news release

Indian River Clay invites Florida clay artists from across the Treasure Coast, Space Coast, Gold Coast – actually, any area of the state — to take part in the 2024 Form + Fire, a high-quality juried art exhibition returning for the second year.

Application deadline has been extended to January 15, 2024 for the show, which will run from March 1 to March 22, 2024, at Vero Beach’s Raw Space Gallery, 1795 Old Dixie Highway, Vero Beach.

The Form + Fire application fee is $45 and covers up to three pieces of artwork.

• PROSPECTUS

This juried exhibit will highlight contemporary ceramic artwork and the artists working in this diversified medium throughout Florida. The show is open to functional, sculptural, decorative and experimental pieces that feature clay as the primary material.

The inaugural 2023 Form & Fire exhibit created much excitement with more than 100 applicants and a packed house during the month-long show.

Vero Beach is an elegant coastal city located along Florida’s Atlantic Coast. Known as a culturally rich town, it is home to a professional theater, a world class art museum, luxury resorts and Indian River Clay.

Indian River Clay is a 501(c)(3) non-profit studio founded in 2018 with 60 working potters and a similar-sized waiting list. Through outreach programs and classes, studio members have been fostering interest in and curiosity about ceramic art in the community. In turn, the community has responded with resounding support.

• APPLICATION

Artist participation requires a non-refundable fee of $45, which covers up to three pieces. Application deadline is Dec. 1, 2023.

Applications must be made online through Indian River Clay’s website: http://www.indianriverclay.org.

There are no size restrictions. However, if your piece needs installation or special handling, please contact the studio directly at formandfire@indianriverclay.org.

Applicant artists must reside in the state of Florida. Artists who live in Florida for half the year and students attending college level schools within the state also are eligible and considered residents by Indian River Clay.

•  SUBMISSIONS

All submitted pieces must meet the requirements outlined in this prospectus. Any accepted works that deviate from these parameters will be rejected and returned to the artist at the artist’s expense.

Each piece must be the work of the individual artist making the submission.

While Indian River Clay will treat each piece with care and respect, it is the responsibility of the artist to insure their work. By submitting work, the artist holds Indian River Clay, Raw Space, their employees and volunteers harmless for any such loss or damage.

The jurying process will employ digital images provided by the artist. Such images must comply with the guidelines noted herein.

Upon acceptance into the exhibit, artists will receive instructions for shipping/delivering art to Indian River Clay.

Delivered art must coincide with the submitted digital images and must be in pristine condition, ready to install with an appropriate base if necessary. Indian River Clay will provide display pedestals.

All artists must submit a completed Internal Revenue Form W-9.

•  DIGITAL FORMAT GUIDELINES

• Submit two digital images for each work, one full and one second view
• Image format JPEG or PNG
• Image dimensions should be no smaller than 750 pixels on the shortest side
• Image size under 50 MB

Special Note: Indian River Clay encourages the artist to send the best quality image files possible. The images sent are the only representations of your work the juror will see when considering your entry. These files are also the ones used in advertising and printed materials. Photos should be in sharp focus, showing all edges, well-lit with correct color and no distortions.

• SALES AND COMMISSIONS

All accepted artwork must be for sale. The artist must price every accepted piece.

Indian River Clay collects and pays sales tax, retains 35 percent commission from all sales and will pay the net proceeds due the artist by April 30, 2024. All such payments will be reported to the Internal Revenue Service in accordance with their requirements.

• TRANSPORTING ART

Artists are responsible for the shipping and insuring of accepted work, both to and from the exhibit at their own cost. Details for shipping will be provided once the jurying process is completed. All packages must be shipped “Signature Required.” All art must remain on display through the duration of the exhibit.

JUROR: Mark Walnock

Mark Walnock will judge the entries submitted for Form + Fire.

Walnock graduated from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, with honors in ceramics. He has worked as an instructor and studio manager for various arts organizations including Penland School of Crafts in North Carolina, Thompson Park Craft Center, Burlington County Community College, and the non-profit center Long Beach Island Foundation of the Arts and Sciences in N.J.

Walnock has been an artist in residence at the Long Beach Island Foundation as well as the Vermont Studio Center. He has exhibited his work nationwide and at invitational shows in London and Japan. He lives and works in West Palm Beach, where he is the Director of Ceramics & Sculpture Department at the Armory Art Center.

•  EXHIBIT LOCATION

Raw Space Gallery, 1795 Old Dixie Highway, Vero Beach, is a privately owned gallery that provides an ongoing platform of exhibits, Artist-in-Residence programs, workshops and events that have made a strong impact in the community, strengthening the dialogue between artists and audiences. Founder Silvia Medina and her team believe in the power of art to inspire and transform lives.

• PUBLICITY

By submitting artwork to this exhibition, artists agree to loan their artwork to Indian River Clay for the time period described in this event prospectus and agree to permit Indian River Clay and Raw Space Gallery to use the images of their work as well as their artist statements in media, including print and online, without limitation.

• TIMELINE

• Application deadline: Dec. 1, 2023

• Notification of acceptance: Dec. 15, 2023

• Artwork delivered to Indian River Clay: Hand delivered: Feb. 26 from 3 to 7 p.m.; Shipped: Feb. 19 to Feb. 25, 2024

• Exhibit Opens/Artist’s Reception: March 1, 2024 from 5 to 8 p.m.

• Exhibit Closes: March 22, 2024

• Unsold work picked up on March 23, 2024 between 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Raw Space, 1795 Old Dixie Highway, Vero Beach.

• Unsold shipped works packed and shipped by March 30, 2024

• CONTACT INFORMATION

Indian River Clay is located at 1239 16th Ave., Vero Beach, FL 32960; phone: 772-202-8598; email: form&fire@indianriverclay.org; website: www.indianriverclay.org.

• SPONSORSHIPS

Any individual, organization, business or company interested in being a sponsor for Form + Fire is invited to contact Indian River Clay at 772-202-8598; email: form&fire@indianriverclay.org; website: www.indianriverclay.org.

Sponsorship levels: Platinum: $1,000 each
First Place: $600
Second Place: $400
Third Place: $300
People’s Choice: $150