiques.

• Technique and Craftsmanship

All work must demonstrate attention to detail. Construction must be sound and able to withstand normal expected usage. A piece must show understanding of the properties and limitations of the materials used and demonstrate proficiency in the use of tools and skills in knowledge and technique. The level of technique involved, and the design in terms of its function, should be considered in the evaluation of the overall quality of any given piece. Finished work should demonstrate a mastery of the craft.

• Design and Creativity

The design of work should reflect the intended function of the piece as well as visual appeal. It demands a combination of creativity, technical proficiency, and awareness of the properties of the chosen materials. The work must be well designed both technically and aesthetically. Good design requires the consideration of the elements of design (form, line, color, and texture) and the principles of design (contrast, rhythm, repetition, transition, proportion and scale). The body of work should demonstrate the craftsman’s unique voice.

• Materials

Materials used must be of exceptional quality and suited to the purpose of the piece. Pre-manufactured components are permitted only if they are minimal in the overall design and craftsmanship of the piece.

• Presentation for Fine Art/Photography Only

You should submit images of fine art and photography without framing. The work should fill the frame of the image. Submitted images should show consistency throughout the entire body of work.

If accepted for the in-person jury, the work must be properly prepared for professional presentation in a gallery or showcase setting. This includes properly cut matting, framing, backing materials, secure hanging materials, neatly finished gallery wrapped canvases and backs of unframed work.

Submitting to Tamarack

Tamarack is the best of West Virginia, along with that comes many different avenues of expression. If you would like to submit, please follow the guidelines below.