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  • “Opal” by Rod Whyte


    DEL RAY ARTISANS' GALLERY WITHOUT WALLS
    CALL FOR ENTRY - MEMBERS ONLY

    Paws and Kinship
    at the VCA Old Town Animal Hospital

    June 8, 2026 – May 29, 2027

    Entry deadline: Thursday, May 14, 2026 by Midnight

    Curators: Liz Martinez (GWW@DelRayArtisans.org) and
    Kathleen Everett (Kathleen.Everett@VCA.com)

  • Del Ray Artisans (DRA) is pleased to partner with VCA Old Town Animal Hospital (VCA Old Town) for a new Gallery Without Walls exhibit.

    Whether it’s the joy of welcoming a new addition to the family or saying goodbye to a beloved companion and everything in between, animals have impacted the lives of humans for eons.Come celebrate the creatures you share your life with. We are looking for 2D art that explores the emotional bond between ourselves and animals.

    Paws and Kinship is a Del Ray Artisans members-only exhibit at VCA Old Town. If you are not a member, you may join Del Ray Artisans now to enter. As a GWW exhibit, there is no fee to submit your artwork and there are no additional volunteer requirements. Artwork previously shown in the DRA gallery is welcome.

    Artists should be sensitive to the stressful environment within the hospital and choose artwork that is family-friendly and helps to lighten or lift the viewer; please avoid submitting pieces that include nudity or explore death and/or violent themes. Due to new guidelines for a fear-free environment, we cannot accept realistic depictions of dogs, cats, or birds. This venue is unable to accommodate 3-D work.

    Artwork selected for this exhibit will be displayed for approximately one year, or until the artwork is sold. Space is limited, and as artwork is sold, the opportunity for replacements may arise per the discretion of the curator. The 2-dimensional artwork will be displayed on the walls of the VCA Old Town Animal Hospital, 425 N. Henry St., Alexandria, 22314. There is a parking lot behind VCA Old Town accessible from Princess Street.

    NOTE: This GWW exhibit will occur at the same time as, and independent of, another DRA GWW exhibit at VCA Alexandria, a different VCA location. The Paws and Kinship art exhibit is at VCA Old Town.

    Entry to this exhibit is by online submission. Art must be two-dimensional, and can be in any medium. We will not accept any pieces larger than 24" x 24" due to the physical limits of the wall space at VCA Old Town. Art should be ready to hang or display with wire and screw eyes, framed, matted, or with edges finished.  We cannot show work that is not ready for exhibition. Example of a professionally framed artwork with flat screw eyes and wire:

    If your artwork hanging system varies greatly from this example, contact the curators. See DelRayArtisans.org/exhibits/art-guidelines for additional details.

  • Entry Details

    • Open to Del Ray Artisans members only.
    • Artists may submit up to three (3) pieces of 2-dimensional artwork ready to hang. (3-D and free-standing artwork will not be accepted.)
    • There is no entry fee for this show.
    • Deadline for online submission of your art is Thursday, May 14, 2026 by midnight.
    • You must provide one photo for each entry. Acceptable file types are: pdf, jpg, jpeg, png, and gif; up to 5MB in file size. Smart phone photos are acceptable. You may also choose to provide one additional photograph per entry (not required). You must name your files as follows: "YourLastName-FirstName-ArtworkTitle". If you provide a second photo for an entry, add a "-2" to the end - e.g. "YourLastName-FirstName-ArtworkTitle-2".
    • All artwork must be original work and not a digital reproduction print. Photography, digital art, and hand-printed fine art prints (block prints, woodcuts, relief prints, mono prints, lithographs, intaglios, etchings, engravings, etc) are welcome for entry. Contact the curators for more information.
    • All artwork must be for sale.
    • Work previously shown at Del Ray Artisans gallery is eligible.
    • Artwork acceptance is at the curators' discretion. Final acceptance into the exhibit will happen when the curators view the artwork in person.

  • Accepted Artist Requirements

    • All taxes, including sales taxes upon sale of artwork, are the responsibility of the artist.
    • When art sells, Del Ray Artisans retains a 20% commission.
    • All artwork will be sold in a "cash and carry" arrangement.
    • Del Ray Artisans, VCA Old Town Animal Hospital, and the City of Alexandria cannot be held liable for any loss or damage to artwork at any time. Insurance for artwork is the sole responsibility of the artist.
    • Permission to photograph any artwork for Del Ray Artisans publicity and archival purposes is automatically granted by the artist as a requisite for entering the exhibit.
    • There are no volunteer requirements for this show.
    • Unsold artwork pickup will be by appointment on Monday, May 31, 2027 from 8am-4pm and Tuesday, June 1, 2027 from 12-6:30pm. No early pickup.
    • Del Ray Artisans cannot be held responsible for any artwork left after the pickup deadline. Artwork not picked up will be moved to Del Ray Artisans gallery and placed in the craft closet. The gallery has limited space and artwork could get lost, misplaced, or damaged. Any art left over 30 days after the close of the show will become the property of Del Ray Artisans.

  • Important Dates

    • Deadline for Digital Submissions is Thursday, May 14, 2026 by midnight.
    • Artists will be notified of artwork acceptance by Monday, May 25, 2025.
    • Artwork Receiving for accepted artwork will be by appointment on Monday, June 1, 8am-4pm and Tuesday, June 2, 12pm-6:30pm at the VCA Old Town Animal Hospital, 425 N Henry St, Alexandria, VA 22314 (parking accessible from Princess St). The curators will contact you to schedule your appointment.
    • The exhibit runs June 8, 2026 – May 29, 2027.
    • Unsold artwork pickup will be by appointment on Monday, May 31, 2027 from 8am-4pm and Tuesday, June 1, 2027 from 12-6:30pm.

  • Entry Form

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  • TIP: Your membership expiration date is shown on the mailing label of Del Ray Artisans exhibit postcards. If your membership has expired, please renew now.

  • Artwork Entries

    You may provide up to three (3) entries. 

    Please provide one photo for each entry.  Acceptable file types are:  pdf, jpg, jpeg, png,and gif; up to 5MB in file size.  Smart phone photos are acceptable.  You may also provide an additional photograph per entry if you wish (not required). 

    Please name your files as follows:  "YourLastName-FirstName-ArtworkTitle". If you provide a second photo for an entry, add a "-2" to the end - e.g. "YourLastName-FirstName-ArtworkTitle-2". If you need help with photo files, please email the Curating Director at Curating@DelRayArtisans.org 

    Any questions or concerns about this application, please contact the curators: Liz Martinez (GWW@DelRayArtisans.org) and Kathleen Everett (Kathleen.Everett@VCA.com).

  • Entry 1

  • Upload a File
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  • Entry 2

  • Upload a File
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  • Entry 3

  • Upload a File
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  • Terms and Conditions

    Carefully review all the terms and conditions in this Call for Entry; especially note the Accepted Artist Requirements section and Important Dates section. You must also check the following acknowledgements:


  • Special thanks to the City of Alexandria, Alexandria Commission for the Arts, and Virginia Commission for the Arts for their continued support of Del Ray Artisans, a 501(c)(3) organization.

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