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2017 Spectrum Prospectus

 

THE SHOW:
“SPECTRUM 2017:  Grayscale”

This Spring the Carriage Barn Arts Center, home to the New Canaan Society for the Arts will host its 27th annual Spectrum Contemporary Art Show.  Spectrum is a juried exhibition of original, contemporary artwork by local and regional artists, and invites submissions in all media.  All entries must have been created within the past two years and not have been previously exhibited at the Carriage Barn.  Guest Juror and contemporary art specialist Adrienne Ruger Conzelman, of ARC Fine Art, is reviewing works rendered in grayscale — black and white and anything in between.

“In a range of media, contemporary artists often experiment with a limited palette of grey and black, at times suppressing a desire for color and at others relishing the range of possibilities with an economy of hue. The resulting visual imagery can range from bold, dramatic statements to more subtle and evocative impressions.”     — Adrienne Ruger Conzelman

NEW This Year: From the accepted entries, the juror will select 6-8 “Artists To Watch” who will be recognized at the opening and throughout the show and who will be invited to participate in a special presentation at the Carriage Barn Arts Center.

On view: Sunday, April 23 – Thursday, May 25, 2017

IMPORTANT DATES:
Deadline: Thursday, March 9, 2017 (deadline has passed)
Notification (by email, selections on our website): Friday, March 24, 2017
Drop off:  Saturday, April 8 between 10am-Noon & Monday, April 10 between 11am-2pm
Opening reception: Saturday, April 22, 4-6pm
Closes: Thursday May 25, 2017
Pickup: Friday, May 26, between 11-2pm & Saturday, May 27, between 10-Noon

SPECIFICATIONS:
Work delivered to the gallery must be installation-ready. All two-dimensional works and wall sculptures must be wired or cleated with a beveled edge on the cleat for hanging. We use the Walker hanging system (nails and screws are not drilled into the walls). Work must remain on exhibit for the entire show. Following the pickup dates after the close of the show, there will be storage charge of $10/day for any work left at the gallery. Note: We prefer to receive works framed in white, natural wood, or black frames with white or ivory tone mattes. Saw tooth hangers and small wire loops on the back of inexpensive frames are not acceptable along with scratched glass or plexi-glass, poorly constructed frames and poorly cut mats. We reserve the right to reject any work whose presentation is sub-standard. Works requiring special installation (ex: unframed) may not be acceptable for this open call exhibition. Sculpture must be presented in a permanent, non-fragile medium. The gallery has a limited number of pedestals. Artists might need to provide pedestals. The Walker Hanging System is used for wall sculpture. All sculpture must be small enough for two art handlers to move comfortably and not exceed 100 lbs. All sculpture must be delivered fully assembled and presented in a permanent, non-fragile medium.

SALES:
We encourage exhibitors to enter works that are for sale. For any works sold, artists receive 60% of the sale price before tax. The Carriage Barn Arts Center and New Canaan Society for the Arts retains the remaining 40% as a transaction fee. While the New Canaan Society for the Arts [NCSA] supports exhibitors who are seeking to sell their work by putting prospective buyers in touch with member artists, the determination of value and other terms of a sale remain a matter between the artist and the prospective buyer throughout the sale process.

LIABILITY AND INSURANCE:
While all care will be taken while art is being exhibited in any NCSA sponsored exhibition, NCSA assumes no responsibility for any damage to the artwork during delivery, installation, and de-installation including, by way of example but not limitation, normal wear and tear, such as minor nicks to frames or scratches to Plexiglas. NCSA will not be liable for work not claimed after specified pick-up dates and times.

As a condition for exhibiting work in any NCSA exhibition, the exhibiting artist acknowledges by executing this agreement that NCSA assumes no responsibility for theft or other catastrophic loss beyond the applicable limits of NCSA’s insurance coverage. Except to the extent set forth in a separate written agreement signed by both the Exhibitor and NCSA, and subject to applicable deductions, insurance coverage cannot exceed 50% of the market value of any particular item, with the understanding that the exhibitor’s requested price may not be determinative with regard to market value for insurance purposes.

ABOUT the Juror:
A private art dealer and advisor, Adrienne Ruger Conzelman was trained as an art historian and possesses nearly twenty-five years of work experience in the art world. After receiving a MA in Art History from Williams College and BA in Art History from Hamilton College with concentrations in American Art, Adrienne completed NYU’s Appraisal Studies Certificate Program as well as extensive coursework at the Museum of Modern Art, Sotheby’s, and Christie’s. Before shifting into the contemporary art world as an advisor, Adrienne worked as a specialist in the American Paintings Department at Christie’s. Her publications include a private collection catalogue – After the Hunt: The Art Collection of William B. Ruger – published by Stackpole Books in 2002. Adrienne has held volunteer positions at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Williams College Museum of Art, the Emerson Art Gallery (now The Wellin) and the Whitney Gallery of Western Art and currently serves on The Board of Trustees of Hamilton College as well as the advisory board of the Wellin Art Museum.

Since opening ARC Fine Art in 2009, Adrienne has curated over 23 solo exhibitions and multiple group shows, both in Fairfield and in Pop-Up galleries in New York City and Amagansett. These exhibitions highlight the work of approximately 35 mixed-media artists represented by her gallery who hail from cities around the world including Buenos Aires, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, Lucca and throughout the United States. In recent years, Adrienne has specialized in the artists of the East End of Long Island where she spends the summer months. In addition to the exhibition program, Adrienne organizes private visits to museums, galleries, and studios and hosts artist talks and events in her own gallery. She has participated in several art fairs, served as the juror for Dialogues in Color at The Bruce S. Kershner Gallery and recently curated an exhibition of Jason Middlebrook’s work at the Von Auersperg Gallery at Deerfield Academy in Deerfield, MA. Under her direction, the gallery also offers complete advisory services for the new and seasoned collector.

ABOUT the New Canaan Society for the Arts:
The mission of the New Canaan Society for the Arts is to promote the visual and performing arts, to enrich the community through exhibitions, education, and cultural experiences, and to operate the Carriage Barn Arts Center. The Carriage Barn Arts Center offers artists opportunities to exhibit their work in an exceptional gallery space in a unique nineteenth-century stone barn. The Carriage Barn is open September through June, Wednesday – Saturday, from 10am-3pm and Sundays from 1-5pm. Entrance to the Gallery is free and all exhibitions are open to the public.