Exhibition 2026.

Art Wellesley (AW) is pleased to announce our fifth juried art exhibition, and our inaugural exhibition at the Wellesley Historical Society. David Teng Olsen and Samara Pearlstein of Wellesley College will act as guest jurors for this show. 

The jurors are interested in the space between what is seen by the eye and what is perceived by the brain – the visual slippage that can occur when things are incompletely glimpsed, visible only for a moment, or barely apprehended, and what might happen when imagination has to step in to fill in blank spots in perception. 

Works can address this topic directly or abstractly, but should in some way engage with the theme of the show. Create something new, or dig into your archives, all submissions welcome!

The Jurors.

Samara Pearlstein is an artist, educator, and arts administrator in the Boston, MA area. She studied art and biology at the University of Michigan, and received her MFA from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston/Tufts University. She is currently Gallery Director and Program Coordinator for the Wellesley College Art Department. Her recent work addresses exploration, surveying, human-made and geological marks on the land, and questions who gets to inhabit or claim the landscape. She received a 2024 SMFA at Tufts Traveling Fellowship, which funded research on (and descents into) iron and copper mines in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. She also makes many images of cats.

David Teng Olsen is a Professor of Art and the director of Studio Art and co-director of Media Arts and Sciences at Wellesley College. His research focuses on the interdependent relationship between identity, culture and technology with acquisitions by museums in the US and Europe. His students have gone onto successful design, technology and media careers at companies including Google, Facebook, Apple and Industrial Light and Magic. He has been creating large-scale public art since 1999, working with at-risk youth, children community centers, and colleges to create opportunities for hands-on experiences and educational talks about his work and the power of art to heal and transform community. 

Exhibition timeline.

Call open date / January 15, 2026

Call due date / February 27, 2026

Artwork Selection / March 1 to March 9

Notify Artists / March 10

Drop Artwork / Monday March 23

Installation / March 23 & 24

Exhibition / March 25 to April 12, 2026

Reception / Thursday March 26

Pickup Artwork / Monday April 13

Submission details.

  • Artists should submit 1-2 pieces. Submission fee is $25.

  • All working artists from the Boston area and regional artists are welcome to apply. 

  • All submissions will be managed electronically by AW via Google Forms. 

  • Only two dimensional work, or wall hung three dimensional work - max size  48” x 48” x 6” - will be considered for this show. 

  • All work must be framed or on finished panels / canvases that are wired with d-rings, ready to hang. No exceptions.

  • AW and the Juror will curate and hang the show using the WHS hanging system.  

  • Any sales of artwork will be coordinated directly with the artist. WHS will not be involved. AW anticipates a 25% donation of sales to WHS/ AW to reinvest into their programs in town.

  • All artists will sign a waiver releasing the WHS and AW of liability for damage.

  • Attendance by the artists at AW Reception is encouraged

Click on this Registration Form, complete the Google Form, and upload artwork and documents as directed:

  • 1-2 digital images labeled in the format LASTNAME_FIRSTNAME_IMAGE TITLE

  • All digital images must be saved in jpeg or png format with a max file size of 3.0 MB

  • Digital images should be resized so that the horizontal or width pixel dimension are at least 1920 pixels

Please direct questions to elise@artwellesley.org.

 

Registration.

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