THAWWW: CALL FOR ART

Presented by The Yards Art Collective and Hungwell Art Services

On display March 1st - March 30th, 2025

THAWW is an annual exhibition that celebrates the things we make while we rest.

This is a call for works in any medium that speak to the prompt.  The goal of The Yards Art Collective and Hungwell Art Services is to usher in spring again by putting up and putting away the winter. 

Prompt:

“Rejoice, and men will seek you;

Grieve, and they turn and go;

They want full measure of all your pleasure,

But they do not need your woe.”

                           - Ella Wheeler Wilcox

THAWWW gathers our woes.

It is the exhibition where we stop pretending that it isn’t hard. We collect  works that acknowledge we are all doing our best.  It is a space to make room for everyone in our community, in order to celebrate our most honest and imperfect form. 

This annual exhibition gathers works that explore the more difficult aspects of being an artist.  We frame this idea through the shared experience of winter.  THAWWW  is about the isolation of the cold gray months, The things we make when we turn inward and the works that grow from rest. 

CALL FOR ART IS OPEN!

Details

Artists are invited to submit up to three works in any medium and any scale by completing a google form. The application fee is due by February 9th.   

Fee

$25.00 for non-Yards member for up to 3 images 

$20.00 for Yards members for up to 3 images

Artists are encouraged to think creatively in regard to the prompt.  We are considering works in any medium, however works with video or installation components may be required to provide their own equipment. 

Please direct any questions about the exhibition to hungwellartservices@gmail.com

Timeline

        +All Submissions due by February 9th.

        +Artist informed by February 13th

        +Art works drop off and delivery by March 1st

        +Exhibition Opening and Reception March 7th

        +Exhibition Hangs till March 30th

Jury

We are giving out  awards of $100 a piece in four categories. This is a show juried by the patrons.  Admission is free. Viewers are asked to use their smart enabled device to vote on the work that speaks to them most in the following categories, meant to honor the memory of four people.

Awards

The George Parrino Award for Excellence in Craft

George was a person who looked for bravery and draftsmanship. He loved precision. He loved boldness.  As a Professor he pushed artists to grow in scale and challenge the boundaries of their own perceived capability.   

The Tom Van Buren Award for Creativity 

Tom was a punk with a chaotic creative energy that poured out.  He made art that was loud and imaginative. Everything he drew was a new idea and his output was prolific. 

The Miriam Castillo Award for Vibes

Miriam was known by her family and friends for her perseverance and calm.  Miriam channeled art as an escape and surrounded her home with gorgeous portraits, landscapes and seascapes of the people and places that she loved.  

And introducing…

The Nancy Taylor Award for Rochester

Nancy was a mother, grandmother, wife and self made woman who built her life and livelihood in Rochester along with her husband Richard.  This award is meant to honor works that honor Rochester and the people who make it great.

Curation

THAWWW is curated this year by four emerging artists, award winning creators and curators from our area representing a variety of disciplines.

Abby Lupi is an interdisciplinary resident artist at Muck Duck Studio. After studying physics at RIT, Abby fell in love with the vibrant art community of Rochester. Data analyst by day, they spend their evenings exploring acrylic painting, poetry, photography, and whatever sparks their interest. A performer in burlesque, drag, and former vocalist for The Patrick Jaouen Band, Abby brings the same energy to community building. They spotlight events by local businesses and creatives on Instagram at @roc_happenings and share their artistic journey at @abbylupi.

Rivkah Simcha (she/they) is a New York City-born artist based in Rochester, New York. She uses ink, collage, and assemblage to explore the themes of death, grief, and transformation. Her art practice has been influenced by her training in expressive arts therapy at the European Graduate School in Saas-Fee, Switzerland, where she studied the facilitation of intermodal community arts experiences. As a performer in the avant-garde theater troupe The Velvet Noose, Rivkah has exhibited artwork throughout the Rochester area.. Rivkah is currently an artist-in-residence in Printmaking and Book Arts at Flower City Arts Center. 

Nick Koch is a street photographer and retired zamboni driver who captures life in motion. Nick shoots what and who’s outside.  From a background in car photography Nick has developed an investigative eye. He documents events, art movements and gatherings around the Rochester area, posting them under his moniker rocstreetphoto. He has developed a practice of  investigative photography, capturing candid shots of street culture and life in our area.  He recently developed and presented in its second year, the exhibition Thanks to the Streets with Frank’s Chop Shop.

Matt Vanderlee is an artist, curator and New York State certified  educator practicing in Rochester, New York. At this time he creates artwork, facilitates art programming, writes about art, talks about art and curates art shows with a variety of local organizations that include but are not limited to The Yards Art Collective, The Artist Collaborative  and Frank’s Chop Shop. He developed the THAWW series in 2023 and is the owner of the semi-satirical company Hungwell Art Services.