Small Works for the Gift Shop Gallery
Do you create small original artwork?
Blue Cat hosts a "Gift Shop Gallery" in addition to the featured exhibits gallery space, and is looking for artists who create small pieces such as jewelry, cards, original prints, small pottery pieces and more. Retail prices should be set at $100 or less. Blue Cat retains 25% commission on all sales.
Would you like to include your pieces in the gift shop gallery?
Send jpg images of examples of your artwork to: bluecat.gallery.studio@gmail.com with a brief message expressing your interest and information about the work you create. Blue Cat will respond within 1-2 weeks of inquiry to discuss details with you.
Propose an exhibit
Submit your work to show at Blue Cat
Blue Cat runs exhibits from March or April to December each year. Most exhibits are scheduled for two months, but exceptions may be made. Submit a proposal for an individual or group show. Include the following information and materials listed below when submitting your proposal.
Deadline: ongoing (currently considering work for exhibits in 2026-2027; gallery closed Jan-Feb each year; possible exhibit dates include: March-April, May-June and Sept-Oct)
Materials and information to include:
- 5-10 images in jpg format for individuals (2-3 images per artist for group proposals)
- Image list: title, medium, size, date, price - pdf format
- Resume/CV - pdf format
- Biography narrative (1-2 paragraphs about you and your art career) - pdf format
- Artist Statement/Inspiration for your work (no more than one page) - pdf format
Where to submit your materials
Email your jpgs (images) and PDF documents to: bluecat.gallery.studio@gmail.com
In the subject line, type "Blue Cat Artist Proposal"
Expect a response within 1-2 weeks of emailing your materials
Important Dates for the 2024 "Signs of Rural Life" Exhibit
· June 15: Submission deadline
· June 29: Notification of acceptance
· June 30 - July 7: Deliver work to Blue Cat
· July 10 - Aug 17: Exhibit on display
· July 12: Opening Reception
· Aug 18 - 31: Return unsold work to artists
Awards
· First Place - $250
. Second Place - $175
. Third Place - $125
· People's Choice - $75
Eligibility
· Open to artists of all career levels from emerging to professional, 18 years of age or older
· Submit up to five entries created in the last five years (and not previously shown in Signs of Rural Life); $30 non-refundable entry fee required
· Max Size: no one side larger than 50” (3-D work requiring a pedestal, no more than 20” wide or deep)
· Any media including painting, works on paper, printmaking, photography, sculpture (excluding installation art)
· Works must be display ready (wrapped canvases are permitted, 2-D work must be wired and ready for hanging)
· By entering the exhibit, artists whose works are selected for the show grant Blue Cat Gallery & Studio the right to use submitted images on printed materials, gallery website & social media sites for promotional purposes.
· Artwork accepted for the exhibit must be for sale. Blue Cat Gallery will receive a 25% commission for each work sold from the exhibit. Payment for works sold during the show will be issued within 30 days of the end of the exhibit.
About the Juror: Lori Elliott-Bartle
Primarily a painter, Lori Elliott-Bartle also makes woodcut and linoleum prints and mixed-media pieces. She binds blank journals and creates art books. She finds inspiration in vast expanses of sky and prairie as well as in her small urban garden, and in fleeting moments of daily life.
Her work is shown in commercial galleries in Omaha and she participates in juried group shows regionally. Lori’s work was included in the 2023, 2019 and 2017 Nebraska Artist Biennials. She was an artist in residence at the Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts in 2023 and has completed two sessions in the Plank Road Artist Residency at Farwell House in Frederick, Illinois. She also has done an artist residency at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Cedar Point Biological Station in rural western Nebraska.
Call For Art: "100 x 100"
What does a $100 piece of artwork look like to you?
Blue Cat is seeking artwork for their annual holiday exhibit. Formerly the Under Two Hundred exhibit, this year we are changing it up a bit. Submit up to five artworks priced at $100 each. Is a $100 artwork a sketch or study, a small painted canvas, a matted drawing, or a medium-sized construction of found objects? The sky is the limit, and media is unlimited! Show us how you interpret this call. Original artworks only. No crafts or pieces made from kits.
Submit your artwork by: 2024 deadline has passed; check back later for 2025
Send jpg images of up to five artworks to: bluecat.gallery.studio@gmail.com with a brief message expressing your interest in being part of the "100 X 100" exhibit, and the completed submission form (see below). Blue Cat will determine a list of at least 100 artworks from the submissions and notify artists of accepted artworks by October 26th. Work will be due at the gallery between November 2nd- 9th. Shipping costs are the responsibility of the artist.