The Nave Gallery Annex (Somerville, MA) invites artists to participate in the curated exhibition “The Sketchbook Show.”

Artists use sketchbooks for as many different reasons as there are artists. Maybe it’s a daily practice, maybe it’s a planning book. It could be a travelogue or a dream journal, sketching from life, memory, or ideas.

What distinguishes sketchbook work from other artists works is the connection, one piece to the next, building on or exploring visual, compositional, or mark making ideas: the sense of a thought being puzzled out by process of sketching, a problem being explored. Usually (but not always?) sketchbook work is done in one moment, and the next time the sketchbook is opened, a new pieces is begun.

For this show we are looking to hang a set or series from each artist who is included in the show. Rather than the one, best polished piece, we would like to see your process. Were you teaching yourself a new media? Drawing a new-to-you subject matter? Trying different things each week? (day?) Recording a trip?

Any size sketchbook up 14″ x 17″, but artists must be willing to remove pages from the sketchbook and submit as individual sheets (or, see note about photos, below). For artists who indicate that it’s OK for us to put pin-holes in the corners, we may pin pages directly to the wall. (Alternatively, if work is sent in an artist-quality acetate bag, we can pin through just the bag).

We welcome any media or technique that you use in your sketchbook, including but not limited to pencil, watercolor, marker, ball-point pen, collage, woven or torn paper, or more. We will also consider photographs of sketchbook work, as long as the photo itself is an intentional work.

If there is a specific sequence in which the pieces are best understood, please indicate that.

EXHIBITION DATES:
January 7 – 30, 2014

LOCATION:
Nave Gallery Annex, 53 Chester St, Somerville, MA

CURATED BY:
Ellie Laramee-Byers and Rachel Mello

See Call for Entry section of our website for full prospectus.