Jury Guidelines for Best of the Northwest Shows

Your work will be judged on the following four criteria: 

1. Artistic Vision 

   • Do you as an artist have a clear subject matter or style? 

   • Is there a vision or story told in the presented work? 

   • Is the body of work cohesive? 

   • Your artist statement serves as a resource to jurors as to your vision of your work. 

2. Mastery of Technique 

   • Does the work present high-quality craftsmanship, mastery and skill? 

   • Are materials used in a skillful way? 

   • Your artist statement can serve as a resource for information regarding your process, additional skills that you use that may not be easily discerned in the photos, that you may want to have factored into your score. Please keep your artist statement to 2 paragraphs, maximum. Please check spelling and grammar! This will be presented to the public.  

3. Originality 

   • Does your work show something new, emerging or cutting edge? 

   • Is your technique new or developed in practice? 

   • Are you using a traditional technique in a new or unusual way? 

   • Is your work contributing to the advancement of its field? 

4. Professionalism / Viability 

   • Have you presented yourself professionally while communicating with others? Does your booth shot portray you as a professional artist? Check the lighting and do not have customers in your booth 

Booth Shot: 

 NWAA asks for an image of your booth for the following reasons: 

• To see the continuity / cohesiveness of your work 

• To ensure your art is displayed tastefully 

• To make sure the presentation is clean and not cluttered 

• To get a sense of the space and presentation you are bringing to the show 

View an NWAA produced video with tips to help take a better booth show HERE

Jury Guidelines Per Medium: 

Jury Guidelines for Fiber- 

•  Silk Painted pieces – well drawn outlines, no intentional bleeds, finished edges as appropriate for the piece 

• Shibori / hand painted / hand printed – clear evidence of expertise in technique, texture should be precise (not just wrinkled), finished edges as appropriate for the piece 

• Felting – pieces should be fulled, not fuzzy, edging is finished purposefully for the piece 

• Applique / Knit / Crochet / Embroidery – stitching should be intentional, edges finished appropriately 

• Clothing – should demonstrate skill in draping and fitting, with well crafted details in sleeves, collar, lapels, etc., and edges finished as appropriate to the piece. 

• Weaving – weaving and woven patterns should be visible, edges finished as appropriate. 

Jury Guidelines for Glass- 

• Flat glass – curves should be smooth, straight pieces actually straight, mosaic shapes should be regular or intentional. 

• Stained glass – an absence of fragile shapes, with support pieces and construction lines worked into the design rather than standing out / distracting from the design. Soldering should be smooth, grout should be level and smooth edged. 

• Warm glass (fusing, slumping) – edges should be intentional, smooth, regular edges of consisten thickness. Multiple layers should demonstrate knowledge and control of the process. Bubbles should be minimal or worked into the design. 

• Hot glass (blown, cast) – pieces should be centered, even, flowing, without heavy bases. 

• Lampworking – beads should be balanced and show a buildup of layers. Sculptures should be well balanced 

• Coldworking (grinding, etching, sandblasting, faceting) – these processes are commonly combined with the above processes and should be judged by the criteria for that process. 

Jury Guidelines for Jewelry- 

 Jewelry as a medium is extremely competitive and NWAA has not yet developed specific criteria. The following are for general guidance: 

• Must be designed and made by the artist (no reproductions) 

• Items displayed must be the same quality as shown in the juried images 

• Commercial components (beads, stones, etc) simply strung or assembled will not be considered (Bead weaving is an exception to this guideline) 

• No more than 50% of the finished piece may consist of commercial findings. The major impact of the piece must be the original work of the artist. 

Jury Guidelines for Photography- 

•  Subject of the piece should be obvious 

• The observer’s eye should be drawn across the image to the subject 

• Focus should be used as an effective tool (either sharp focus or deliberate out-of-focus) 

• Light and shadow should add to the artistry of the photograph 

• Contrast (light and shadow) should add to the effect of the image 

• Composition should be uncluttered and without distraction, with each element serving a purpose in the composition as a whole. 

Jury Guidelines for Wood- 

•  Design – only original or reproductions of vintage designs should be considered. Pieces may be expressive, decorative or functional, and should reflect technical fluency, integrity of intent and a sense of personal vision 

• Technique – finishes should be high quality, at least equal to fine interior furniture. Attentions should be paid to all surfaces, including the back, bottom and interior. Hardware should be well installed. Construction should be of best quality. 

• The piece should show the maker’s spirit and individuality of design. 

• Elements that should not be accepted include poorly sanded surfaces, tear-out, poorly applied finishes, visible brush strokes, surface imperfections, overly glossy finishes, low quality hardware, open joints, visible fillers, machine tool burn marks, general lack of care.