Bristol Art Museum Announces 2025 National Call for Art: “Rock – Paper – Scissors” Juried Exhibit

The Bristol Art Museum announces a national call for the upcoming juried exhibition, “Rock – Paper – Scissors.” This unique exhibit will showcase artists who creatively interpret the essence of “paper” within the theme inspired by the well-known game. While rock and scissors have their place in the game’s strategy, this exhibit specifically focuses on paper, challenging artists to engage with its strength, fragility, and transformative potential. Cash awards totaling $1,000 will be presented to selected artists.

Artist and curator Toby Sisson, M.F.A., Associate Professor and Director of the Studio Art Program at Clark University, will serve as the juror. The exhibit opens on Sun., Feb. 9, 2025, with an Artist Reception on Sun. Feb. 16 from 2 to 4 p.m. The last day the exhibit will be on view is Sun., Apr. 4.

“‘Rock – Paper – Scissors’ is more than a playful theme, it is an opportunity for artists from throughout the country to explore paper as both medium and message,” said Mary Dondero, Museum Curator and Board Member. “The Bristol Art Museum invites artists to examine paper’s strength and delicacy, challenging traditional perceptions and creating work that speaks to resilience and transformation.”

The exhibit will also include a special installation by interdisciplinary artist Lisa Abbatomarco, who celebrates paper as a foundational material in her work, inviting audiences to experience paper in its full artistic scope.
Artists nationwide are encouraged to submit original works that celebrate, question, or manipulate the properties of paper—whether as a medium or as a metaphor. Spanning from abstract to realistic styles, the exhibition seeks to unify a variety of artistic expressions that explore contrasts such as hardness and softness, resilience and delicacy, and permanence and ephemerality.

Sisson’s work focuses on the history and race in America, and she brings a dynamic perspective to her role as juror. She has exhibited across the United States and internationally, with her work in public and private collections, including the Worcester Art Museum and Brown University. 
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Submission Details
Artists 18 and older may submit up to three works. Submission fees are $30 for the first entry, $40 for two entries, and $50 for three entries. Works must be submitted online here by midnight on December 20, 2024, with final selections announced in mid-January 2025.
Submission criteria include:

• File Requirements: JPG format, under 4MB, sRGB color space, minimum 1920 pixels on the longest side at 72 dpi.
• Artwork Requirements: Original works only, sized for ease of shipping, and ready for installation with plexiglass or shatterproof materials (no glass).
• Shipping and Delivery: Accepted pieces must arrive at the Museum by January 31, 2025. Hand-delivered artwork will be received on January 27 and 28 from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m.

Sales
Artists may choose to sell their work directly to interested collectors, with all sales managed independently of the Museum. The Museum will connect collectors with artists but does not take a commission.
For additional inquiries or assistance with submissions, artists may contact [email protected] or call 888-666-1351.

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