Cara Smelter @ So & So Books

CARA SMELTER at So & So Books

February 1st, 2024 - April 26th, 2024

719 N. Person St, Raleigh NC, 27604

Artist Statement
My name is Cara Smelter and I tell short, non-fiction stories, with my linocuts. I am a trained scholar of African American History and a self-taught printmaker. My text driven linocuts are an intersection of my scholarship and creative pursuits enabling me to blend my love of language and the craft of story-telling, with the art of block printing. I would be remiss if I did not highlight that the titles of each print are of equal importance as the print itself. The titles are either in direct conversation with the linocut or provide critical context, narrative detail, and thick description that bring each piece to life.

My micro-narrative linocuts draw on my lived experience and allow the viewer to peer into my candid thoughts, feelings, struggles, and joys. My linocuts enable me to grapple with complicated emotions and the realities of my life. Some common themes in my work include: living in a disabled body; reflecting on my grief journey; and processing the impact of childhood abuse and neglect. I explore sexuality, love, death, trauma, addiction, compassion, and empathy in my life and often use my stories as vehicles to make social, cultural, and political commentary.

While my prints depict stories specific to my life, they feature characteristics of life and culture that appear across the narratives of others who have experienced similar struggles, joys, thoughts, and feelings. I endeavor to create linocuts that engages the viewer in what feels like an intimate conversation between friends - a conversation that brings levity to tough situations and lets the viewer know, I really fucking get it.

Biography

Cara Smelter is a child of the (long-leaf) pine. Cara's senior pug, WALL-E, is "Raleigh famous" and definitely has more followers than her on Instagram. Cara lives (unfamously) and hand-pulls prints in Raleigh, NC. 

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a sign from god

Linocut

9 x 12

2023

how are you feeling? really.

Linocut

9 x 12

2023

cara a. smelter lived

Linocut

9 x 12

2023

our love is dynamite

Linocut

9 x 12

2023

i love a good opossum

Linocut

4 x 4

2019

mantra

Linocut

5 x 7

2018

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Exhibition Checklist + Pricing

a sign from god : $300

how are you feeling? really. : $300

cara a. smelter lived: $300

our love is dynamite : $300

i love a good opossum : $75

mantra : $150

to inquire about purchasing a piece please email Ant (they/them)!

AFTER/GLOW - NEW LIGHT + NEON

AFTER/GLOW - NEW LIGHT + NEON

December 2023 - January 2024

Opening Reception: December 1, 6-8PM

After/Glow presents works of light and neon art that merge craft and critique. The Triangle based artists manipulate light waves, particles, glass, and gas to create experiences that are nostalgic, yet they utilize new technologies and processes, pushing the boundaries of light as a medium.

ARTISTS

Bre King - Durham, NC

DJ Neon - Durham, NC

CJ Murphy - Raleigh, NC

Anna Payne Rogers Previtte - Raleigh, NC

Ty Van de Zande - Raleigh, NC

Jason Blyskal

ILLUMINATE ART WALK 2023 - For the month of December VAE Raleigh will be the home of Jason Blyskal’s stained glass installation “As Above, So Below.” The Illuminate Art Walk is a public art program put on by the Downtown Raleigh Alliance every December that features several works of art around the city that use light to create immersive installations for the public to enjoy.

Contemporary Muslim Art CFA

CONTEMPORARY MUSLIM ART OF NORTH CAROLINA

Call Closes: January 13, 11:59PM

Notification: late January

Exhibition: February - May, 2024

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From February - April 2024, VAE will be exhibiting the work of contemporary Muslim artists in an exhibition that will center, support, and uplift Muslim artists in the Triangle and the larger South. Through VAE’s open source and collaborative working model we seek to create an exhibition that not only brings awareness to the historical circumstances related to Muslim identity, but also celebrates the rich and diverse identities of Muslim people.

A team of steering committee members and VAE staff will review the applications in late winter.

The call for art closes on Saturday, January 13th at 11:59PM. Artists will be notified in mid-January. If you have any questions or request accommodations, please email Ant (ant@vaeraleigh.org). Please do not reach out about the status of your application. Applications that are incomplete will not be reviewed.

At this time we are only seeking submissions for artists based in North Carolina.

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STEERING COMMITTEE

Lela Ali (she/her)

Lela Ali is the Co-Founder and Program and Policy Director at Muslim Women For, a Muslim women-led and serving grassroots organization based in NC. Muslim Women For organizes Muslim, Black, Brown, and immigrant communities to build political power through political education, advocacy, and local organizing. Lela also serves as a Regional Southern State Advisor at Movement Voter Project, where she is working as a main liaison with local groups in top battleground states like NC and GA, assessing the organizing, donor and political landscape, and advocating for resources to build sustainable long-term progressive power. Lela is a graduate of Duke University where she received her Master’s in International Development Policy and Middle East Studies. Her research focused on social network analyses of local Muslim-American led networks in the south.

Rakan DiarBakerli (he/him)

Rakan is currently working at the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University after 10 years of teaching science in the classroom. He is passionate about cultural learning, exploration of the natural world, gaming, and visual storytelling. Any opportunity he finds disposable income, it goes straight to finding his next adventure in a land he has never been. He hopes to immerse himself in new cultures, languages, and food with people he has never met before!

Waad Husein (she/her)

Waad Husein is a Sudanese-American artist and designer. She enjoys experimenting with a variety of mediums such as photography, illustration and collage. Her work explores the visual rhythms of being a third culture kid, architecture and nostalgia. Waad is a co-founder of Tabadul Collective, an arts organizing group rooted in exploring identity and creativity.

Kulsum Tasnif (she/her)

Kulsum Tasnif is a mixed media artist who uses a wide range of techniques and approaches, much of which deal with social issues and the way they affect the Muslim-American community to which she belongs. Her current exhibit, “Backpacking Method,” is a multi-sensory public art project for Raleigh Stories (a public art project supported by Raleigh Arts) which celebrates diverse communities of Method Road by memorializing their legacies. In January 2023, Kulsum founded Artist Ummah, a non-profit cultural arts organization for the Triangle Muslim-American community and beyond. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for VAE Raleigh.

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ENTRY INFORMATION

To use the online form to submit information about and images of your work, please review these instructions for naming your files.

• All files should be named like so: FIRST INITIAIL LASTNAME#_TITLE.jpg, FIRST INITIAIL LASTNAME#_TITLE.jpg, etc. (e.g. JDoe1_Untitled)

• Still images should be sent as jpegs should be at least 1000px at their widest dimension, not to exceed 2MB per image. 2D artists may submit one JPEG per entry. 3D artists may submit two JPEGS (one full shot and one detail) per entry. Follow the filename format for works as indicated above.

• Video samples should be edited to no longer than 2-minute excerpts. It is strongly preferred that video & audio artists submit their work online through clips or URL addresses to online sharing formats like Vimeo, Youtube, or Dropbox. Videos submitted as uploaded files should be no larger than 10MB (as that is the largest file eligible for upload on our entry software). Video pieces will only be accepted for exhibition if they are captioned, either with open captioning, that is integrated into the video or closed captioning that can be turned on when needed. Read info about captioning videos on Youtube, with iMovie, or Quicktime! Please only submit video art or video documentation of an art piece that requires video to be fully experienced. Do not send video walk-throughs of static exhibitions or video slideshows.

• Audio: Audio should be submitted as separate MP3 files. Each track should be no longer than 2 minutes. Follow the filename format for works as indicated above.

• Web-based: Web-based work should be submitted as a URL listed in the work sample list. Please only submit web-based projects. A portfolio website that features audio/video art and still images will not be considered.

Eligibility
The call for art is open to any living artist based in North Carolina who identifies with the theme of Muslim Art. A maximum of 2 works of any medium, per artist may be submitted. Two- and three-dimensional entries will be accepted. Work must be original and completed in the last 5 years. VAE Raleigh reserves the right to exclude work due to size or special requirements. Entries must be hand-delivered to the gallery or mailed in a returnable container.

We will not exhibit or financially support work that co-opts the story of a community without representation from that community acting in a decision making role.

Accessibility
VAE’s gallery entrance, lobby, and exhibition space are all located on the ground floor with accessible paths of travel. The space has flexible seating and an accessible restroom. Our aim is to make entering our exhibitions accessible to everyone. If you need any additional information or accommodations in order to enter this exhibition please email Ant or call 919.828.7834 and leave a message.
Visit our accessibility page for more information.

Sales
VAE Raleigh will retain a commission of 30% for all works sold during the run of the exhibition. If a work is not for sale, please enter "NFS" in the "Price for Entry" field in the entry form. An insurance value is still required for artworks that are not for sale.

Liability
All entries will be handled with the utmost care and respect. VAE is not liable for artwork during transportation to or from the gallery but does carry a blanket inland marine policy that covers most fine artworks and craft items up to $5,000. VAE reserves the right to refuse coverage to artwork with inherent vices, high values, or that is deemed unstable.

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Nick Osetek @ So & So Books

NICK OSETEK at SO & SO BOOKS

October 19, 2023 - January 3, 2024

So & So Books | 119 N Person Steet, Raleigh NC, 27604

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The works on display are a selection of experimental, hand-printed artist proofs and monoprints made while studying advanced printmaking at Appalachian State. Traditionally, printmaking is known for repetition and duplication of a repeatable image, but through alternative techniques, monotype, or monoprinting; a one-off print can be produced that’s unique from a numbered edition. The selection features a variety of these techniques, as well as examples of hybridizing mediums into a single print, such as woodblock and photographic-intaglio or silkscreen and stone lithography. All prints displayed are attempts in pushing the bounds of the printmaking medium and are one of a kind, produced through alternative techniques, hybridization, and/or monoprinting.

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Bio

Nick Osetek

Nick Osetek is an illustrator, printmaker, and tattooer currently working in Raleigh and Durham, North Carolina. He received his Bachelors of Fine Arts in 2016 from Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina with a concentration in studio art and advanced printmaking. The 2 years following his degree, he taught woodshop foundations to incoming art students at Appalachian State, then completed a 6-month, sustainable printmaking internship at Zea Mays Printmaking in Florence, Massachusetts.

Former helicopter mechanic and engineering technician, Osetek holds an appreciation for technique, process-involved mediums, and displays a meticulous sense of detail in his work. The subject of his visual work draws inspiration from organic and mechanical compositions, contained chaos with moments of serendipity, and the darker elements of the world that exists within and without us.

Where Are You Really From? : An Exhibition of First and Second Generation Artists

“Where Are You Really From?”

An Exhibition of First and Second-Generation Artists

August - November | Dock 1053

Opening Reception: August 18th, 6-8 PM

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Going about daily life as a first or second-generation immigrant, one pesky little question tends to find its way in introductions and conversations: Where are you really from? No matter how isolating the question feels, we sigh, and answer politely. This seemingly casual and insignificant question manages to catch you off guard, bringing you to question your identity for a moment's time. Making yourself question: Where Am I Really From? 

This exhibition was conceived to grasp hold of that eternal question and provide first and second generation artists with a platform to answer it wholeheartedly. Immigrants act as a backbone to America. It is vital to acknowledge the pathway of cultural unity and awareness that immigrants have created. This exhibition is meant to explore that; The way in which first-generation and second-generation immigrants navigate their way through new expectations, standards, and roles while also carrying their cultural uniqueness. “Where Are You Really From?” is to act as a conduit for first-generation and second-generation immigrants to share their personhood and development through art. Their art serves as a powerful testament to the intricate interplay between cultural heritage, personal narratives, and artistic innovation.

Drawing from their ancestral roots while navigating the complexities of their present reality, these talented artists craft works that resonate with a profound sense of belonging and self-discovery. Through vibrant paintings to brutal imagery, this exhibition weaves together a tapestry of diverse perspectives. It offers a glimpse into the struggles, triumphs, and enduring resilience of these artists' forebears, while also showcasing their own unique experiences and visions. Each brushstroke is a testament to the power of art as a bridge that connects the past and present, forging an unbreakable bond between generations and cultures. As you immerse yourself in "Where Are You Really From?" you are invited to explore the profound ways in which the rich legacy of first and second-generation immigrants continues to shape and inspire the vibrant world of contemporary art.

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Contemporary Indigenous Artists of NC

Contemporary Indigenous Artists of North Carolina

June - August, 2023 | VAE Pop Up Space - 208 Fayetteville St, Unit 204

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ARTISTS

Jessica Clark

Xavier Davis

Marcus Dunn

Miriam Ximil

STEERING COMMITTEE

Claire Alexandre

Dennis Redmoon Darkeem

In 2023 VAE will be launching a new initiative that will center Contemporary Indigenous American Artists. Through our open source and collaborative working model we seek to create exhibitions and public programming that not only bring awareness to the historical circumstances related to Indigenous identity, but also celebrates the rich and diverse identities of Indigenous People. 

Our Vision: In 2023 we will be launching the first stage of this initiative. The first project will be a group exhibition curated from an open call for art. The call for art will be open to any Indigenous artist living in North Carolina. This exhibition will feature a suite of programs that compliment the exhibition, as well as highlight the cultural importance of North Carolina’s Indigenous population.

In 2024 it is our hope to bring a cross-institutional, city-wide focus to Indigenous art through exhibitions, public programming, and a correlating publication. In 2024 we plan to expand our scope to include a more wide reaching call-for-art and installation proposals accepted from artists across the country.

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EXHIBITION STATEMENT

Each of the artists featured in the exhibition speak to different facets of Indigenous culture that are a part of a much larger narrative about Indigeneity in a contemporary context. Among these themes the importance of preserving culture, familial/ancestral connections, and storytelling are at the core of all of these works.

Jessica Clark’s works from her series Lumbee Family Values reflect scenes of everyday Lumbee life. Her representations of daily life are both a study in survival in the face of adversity and about the importance of retaining cultural identity. For Clark, the process of creating these works is a meditation on narrative and a celebration of, “the vitality of contemporary Native culture and identity, creating monuments to a people who have persevered in the face of oppression and appeal of assimilation.”

Xavier Davis’ work considers Indigenous histories and futures that merge into kaleidoscopic tableaus. These works are influenced by historical moments in the long history of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, the circumstances surrounding the colonization of stolen Indigenous land, and the Cherokee resistance to give up their land.

Miriam Ximil’s Where This Flower Blooms looks at the importance of ancestral knowledge and the vital practice of connecting to one’s roots and to the Earth to become closer to our true selves. This way of knowing informs a way of belonging that puts emphasis on the relationship elders play in preserving Indigenous histories and narratives for future generations.

Marcus Dunn’s work looks at historical reference and assimilation, using these as a means of reconstructing historical narratives. Dunn uses both photographic records and imagined scenes to create portraits that “investigate the physical and psychological effects of cultural removal” in the contexts of Indigenous residential boarding schools. These schools were meant to eradicate Indigenous culture and practices through assimilation. Dunn’s work contemplates the complexity of these narratives and how they impact the present.

Sehrish Kahn @ So & So Books

Sehrish Kahn at So & So Books

719 N. Person St

Raleigh NC, 27604

April - June, 2023

Artist Statement
Sehrish Khan is a Pakistani artist based in North Carolina. Her work offers a blend of different colors, techniques, ideas and patterns, which is why she abstains from limiting herself to a single genre. Her work illustrates the amalgamation of enriched cultures and experiences. Her vision has been constantly shifting, which allows her to portray reality in that moment of time.

Sehrish finds herself ever-evolving in the world of art and illustration.

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In Your Love

Medium: Oil on Canvas

Dimensions 12"x16"

Price: $800

Everything is your sign. When drowned in your love, there is no need to be scared by the waves of the world! 

Homesick

Medium: oil on canvas 

Dimensions: 1.5'x2' 

Price: $1200

Lahore was a different world in its own; the busy life, the rich history, the colorful culture, and the unfamiliar faces!!!

Cold Icy Stare

Medium: Oil on Canvas 

Dimensions: 3'x3'

Price: $1500

To the women who don't shy away from looking at the difficulties of life eye to eye. These are the women who have the power of changing perspectives; their eyes control the movements of emotions that surround them. These are the women who behold a cold icy stare.

Bare Hands and Gentle Thoughts

Dimensions: 3'x4'

Medium: oil on canvas 

Price: $1200

She is a protector, a mother, a wife, but above all, she is a woman who falls in love with her work every day. Her bare hands and calloused fingers pay the price of not giving up. She is a woman of timelessness, never stopping to breathe and working constantly.

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Exhibition Checklist + Pricing

In Your Love: $800

Homesick: $1,200

Cold Icy Stare: $1,500

Bare Hands and Gentle Thoughts: $1,200

to inquire about purchasing a piece please email Ant (they/them)!

Lavender Mountain: An Exhibition of Queer Appalachian Art

Lavender Mountain Call for Art

Call for Art Deadline: Friday June 9, 2023 at 11:59PM

Exhibition: July - September, 2023

Where: VAE Raleigh, Raleigh, NC

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From July - September, 2023 VAE will be exhibiting the work of Queer Appalachian artists in an exhibition called Lavender Mountain. VAE is seeking submissions of 2D, 3D, and installation art for the exhibition.

Lavender Mountain draws on the rich Queer visual history and legacy of Appalachia, pulling focus to contemporary artists and issues currently facing Appalachia and her people. The call for art is open to any contemporary Queer artist that currently lives in, or makes work influenced by Appalachia.

The Appalachian Regional Commission defines Appalachia as, "made up of 423 counties across 13 states and spans 206,000 square miles, from southern New York to northern Mississippi. The Region’s 26.1 million residents live in parts of Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia, and all of West Virginia.

The Region also comprises three federally recognized and five state recognized Native American Tribal Communities, with Tribal entities in Appalachian Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, New York, and North Carolina."

The call for art closes on Friday, June 9th at 11:59PM. Artists will be notified in mid-June. If you have any questions or request accommodations, please email Ant. Please do not reach out about the status of your application. Applications that are incomplete will not be reviewed.

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Entry Information:

To use the online form to submit information about and images of your work, please review these instructions for naming your files.

• All files should be named like so: LASTNAME01_TITLE.jpg, LASTNAME02_TITLE.jpg.

• Still images should be sent as jpegs should be at least 1000px at their widest dimension, not to exceed 2MB per image. 2D artists may submit one JPEG per entry. 3D artists may submit two JPEGS (one full shot and one detail) per entry. Follow the filename format for works as indicated above.

• Video samples should be edited to no longer than 2-minute excerpts. It is strongly preferred that video & audio artists submit their work online through clips or URL addresses to online sharing formats like Hulu, Vimeo, Youtube, or Dropbox. Videos submitted as uploaded files should be no larger than 10MB (as that is the largest file eligible for upload on our entry software). Video pieces will only be accepted for exhibition if they are captioned, either with open captioning that is integrated into the video or closed captioning that can be turned on when needed. Read info about captioning videos on Youtube, with iMovie, or Quicktime! Please only submit video art or video documentation of an art piece that requires video to be fully experienced. Do not send video walk-throughs of static exhibitions or video slideshows.

• Audio: Audio should be submitted as separate MP3 files. Each track should be no longer than 2 minutes. Follow the filename format for works as indicated above.

• Web-based: Web-based work should be submitted as a URL listed in the work sample list. Please only submit web-based projects. A portfolio website that features audio/video art and still images will not be considered.

Eligibility

This call for art is open to any contemporary Queer artist that currently lives in, or makes work influenced by Appalachia. A maximum of 2 works of any medium, per artist may be submitted. Two-dimensional, three-dimensional, and installation entries will be accepted. Work must be original and completed in the last 5 years. VAE Raleigh reserves the right to exclude work due to size or special requirements. Entries must be hand-delivered to the gallery or mailed in a returnable container.

We will not exhibit or financially support work that co-opts the story of a community without representation from that community acting in a decision making role.

 Accessibility

VAE’s gallery entrance, lobby, and exhibition space are all located on the ground floor with accessible paths of travel. The space has flexible seating, accessible water fountains, and restrooms. Our aim is to make entering our exhibitions accessible to everyone. If you need any additional information or accommodations in order to enter this exhibition please email Ant or call 919.828.7834 and leave a message.

Visit our accessibility page for more information.

Sales

VAE Raleigh will retain a commission of 30% for all works sold during the run of the exhibition. If a work is not for sale, please enter "NFS" in the "Price for Entry" field in the entry form. An insurance value is still required for artworks that are not for sale.

Liability

All entries will be handled with the utmost care and respect. VAE is not liable for artwork during transportation to or from the gallery but does carry a blanket inland marine policy that covers most fine artworks and craft items up to $5,000. VAE reserves the right to refuse coverage to artwork with inherent vices, high values, or that is deemed unstable.

Contemporary Indigenous Artists of NC CFA

Contemporary Indigenous Artists of North Carolina

In 2023 VAE will be launching a new initiative that will center Contemporary Indigenous American Artists. Through our open source and collaborative working model we seek to create exhibitions and public programming that not only bring awareness to the historical circumstances related to Indigenous identity, but also celebrates the rich and diverse identities of Indigenous People. 

Our Vision: In 2023 we will be launching the first stage of this initiative. The first project will be a group exhibition curated from an open call for art. The call for art will be open to any Indigenous artist living in North Carolina. This exhibition will feature a suite of programs that compliment the exhibition, as well as highlight the cultural importance of North Carolina’s Indigenous population.

In 2024 it is our hope to bring a cross-institutional, city-wide focus to Indigenous art through exhibitions, public programming, and a correlating publication. In 2024 we plan to expand our scope to include a more wide reaching call-for-art and installation proposals accepted from artists across the country.

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Entry Information:

To use the online form to submit information about and images of your work, please review these instructions for naming your files.

• All files should be named like so: LASTNAME01_TITLE.jpg, LASTNAME02_TITLE.jpg.

• Still images should be sent as jpegs should be at least 1000px at their widest dimension, not to exceed 2MB per image. 2D artists may submit one JPEG per entry. 3D artists may submit two JPEGS (one full shot and one detail) per entry. Follow the filename format for works as indicated above.

• Video samples should be edited to no longer than 2-minute excerpts. It is strongly preferred that video & audio artists submit their work online through clips or URL addresses to online sharing formats like Hulu, Vimeo, Youtube, or Dropbox. Videos submitted as uploaded files should be no larger than 10MB (as that is the largest file eligible for upload on our entry software). Video pieces will only be accepted for exhibition if they are captioned, either with open captioning that is integrated into the video or closed captioning that can be turned on when needed. Read info about captioning videos on Youtube, with iMovie, or Quicktime! Please only submit video art or video documentation of an art piece that requires video to be fully experienced. Do not send video walk-throughs of static exhibitions or video slideshows.

• Audio: Audio should be submitted as separate MP3 files. Each track should be no longer than 2 minutes. Follow the filename format for works as indicated above.

• Web-based: Web-based work should be submitted as a URL listed in the work sample list. Please only submit web-based projects. A portfolio website that features audio/video art and still images will not be considered.

Eligibility

This call for art is open to any contemporary Indigenous artists living or based in North Carolina. A maximum of 2 works of any medium, per artist may be submitted. Two- and three-dimensional entries will be accepted. Work must be original and completed in the last 5 years. VAE Raleigh reserves the right to exclude work due to size or special requirements. Entries must be hand-delivered to the gallery or mailed in a returnable container.

We will not exhibit or financially support work that co-opts the story of a community without representation from that community acting in a decision making role.

 Accessibility

VAE’s gallery entrance, lobby, and exhibition space are all located on the ground floor with accessible paths of travel. The space has flexible seating, accessible water fountains, and restrooms. Our aim is to make entering our exhibitions accessible to everyone. If you need any additional information or accommodations in order to enter this exhibition please email Ant or call 919.828.7834 and leave a message.

Visit our accessibility page for more information.

Sales

VAE Raleigh will retain a commission of 30% for all works sold during the run of the exhibition. If a work is not for sale, please enter "NFS" in the "Price for Entry" field in the entry form. An insurance value is still required for artworks that are not for sale.

Liability

All entries will be handled with the utmost care and respect. VAE is not liable for artwork during transportation to or from the gallery but does carry a blanket inland marine policy that covers most fine artworks and craft items up to $5,000. VAE reserves the right to refuse coverage to artwork with inherent vices, high values, or that is deemed unstable.

THE VISIONARY BALL: AUCTION CFA

THE VISIONARY BALL: CALL FOR AUCTION ART

Application Opens: February 1, 2023

Application Closes: March 17, 2023 at 11:59PM

Notification Date: Late March, 2023

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We are making some changes to how we conduct our auction to ensure that 2023 is our best art auction yet!

Participating artists will continue to receive 100% of the proceeds from the sale of their auction art (with the option to donate part of, or all of the proceeds to VAE if they choose). But we are limiting the number of works in the auction so that we can give each piece ample attention to ensure we get the best price for the artist!

Artists will receive 100% of the proceeds from the sale of their work, no fees, no processing…just simply 100%.

Eligibility: Any artist who has exhibited with VAE, been a member, or donated artwork to VAE’s annual gala since January 2019 is eligible to participate in the 2023 auction. VAE only accepts original artworks directly from the artist. No reproductions please.

Eligible artists are invited to submit up to two of their own original works of art. Just because you may submit two does not mean that both will be automatically accepted.

The deadline for submission is March 17, 2023, at 11:59 PM.

Entries will be juried by VAE’s staff. All artists will be notified of their application status by late March. Additional information will be provided in this email.

Artists are encouraged to set their minimum bid at the lowest amount they’d be comfortable with the work selling for. Based on VAE’s 40+ years of art auction experience, works that have too high of a starting bid tend to get less or no bids. So you’ll want to set a starting bid that balances being accessible to bidders and comfortable to you as the artist. (We have seen works with starting bids of $25 sell for over $2,000, while works with starting bids of $300 get no bids at all.)

“Buy It Now” prices for all artwork are set at 150% of the retail prices listed on the registration form.

Artwork will not be listed as available for purchase until it is physically in VAE’s possession. A preview of the work will be on exhibition during the month of April at one of our Community Exhibition Partners, Dock 1053.

You will be able to preview the works online and in-person, but no bids will be able to be made until the night of the auction. On that night all work will be moved to and displayed at Raleigh Union Station, the venue of this year’s gala.

Artist commission checks will be mailed by May 12, 2023.

QUESTIONS? Contact Ant Lobo-Ladd: ant@vaeraleigh.org or 919.828.7834 (please leave a message).

CALL FOR ART: VANGUARD SOCIAL COMMUNITY WORKSHOP

Accepting submissions from January 21st - February 3rd, 2022

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In collaboration with So & So Bookstore and Red Bud Writing, VAE Raleigh presents Vanguard Social’s inaugural community art-making workshop. Folx are invited to participate in an opportunity to create art and explore transformative solutions to community problems.

“Vanguard Social: Visions of Southern Queer Resistance,” highlights the works of Southern QTBIPOC (Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous People of Color) artists as a means of empowering and uplifting their lived experience. This exhibition places emphasis on the pivotal role of QTBIPOC creatives in the push for liberation, while also highlighting the need for solidarity throughout communities that are unequivocally marginalized by way of systemic oppression.

Featuring artists: Amuri Morris, Charmaine Hurst, Essi Sings, Gemynii, Greta Boney, Karena "Kidd" Graves, Lindsey Shin, Liz Williams, Luc White, Sage Lowery, and Shin-Yiing Yeung.

This project is apart of VAE Raleigh's annual Collaborative Curatorial Fellowship; the Collaborative Curatorial Fellowship is sponsored by VAE Raleigh.

Community Workshop Submission Portal

Portal opens on January 21st, 2023, Midnight (12:00am EST)

Deadline to submit: February 3rd, 2023 by 11:59pm EST

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Entry Information:

To use the online form to submit information about and images of your work, please review these instructions for naming your files.

• All files should be named like so: LASTNAME01_TITLE.jpg, LASTNAME02_TITLE.jpg.

• Still images should be sent as jpegs should be at least 1000px at their widest dimension, not to exceed 2MB per image. 2D artists may submit one JPEG per entry. 3D artists may submit two JPEGS (one full shot and one detail) per entry. Follow the filename format for works as indicated above.

• Video samples should be edited to no longer than 2-minute excerpts. It is strongly preferred that video & audio artists submit their work online through clips or URL addresses to online sharing formats like Hulu, Vimeo, Youtube, or Dropbox. Videos submitted as uploaded files should be no larger than 10MB (as that is the largest file eligible for upload on our entry software). Video pieces will only be accepted for exhibition if they are captioned, either with open captioning that is integrated into the video or closed captioning that can be turned on when needed. Read info about captioning videos on Youtube, with iMovie, or Quicktime! Please only submit video art or video documentation of an art piece that requires video to be fully experienced. Do not send video walk-throughs of static exhibitions or video slideshows.

• Audio: Audio should be submitted as separate MP3 files. Each track should be no longer than 2 minutes. Follow the filename format for works as indicated above.

• Web-based: Web-based work should be submitted as a URL listed in the work sample list. Please only submit web-based projects. A portfolio website that features audio/video art and still images will not be considered.

Eligibility

This call for art is open to any artists living or based in the regional South, ages 13 and up. A maximum of 3 works of any medium, per artist may be submitted. Two and three-dimensional entries will be accepted. Work must be original and completed in the last 2 years. VAE Raleigh reserves the right to exclude work due to size or special requirements. Entries must be hand-delivered to the gallery or mailed in a returnable container.

We will not exhibit or financially support work that co-opts the story of a community without representation from that community acting in a decision making role.

 Accessibility

VAE’s gallery entrance, lobby, and exhibition space are all located on the ground floor with accessible paths of travel. The space has flexible seating, accessible water fountains, and restrooms. Our aim is to make entering our exhibitions accessible to everyone. If you need any additional information or accommodations in order to enter this exhibition please email Ant or call 919.828.7834 and leave a message.

Visit our accessibility page for more information.

Sales

VAE Raleigh will retain a commission of 30% for all works sold during the run of the exhibition. If a work is not for sale, please enter "NFS" in the "Price for Entry" field in the entry form. An insurance value is still required for artworks that are not for sale.

Liability

All entries will be handled with the utmost care and respect. VAE is not liable for artwork during transportation to or from the gallery but does carry a blanket inland marine policy that covers most fine artworks and craft items up to $5,000. VAE reserves the right to refuse coverage to artwork with inherent vices, high values, or that is deemed unstable.

The Pivotal Fund Community Exhibition

The Pivotal Fund Community Exhibition

VAE Raleigh

228 Fayetteville St

Raleigh NC, 27601

December 2022

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funding artists at pivotal moments

The Pivotal Fund provided direct financial support to artists for their creative practice and funded their most ambitious ideas.

The Pivotal Fund provided annual grants to self-identifying visual artists in Alamance, Chatham, Davidson, Durham, Forsyth, Guilford, Orange, Randolph, and Wake counties of North Carolina. This region is well-primed for significant investment in the individual artists that make up our creative community. This fund was designed to support artists who also exist in the geographical and creative margins and whose contributions to our burgeoning creative culture have historically been overlooked and under-resourced.

The Pivotal Fund was made possible through the Andy Warhol Foundation’s Regional Re-Granting Program.

The Regional Re-granting Program was established in 2007 to recognize and support the movement of independently organized, public-facing, artist-centered activity that animates local and regional art scenes but that lie beyond the reach of traditional funding sources.

The program is administered by non-profit visual art centers across the United States that work in partnership with the Foundation to fund artists’ experimental projects and collaborative undertakings.

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Skully Gustafson - Hillsborough

- Livvie at the Moth Barn ($2000)

- Strawberry Hanggliders ($2300)

- Pet Cemetery ($2500)

Wiley Johnson - Raleigh

- Say I ($1100)

- Inner Here Now ($600)

- The World Inside Me I ($800)

Matt Marble - Greensboro

- Zahar: Lupine Peace ($80)

- Zahar: Wheel of Nature ($80)

- Zahar: The Ascending Tear ($80)

Jordan Robinson - Durham

- Shrine of Adventure ($5000)

- Halos of Memoirs ($5000)

- Temple of Healing ($5000)

ARTISTS
jonh blanco - Durham

- meditation on a rainmaker ($900)

- California AB 1096 Seal with Ball on Nose Figurine (NFS)

- untitled, artist sketchbook (NFS)

Chloe Crawford - Durham

- Upright Nationalism (NFS)

Xavier Davis - Raleigh

- Commoditized Influence ($4900)

- Menagerie ($2300)

- Salutations ($1500)

Gemynii - Durham

- Angel of Water, Angel of Air ($888)

- Miss B Haven ($555)

- Mayowa ($888)

to inquire about purchasing a piece from the exhibition please email Ant (they/them)!

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CALL FOR ART: SOUTHERN QTBIPOC SOLIDARITY

Accepting submissions from November 11th - December 12th, 2022

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Just in time for the second annual Creative Curatorial Fellowship, VAE Raleigh is looking for submissions to be featured in a collective art exhibition centered around liberation, resistance and solidarity among QTBIPOC Southerners, beginning January 2023 to March 2023. (Exact dates to be determined).

We are seeking submissions from Southern QTBIPOC artists that push the envelope and go beyond the traditional view of fine artwork. The scope of work includes (but is not limited to) murals, installations, fiberwork, videography, and mixed-media.

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Town Hall Info Session

When: Wednesday, November 30, 6:30 - 8PM

Location: Zoom, registration required

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Entry Information:

To use the online form to submit information about and images of your work, please review these instructions for naming your files.

• All files should be named like so: LASTNAME01_TITLE.jpg, LASTNAME02_TITLE.jpg.

• Still images should be sent as jpegs should be at least 1000px at their widest dimension, not to exceed 2MB per image. 2D artists may submit one JPEG per entry. 3D artists may submit two JPEGS (one full shot and one detail) per entry. Follow the filename format for works as indicated above.

• Video samples should be edited to no longer than 2-minute excerpts. It is strongly preferred that video & audio artists submit their work online through clips or URL addresses to online sharing formats like Hulu, Vimeo, Youtube, or Dropbox. Videos submitted as uploaded files should be no larger than 10MB (as that is the largest file eligible for upload on our entry software). Video pieces will only be accepted for exhibition if they are captioned, either with open captioning that is integrated into the video or closed captioning that can be turned on when needed. Read info about captioning videos on Youtube, with iMovie, or Quicktime! Please only submit video art or video documentation of an art piece that requires video to be fully experienced. Do not send video walk-throughs of static exhibitions or video slideshows.

• Audio: Audio should be submitted as separate MP3 files. Each track should be no longer than 2 minutes. Follow the filename format for works as indicated above.

• Web-based: Web-based work should be submitted as a URL listed in the work sample list. Please only submit web-based projects. A portfolio website that features audio/video art and still images will not be considered.

Eligibility

This call for art is open to any artists living or based in the regional South. A maximum of 3 works of any medium, per artist may be submitted. Two- and three-dimensional entries will be accepted. Work must be original and completed in the last 2 years. VAE Raleigh reserves the right to exclude work due to size or special requirements. Entries must be hand-delivered to the gallery or mailed in a returnable container.

We will not exhibit or financially support work that co-opts the story of a community without representation from that community acting in a decision making role.

 Accessibility

VAE’s gallery entrance, lobby, and exhibition space are all located on the ground floor with accessible paths of travel. The space has flexible seating, accessible water fountains, and restrooms. Our aim is to make entering our exhibitions accessible to everyone. If you need any additional information or accommodations in order to enter this exhibition please email Ant or call 919.828.7834 and leave a message.

Visit our accessibility page for more information.

Sales

VAE Raleigh will retain a commission of 30% for all works sold during the run of the exhibition. If a work is not for sale, please enter "NFS" in the "Price for Entry" field in the entry form. An insurance value is still required for artworks that are not for sale.

Liability

All entries will be handled with the utmost care and respect. VAE is not liable for artwork during transportation to or from the gallery but does carry a blanket inland marine policy that covers most fine artworks and craft items up to $5,000. VAE reserves the right to refuse coverage to artwork with inherent vices, high values, or that is deemed unstable.

Chieko Murasugi @ Red Hat

Chieko Murasugi at Red Hat

100 E. Davie Street

Raleigh NC, 27601

November 2022 - March 2023

Chieko in her studio.

Artist Bio
Chieko Murasugi is an abstract painter and mixed media artist who was born in Tokyo, raised in Toronto, and lived in San Francisco for 20 years before moving to North Carolina in 2012. Trained as a visual scientist and artist, she has a PhD in Experimental Psychology (York U) and an MFA in Studio Art (UNC-CH). Murasugi has exhibited her work nationally in galleries and museums, including the Mint Museum, Greenhill, UNCG’s Gatewood Gallery, and the Weatherspoon Art Museum. Her paintings are included in the collections of TIAA, Honeywell, the City of Raleigh, and Duke University. She is a co-founder of BASEMENT, an experimental, artist-run project space in Chapel Hill.

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From left to right, Box Seat, Glacial, and Transpose

Artist Statement

Created in 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, my Shiro Kuro (White Black) works allude to dualities that exemplified those disquieting months: past and future, hope and despair, fragility and resilience.

Speaking through materials, I employed cheesecloth, an airy fabric once used to wrap napalm jelly in incendiary bombs. My choice references the WWII fire bombings of Tokyo, which my parents barely escaped, and which irrevocably altered their futures and their psyches. I coated the cheesecloth with rabbit skin glue, a sizing used since the Renaissance to seal canvases and when wet, glistens like jelly. When applied to cheesecloth, the glue stiffens and strengthens the fabric while remaining susceptible to moisture.

Shiro Kuro’s abstract compositions, punctuated by sections of blue ink and pages of old diary pages, embody both the vulnerability and potency of the human spirit across time.

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Exhibition Checklist + Pricing

Glacial, $1200, cheesecloth, rabbit skin glue, paper, ink

Transpose, $1200, cheesecloth, rabbit skin glue, paper, ink

Box Seat, $600, cheesecloth, rabbit skin glue, paper, ink

to inquire about purchasing a piece please email Ant (they/them)!

Diwali 2022: Mandala Street Painting

Presented by the Downtown Raleigh Alliance and VAE Raleigh

Sunday, October 23, 2022

228 Fayetteville St

12 PM - 5 PM

We are excited to welcome you to VAE Raleigh to celebrate Diwali through public art! Registration for this event is free. Please read all of the details so that we can ensure you enjoy the event and we keep everyone safe and healthy.

DETAILS:

- Groups are limited to 4 participants.

- Each registration form reserves a single street painting square. You will need to fill out one form for each square you wish to reserve.

- Each group will be provided with one box of Street Pastels for their mandala painting. Participants are welcome to bring additional chalk if they'd like.

- Water and snacks will be provided at the site. Please plan ahead for any other refreshments you'd like. No alcohol allowed.

- Please keep in mind that Fayetteville Street is shaded in some spots and sunny in others. Plan ahead with sunscreen, umbrellas for shade, warm clothes, and layers.

- There is no seating provided on the street. Participants are allowed to bring seating if they'd like.

- We ask that you complete your entire street painting square in the time allotted so that we can accommodate all registered groups safely.

- Complete all fields in this registration form. Incomplete forms will not reserve one of the limited street painting spots.

-Please review and sign the participant agreement at the bottom of this form.

QUESTIONS? Please contact kayla@vaeraleigh.org.

Mutual Aid Art Market Vendor Registration

Location: VAE Raleigh, 228 Fayetteville St

Dates + Times: November 18, 7PM -11 PM; November 19 - 20, 12PM - 5PM

Application Deadline: November 6, 11:45PM

VAE is excited to host a brand new Mutual Aid Art Market in conjunction with out Fall Fundraiser! We are looking for artists and makers in the Triangle area to sign up to be vendors for the weekend. The fundraiser on Friday (November 18) night is a ticketed event, but the weekend market (November 18-20) is free to attend.

GUIDELINES

There are two different ways that you can be involved in the Mutual Aid Art Market:

IN PERSON VENDOR

Table the event and sell your art, crafts, and goods! You can either vend at all three dates, or you can pick and choose which days you’d like to have things for sale. While there is no submission/tabling fee, or limit on the amount of work you may sell, we kindly ask that you make a donation of at least 30% of your total sales for the weekend since this is a fundraiser. This is our normal commission rate for works sold through VAE. While we ask for a small donation, the vendors will have full control over their transactions and must have a way to process payment.

ONLINE VENDOR

If you are unable to attend in-person, or do not wish to, you may still submit an application for the sale of your artwork(s) or commodities, but will be limited to two items. If this is the option you choose, your works will be listed on VAE's sales platform, GiveSmart, and people will be able to make purchases online through this platform. Upon the end of the fundraiser, VAE will total your funds, take an automatic commission of 30%, and will issue you a check that will be sent by mail.

You will be notified about the status of your application no later than November 8th. If you are not tabling the event please email Ant to set up a time to drop off your work(s).

Interested in being a volunteer? Email Ant.

QUESTIONS? Contact Ant Lobo-Ladd: ant@vaeraleigh.org or 919.828.7834 (please leave a message).

Debbie Robbins, New Works at Dock 1053

Debbie Robbins: New Works at Dock 1053

Dock 1053 - 1053 E. Whitaker Mill Rd.

Raleigh NC, 27604

October 2022 - January 2023

Artist Statement

Debbie’s background is in interior design, which gives her art a strong sense of design and color. Debbie sees art everywhere she goes.

Though Debbie did not paint much until she became an empty nester, her experimental nature has allowed her to quickly catch up. She feels comfortable with acrylics, her primary medium. The fast drying time of the medium allows Debbie to experiment with layers and textures using various mediums in her work.

Debbie received her B.A. in Interior Design at UNC-G. She is a former board member for Visual Art Exchange and still a volunteer. She was on the board at UNC Rex Cancer Center on the art committee. She is a member of Raleigh Fine Art Society.

To view more of Debbie’s work visit 311 Gallery!

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Exhibition Checklist + Pricing

Luxury, 30x24

Sparkling, 40x40

Transfer, 36x48

2nd Layers, 30x30

Connections, 30x30

Textural, 30x24

to inquire about purchasing a piece please email Ant (they/them)!

CLAIM THE BODY: HEALING & AUTONOMY

August 11 - October 27, 2022

VAE Cube Gallery

228 Fayetteville St

Raleigh NC 27601

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Claim the Body: Healing & Autonomy comes at a time when discourse related to autonomy is more important than ever. As rights continue to be stripped from the lives of people globally, VAE understands the importance of sensitivity regarding this subject matter. It is not our intention or goal to highlight trauma and disaster, but to instead focus on network building, mutual aid support, and community engagement that can be regenerative and healing.

Claim the Body features work from 8 artists, mostly artists from our immediate local community in North Carolina. We believe that to better facilitate community building and connections it is important to lean into our local community of artists, organizers, and champions of bodily autonomy to foster support, care, healing, and understanding amongst each other.

The ways in which we exercise our autonomy are vast and distinctive. Through dress, body adornment, healthcare decisions and interpersonal relationships, individuals make daily choices about their physical bodies and lifestyles. While some of these decisions are fleeting or aesthetic, they often reflect deeply held convictions, significant deliberation, and creativity. There is power in that.

While bodily autonomy is deeply personal, it is rarely exercised or experienced in isolation. The confidants, abortion care providers, tattoo artists, organizers, doulas, mutual aid efforts, and innumerable others are critical to our choices, advocacy, empowerment, and our healing, both personal and collective. We believe that through practices of personal and communal autonomy, a higher quality of life is possible. The works in Claim the Body speak to the reclamation of the self and the body politic that happens in the struggles for autonomy.

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STEERING COMMITTEE

Candace Howze

Cassandra J. Rowe

ARTISTS

Candace Howze - North Carolina

Cara Hagan - New York

Cassandra J. Rowe - North Carolina

Gabi Magaly - Texas

Grey Von Cannon - North Carolina

Jenny Eggleston - North Carolina

Jennifer Markowitz - North Carolina

Julie Rae Powers - New York

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PROGRAMMING

SOLD OUT!

OCTOBER 15, 6 - 9PM

Portrait Party w/ Jade Wilson, and Closing Reception

Join VAE Raleigh and Durham based artist, Jade Wilson, for a special program and closing reception for Claim the Body.

About Jade: Durham artist, Jade Wilson, has worked as a professional image maker for the past eight years, spending the first half of that time as a corporate photographer and the other half defying artistic convention and upending the status quo. Their work explores what lies in the shadows behind beauty and sorrow–both personal and communal. Their raw and frequently somber style is illuminated by their Black trans identity.

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Breathe: My First Breath

Breathe: My First Breath

A Solo Exhibition by JP Jermaine Powell

June 15 - July 22, 2022 | Opening Reception June 23, 6 - 8PM

The Cube Gallery

228 Fayetteville St

Raleigh NC 27601

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NOTE FROM THE ARTIST

“As a local artist, I want to genuinely thank VAE for supporting my colorful career and my artworks along the way. They were behind some of my major works being able to get seen and purchased. They have supported the creative risks that I’ve taken in my work. VAE has been a great resource for, not only myself, but for so many local and regional creative voices for many years. Continued success to VAE’s visionary leadership and mission.”

• JP

ARTIST BIO

Jermaine “JP” Powell is a North Carolina based mixed- media artist and muralist. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, JP holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Pratt Institute, located in Brooklyn, New York. His paintings and public art projects explore the complexities of human relationships, materialism, and consumerism.

As a world traveler, JP’s travel experiences have inspired the use of various luxury objects featured in his work. Both American and international currencies are often featured symbolically in his work. In his Breathe Life, Modern Currency, and Pure Luxury Collection series (2018- 2022, JP also uses bold, colorful textures, flowers, patterns, and mosaic tile.

JP is the creator and curator of the Breathe: Back To Life art exhibition featured at the Duke Energy Center for The Performing Arts in Raleigh, North Carolina. He is also the creator of the Welcome To Hillsborough Street mural project near NC State University and also the We Are Community mural in Carrboro, NC.

JP’s artwork has also been featured at Harvey B. Gantt Center for African American Arts + Culture, Raleigh Magazine, Cary Living Magazine, Duke University, Art Space Galleries, Raleigh Arts, The City of Durham, and The Durham Art Guild. He is fortunate to have collectors throughout the United States, Argentina, Japan, South Africa, and London.

In 2021 JP was formally announced as the illustrator for the children’s book, The Museum Lives In Me in partnership with the North Carolina Museum Of Art. JP’s work has been shown in numerous group and solo exhibitions in Ohio, New York, Maryland, Washington D.C. and North Carolina.

INVENTORY

• JP Jermaine Powell, A Queen’s Justice Triptych, 2021, Acrylic and Mixed Media On Canvas, 48in x 60in and 16in x 20in, $10,500, For Sale

• JP Jermaine Powell, Rainbow, 2021, Acrylic and Mixed Media On Canvas, 48in x 60in, $10,500, For Sale

• JP Jermaine Powell, Concrete Souls No. 1, 2021, Acrylic and Mixed Media On Canvas, 12in x 12in, $550, For Sale

• JP Jermaine Powell, Concrete Souls No. 7, 2021, Acrylic and Mixed Media On Canvas, 12in x 12in, $550, For Sale

• JP Jermaine Powell, Young Money Triptych(Side Panels 2 and 3), 2021, Acrylic and Mixed Media On Wood, 24in x 24in, Not For Sale

• JP Jermaine Powell, JP Presents #JP100k Tryptych, 2014, Acrylic and Mixed Media On Wood Panel, 80in x 80in, Not For Sale

• JP Jermaine Powell, Black Luxury: Finance 101, 2020, Acrylic and Mixed Media On Canvas, 36in x 48in, $8500, For Sale

• JP Jermaine Powell, Blanco Noir, 2020, Acrylic and Mixed Media On Canvas, 36in x 48in, $8500, For Sale

• JP Jermaine Powell, No Ceilings, 2020, Acrylic and Mixed Media On Canvas, 36in x 48in, $8500, For Sale