Light on the Rails 2023 (closed)

A Bit of History: 

Over the past 20 years, Great Northern Day in Skykomish has brought together railroad fans from far and wide to share in their love of trains and the railroad. In conjunction with Great Northern Day on September 9, 2023, we are excited to announce that Sky Artworks (SA) in partnership with the Skykomish Historical Society (SHS), will be hosting our second railroad-related art show, featuring the art of trains and railroad that will run for the full months of September and October. 

SA and SHS invite you to submit your works of art that relate to trains and/or the railroad, both current and historical.  

Call for Participation

We invite submissions that celebrate the history and art of trains and railroads, from members of the local and/or broader railfan community.  We are particularly interested in art that speaks to historic or railroad lighting, lanterns, lamps, beacons, and so forth. We seek works in the form of paintings, photography, new media, sculptures, textiles, crafts, and so forth. We will accept up to 3 pieces per artist.

Eligibility Criteria

• Submitted work should be about current trains, historical art and/or photos relating to trains and railroads.
• We will also accept a limited number of prints, cards or other new media and artisan crafts for our gift section of the gallery.
• You must be 18 years of age or older.

Selection Criteria

Our selection panel is composed of the three founding members of Sky Artworks, Shelly Farnham, Beanne Hull, and Karen Molesky, and also a representative of Skykomish Historical Society, Bob Kelly. Submissions will be reviewed based on the demonstrated quality of the work, once the above eligibility criteria have been met. Priority will be given to Sky Artworks members, residents of the Sky Valley (including part-time residents or “weekenders”), or others actively engaged in railroad art.

Exhibition Details

The exhibition will run for the months of September-October 2023. Selected artists receive curatorial direction, communications/PR support, and access to other Sky Artwork production resources. Artists are responsible for the delivery, installation and deinstallation of their work. Once installed, Sky Artworks’ insurance will cover the value of the pieces in the case of damage or theft during the exhibition. Exhibiting artists are welcome (but not required) to sell their work, if so Sky Artworks takes a 40% commission (or 35% for Sky Artwork members). The gallery is open Thursday through Sunday, 12 noon to 5pm.

Schedule

• Deadline for submissions: Thursday, July 13, 2023, midnight PT
• Notifications for acceptance: Sunday, July 16, 2023, midnight PT
• Installation: Saturday, September 2 and Sunday September 3, 2023
• Opening reception: September 9, 2023, 5pm–8pm
• Great Northern Days, September 9, 2023, 9am-4pm
• Takedown: Friday October 28 and 29, 2023

How to Submit

Send a submission letter as an email to info@skyartworks.org by
Friday, July 13, 2023, midnight PT, with the subject title:

“[your name] — Submission for “Light on the Rails” 

Include these bulleted queries and your responses in your letter:

• Contact information
  • Full Name: 
  • Phone number:
  • Address:
  • Email:
• 1 to 3 sentence description of your background as an artist  and your current style of work.
• 1 to 3 sentence description of how you are engaged in the Sky Valley community and/or railroad art.
• Up to three representative images of the work you hope to include in our group show. This may be either images of the actual pieces, or images of similar work to what you will be creating in time for the show.
  • For each piece, provide the title, size, medium/materials, and any special installation requirements. 
• A brief description of how the work you are submitting for the show is about trains, railroads, or train history. 
• Show your prior work:
  • a) provide a link to an online portfolio illustrating prior work, or 
  • b) attach three images of prior work. You may also attach a resume or artist’s statement, however a resume is not required.

About Sky Artworks

Sky Artworks is a non-profit community art space and gallery in the business district of Skykomish, WA. Our mission is to promote the creative community in the Upper Sky Valley by providing exhibition, educational, and production resources for artists, craftsmen,and other creatives. Our art exhibitions feature works by local artists and artisans.  Learn more at https://SkyArtworks.org

About the Skykomish Historical SocietyThe Skykomish Historical Society is dedicated to collecting, protecting, and sharing the vast history of the upper Skykomish Valley from Index to Stevens Pass. We preserve the history, cultural heritage, buildings, trappings, and stories of all valley residents for future generations and make what we have and what we learn available to all who are interested, while providing a secure repository for historical documents, photographs, memorabilia, and artifacts.  Learn more at http://www.skyhistory.org/