2024 Wild & Scenic Art Exhibition
The Wild & Scenic Film Festival, in collaboration with Nevada County Arts Council, invited artists to submit their artwork for possible inclusion at the 22nd annual Wild & Scenic Film Festival, February 15-19, 2024.
Wild & Scenic uses environmental and adventure films to inspire activism, and we are seeking art submissions that do the same. Artists were encouraged to submit pieces that address a broad interpretation of the theme of “environment.” The featured artwork enhances the immersive nature of the festival experience.
“We are thrilled to continue bringing this incredible Art Exhibition to our community. Nevada City and Grass Valley are full of amazing artists, and we look forward to showcasing many of them and introducing non-locals to the art scene here,” says Festival Director Lívia Campos de Menezes.
Exhibition Information
Juried art will be displayed throughout the festival at Grass Valley and Nevada City venues. Western Nevada County is home to more than 100 arts-related organizations producing upwards of a thousand events a year, scores of annual festivals, street fairs, art walks, studio tours, and a generous base of artists and makers. All this and much more is happening in the Grass Valley-Nevada City Cultural District, designated by the California Arts Council as one of 14 cultural districts for our thriving cultural diversity and unique artistic identities within California.
We are thrilled to provide artists passionate about the environment an opportunity to showcase their best and share a meaningful message conveyed through their unique artistic visions.
Submission & Award Information
Categories
Submissions were accepted in three categories: 3-Dimensional, 2-Dimensional, and Photography.
Artists could submit up to 3 pieces per entry in a single category.
Details about the three categories:
2-D: Paintings, prints, collages, mixed media, and panels with 1.5 inches or less of depth variation
3-D: Sculpture and pieces with depth variations greater than 1.5 inches
Photography: All photography, including digital and film, color, black and white
Theme
While all artwork will be considered, we are especially interested in pieces that interpret our theme this year, Reel Action. The theme pays homage to the festival’s mission to inspire activism. The aim is to select artworks that are a call to action, inviting audiences to learn about the most pressing environmental problems and initiatives anyone can take to improve the natural world and lives around the globe.
Awards
Selected artists will exhibit their work in person at the 22nd annual Wild & Scenic Film Festival in front of thousands of environmental filmmakers, celebrities, social activists, and attendees. Selected artists will be eligible for the following awards:
- Top submission in each category; 2-Dimensional, 3-Dimensional, and Photography
- Best of Theme: “Reel Action”
- Judges’ Awards
The Jury will look for work that stands out within the greater themes of the festival, which is a fundraising driver of the South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL), a non-profit organization whose mission is to unite the community to protect and restore the Yuba River watershed. Award-winners will be recognized and presented with certificates at the virtual Artists Opening Reception and Awards Ceremony.
2024 Art Venues
Nevada City
- Szabo Vineyards | Tasting Room (316 Broad St), Fri. 2-10 pm, Sat. 1-7 pm, Sun. 1-6 pm
Grass Valley
- Lucchesi Tasting Room (128 Mill St), Mon-Tue 12-5 pm, Wed-Thu. Sun. 1-6 pm, Fri-Sat. 1-9 pm
- Granucci Gallery (314 W Main St), during fest Thu-Sun 2-8 pm*
The artwork will be on display for the general public starting on February 1st at Lucchesi Tasting Room (128 Mill St, Grass Valley), February 2nd at Szabo Vineyards | Tasting Room (316 Broad St, Nevada City), and February 13th at the Granucci Gallery (314 W Main St, Grass Valley), and will run until the end of that month.
20% of art sales go to SYRCL to help fund our many projects year-round.
*Regular hours: Tue-Fri 12-4 pm
2024 Art Reception & Awards Ceremony
On February 15th, please join us to kick off the Wild & Scenic Film Festival and the Art Exhibition with a Reception and Awards Ceremony from 4:30 to 6:30 pm at our Grass Valley Headquarters, Center for the Arts (314 W Main St.).
The event is FREE and open to the public. More information here.
2024 Judges
Piper Monica Johnson has always had an eye for art and design, which is evident in her newest venture, the Piper J Gallery at 10153 West River St. in Truckee.
Johnson moved to Incline Village 27 years ago to be a ski bum, but when the ski season ended, she returned to cosmetology, owning several hair salons in North Lake Tahoe. In 2000, a client invited her to try painting, and when she took a plein-air painting class with Gregory Kondos at Sierra Nevada College she was truly hooked. In 2014, she acquired a studio space in Incline Village, which she expanded to include a gallery.
During the pandemic, she moved the gallery to Truckee, discovering opportunity in the downtown’s emerging art and culture scene. Being in one of the 14 cultural districts in California, Johnson is thrilled to be amongst a concentration of art galleries and close to where Truckee Thursdays are held.
Piper J Gallery seeks to inspire collectors while supporting and encouraging local and regional artists. Johnson also provides services in art consultation, site evaluation, and custom commissions. Johnson was a judge for the 2023 WSFF Art Exhibition and was so impressed with the quality of the work that her gallery now represents four of those artists.
MaryTess Mayall is Executive Director at Blue Line Arts, a vibrant arts center with an exceptional gallery in Downtown Roseville, California. Having lived for some time in the South of France MaryTess majored in Art from Fresno State University with a minor in French.
As an artist herself, she enjoys curating Blue Line’s many shows, on and off-site, as well as its diverse programs—drawing inspiration from, and support for, a rich regional ecosystem. More about MaryTess and Blue Line Arts can be found at bluelinearts.org.
Pat Kemeny Macias is the Executive Director (and chief curator) at the Museum of Northern California Art (MONCA) in Chico. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Art Education and a Master’s degree in Printmaking from Eastern Michigan University, then served as an art teacher for eighteen years in Ann Arbor’s public schools system and as Director for Summer Art Fairs for seven years. Pat relocated to St. Louis, Missouri, to become Education Director at Laumeier Sculpture Park, a 105-acre open-air museum and sculpture park in Sunset Hills. She later moved to California to complete her teaching career at Piedmont High School in San Francisco over thirteen years. In addition to her role as Executive Director at MONCA, Pat is a current board member at Inspire School of Arts & Sciences Foundation.
Submission Deadlines & Important Dates:
December 22 – Notification Date
February 15 – Art Exhibition/Film Festival begins
If you have any questions about submitting your art, please reach out to info@wildandscenicfilmfestival.org
