Natural Abstraction
CoPA + Art★Bar 2025 Juried Exhibition | July 11 – August 28
Opening Reception: Friday, July 11 | 5:30 PM
Comments and awards | 8 PM
There is a time and a season for everything. We recognize it as we grow, when our perceptions change, when our vision becomes clear and when inspiration strikes, especially in the most unlikely of places. As artists we are called to affect our world by capturing moments of intrigue, expressing our vision, and impressing upon those who partake of our offerings. While there will always be wide wonder in the world, it is often the spaces between that, when noticed, effect a deeper admiration.
Don’s challenge for us this year revolves around the idea of Natural Abstraction, inviting us to explore the beguiling relationship between our natural environment and abstract spaces so often overlooked. There are endless opportunities for abstraction, where the interplay of organic forms, chaotic patterns, and subtle details can be reimagined into something unexpected.
Look beyond traditional representations of the world, delve further into your own natural settings and technique, and find the spaces between that inspire you to produce images that emphasize lines, form, texture, color, geometry and patterns over literal depiction. Experiment with your own technique to discover a play of light and shadow, or a mesmerizing texture. Augment your natural capture and post-processing methodology, break some of your own “rules”, explore new methods of printing. In brief: [Fool] Around and Find Out.
The goal of this competition is to showcase images that guide perception beyond direct depictions, shift focus toward what is less obvious, evoke emotion, provoke thought, and encourage new interpretations of familiar subjects for both the artist and the viewer.
Here are some specifics for your consideration – feel free to abstract these, as well.
- Close-up and Macro Photography
- Motion Blur and Long Exposure
- Reflections and Distortions
- Light and Shadow Play / High Contrast
- Selective Focus and Depth of Field
- Color and Tonal Manipulation
We’ve seen much in the way of inspiration recently when it comes to the concept of Natural Abstraction; from tools for making the photograph, to how we play with layout, pixels and exposure in post-processing, to the possibilities for physically manifesting these images beyond traditional prints.
CoPA exhibitions encourage new work to keep us fresh and engaged. Show us a new take on something we may recognize, and include something we haven’t seen yet.
PRIZES
- Don’s Prize: $100 in gift cards to Art★Bar, Wonderland, and Two Bar
- CoPA Board Prize: 1 year membership to CoPA Milwaukee
ENTRY OPEN | Tuesday, April 1 | 12P
ENTRY CLOSE | Sunday, May 25 | 11P
NOTIFICATIONS
Artists will be notified by Sunday, June 8, via email provided on the entry form, and will be listed on the event post. These are the only forms of notification that will be issued for selections juried into the exhibition.
SUBMISSION CRITERIA
By submitting to this exhibition/competition, you agree to meet the exhibition criteria as explained below and to be responsible for the delivery and collection of your work to and from the venue within the appointed dates and times.
CoPA and Art★Bar reserve the right to disqualify images that condone hate speech, racism, and gratuitous violence.
By submitting work, you agree to allow the use of your submitted images for promotional purposes.
SUBMISSION SPECIFICATIONS AND RULES
Final Selections must be “Gallery Ready” for exhibition and sale as follows:
- You must be a CoPA member to participate in this exhibition.
- There is an entry fee of $10.
- CoPA Members may submit up to three (5) entries.
- Work not previously shown in a CoPA exhibition, unless it has been revised and meets the criteria for this exhibition.
- You MUST follow the naming convention for submission; any submission not meeting this requirement will be disqualified from the competition and all fees forfeited. Read How to Submit to CoPA+Art*Bar Exhibition for instructions. (Example: EMaddox_NatAbstract_Neighbors)
- Limit your image size to 1200px on the longest side; images larger than this may not be accepted by the form.
- 32MB Max File Size
- JPEG / JPG files only, please. No other file type will be accepted.
DELIVERY DATES | Friday, June 27 – Monday, July 7
Please label your work; include your name and the title of the work. Delivery Hours: Monday to Sunday 3P to 9P – please be courteous and conscientious of the bartenders accepting your artwork. If work is ready, feel free to drop it off before you travel; even sooner than June 27, just let the receiving party know which exhibition it’s for.
DELIVERY OF ARTWORK
CoPA and Art★Bar are not responsible for damage or theft of artwork while in transit. Work will be inspected at the time of check-in. Artists are responsible for the delivery of the artwork to the Art★Bar and for collecting artwork from the Art★Bar in person or by proxy.
Art★Bar | 722 East Burleigh, Milwaukee 53212
SALES
Artists are encouraged but not required to offer their work for sale. The Art★Bar retains a 20% commission on sales.
FRAMING GUIDELINES FOR ARTWORK EXHIBITED
All artwork submitted for exhibition shall adhere to the following framing guidelines. Failure to do so may impact participation in the exhibition. Be mindful that this gallery is also a bar and make your framing and mounting selections appropriately.
- Glass or Plexiglas are preferable if the artwork is framed. The product should be of sufficient thickness to prevent visible warping or waving. If the glass is broken upon arrival, new glass will be fitted and the artist billed for the cost of the glass.
- All framed works shall be securely fitted within their frames.
- All mats are to be clean and white in color.
- No plastic poster frames.
- All framed works are to be wired for hanging.
- No saw-tooth hangers.
- No unwired D-Rings.
- No clips.
- No fishing line.
- Hanging wires are to be no closer than 2” to the top of the frame when pulled taut.
- Wires are not to be attached to the clips that are holding the back of the frame together but should have their own support attached to the frame and not the picture backing. Taping or gluing the wire to the frame or board is insufficient.
- CoPA and Art★Bar are not responsible for pieces that are damaged due to improper hanging hardware or poor craftsmanship.
- If framed, images must be framed in clean, plain white or black frames. If matted, mats must be clean white. No exceptions. You may print professionally on other surfaces, such as aluminum, canvas, linens, and wood.
- Maximum Width: 32″ – contact [email protected] if you need an exception to this.
- Maximum Height: 60″
PICK-UP DATES | Thursday, August 21 – Sunday, August 31
PIck-up Hours: Monday to Sunday 3P to 9P – please be courteous and conscientious of the bartenders accepting your artwork.
If you can not retrieve your work at this time, please make arrangements to have your work picked up by someone else. Neither CoPA nor Art★Bar will be responsible for unclaimed artwork.
NOTE: This exhibition is open to CoPA members only. Email [email protected] with questions and comments.
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