Artist info:
In & Out of Balance
Exhibition Dates 10/29/26 - 11/22/26
Deadline: 9/28/26
Opening Reception: 10/30/26 Fri, 6-8p
Meet The Artists Sundays: 11/8/26, 3-5p
Closing Reception Sunday: 11/22/26 4-6p
We invite you to submit work for consideration in our Drawing Rooms exhibit,
”In & Out of Balance”.
“In & Out of Balance” asks us to consider how visual weight, tension, and spatial harmony are managed within a work of art. Off-balanced works may predominantly be unsymmetrical, yet still maintain a sense of symmetry in part of the composition, or not. Symmetrical works mirror equal arrangements to create a sense of calm, order and stability. Within those works there may still be an element that is off balance, or it may be asymmetrical with unequal elements holding equal visual weight through clever use of color, size and negative space. Works may contain elements that radiate outward from a central focal point or axis in a balanced or unbalanced way. Deliberate weight shifts that make a piece feel precarious or unstable create visual tension. Off center focal points or clashing color values may create a sense of unease or energy that disrupt the expected composition. A sculpture may look like it might tip over, forcing the viewer to feel the risk of it being physically risky. Balanced works feel harmonious, anchored, stable, mirrored, poised, rhythmic and equitable. Unbalanced works may feel unstable, perilous, shaky, uncertain, fractured, tenuous, weighted or restless.
Many well-known artists deal with these ideas in their works including Richard Serra’s “Strike: To Roberta and Rudy”, Malevich’s “Self Portrait in Two Dimensions”, Andy Goldsworthy’s “Balance”, Tom Stodgon’s “Sandstone Overlap”, Piet Mondrian’s “Composition II in Red, Blue and Yellow”, Helen Frankenthaler’s “Mountains and Sea”, Agnes Martin’s “The Islands”, Sarah Sze’s “Triple Point (Pendulum)”, Wangechi Mutu’s “The Bride Who Married a Camel's Nose”, Cecily Brown’s “Black Painting 2”, Amy Sillman’s “The Elephant in the Room”, and others.
Acceptable media for this exhibition includes painting, drawing, printmaking, collage, photography, sculpture or any other fine art medium.
In keeping with our love of music, we couldn’t agree on a song about the theme of balance, so we scrapped that idea and decided to honor Dolly Parton. Of course we both love “Jolene”, and we also love “Here You Come Again.” When we looked through her songs the closest one that dealt with balance is “Halos and Horns”.
“Halos and horns, sinners and saints,
We're praised or we're scorned, we either run or we faint
Oh, but life is a challenge from the day that we're born
Just tryin' to balance halos and horns
It's heaven or hell, halos or horns”
ACCEPTABLE WORKS
Size: No size limit on dropped-off artwork.
Media: painting or drawing on paper, canvas, or other media; collage or textiles, photography, prints, sculpture.
Works must be original. No AI or reproductions of original works.
All works in the exhibit must be for sale with 60% to artists and 40% to Drawing Rooms.
Submissions Due 9/28/26
ARTIST NOTIFICATION 10/02/26
Please remember to check your spam and promotions folder. If you haven't received a notification by 10/04/26, please check the status of your submission in CAFE. Accepted works will be listed as "invited."
DROP OFF
Fri 10/16/26, 5-7p, Sat, 10/17/26, 2-5p, Sun 10/18/26 3-5p
Mail in
Must ARRIVE by Monday, 10/19/26
SHIPPING REQUIREMENTS
2D: Unframed 18” x 24” or less, works on paper or panel/canvas may be mailed in and must fit in a padded or cardboard shipping envelope, (stay flat photo envelope / rigid mailer), or a strong tube, and you MUST include a return label or postage.
Framed works follow same rules. We discourage boxes, unless simply and neatly packed using acceptable materials: bubble wrap, paper, foam board (no 'peanut filler'). Send to the Drawing Rooms location listed.
3D: Please pack well in a box 30" x 36" x 36" or less. Work not packed well may be rejected. (Drop-off preferred)
EXHIBITION LOCATION
Drawing Rooms
926 Newark Ave. T101
Jersey City NJ, 07306
Closest PATH stop is Journal Sq
Free parking lot. Entrance is on Newark Avenue.
Drivers: turn into Mana/Topps building driveway.
PICKUP
Sun, 11/22/26 6-7p, Mon, 11/23/26 4-7p
Tues 11/24/2026
MAIL BACK
Starts Mon, 11/23/26
Drawing Rooms art gallery at the Mana Contemporary complex in Jersey City is a project of Victory Hall Inc., a 501(c)3 non-profit organization producing exhibitions, programs, and public art projects in the NJ/NY area with a national and international reach since 2001. www.drawingrooms.org
EXHIBITION LOCATION
Drawing Rooms
926 Newark Ave. T101
Jersey City NJ, 07306
Closest PATH stop is Journal Sq
Free parking lot. Entrance is on Newark Avenue.
Drivers: turn into Mana/Topps building driveway.
Meet The Artists Sundays: 11/8/26, 3-5p
Closing Reception Sunday: 11/22/26 4-6p
We invite you to submit work for consideration in our Drawing Rooms exhibit,
”In & Out of Balance”.
“In & Out of Balance” asks us to consider how visual weight, tension, and spatial harmony are managed within a work of art. Off-balanced works may predominantly be unsymmetrical, yet still maintain a sense of symmetry in part of the composition, or not. Symmetrical works mirror equal arrangements to create a sense of calm, order and stability. Within those works there may still be an element that is off balance, or it may be asymmetrical with unequal elements holding equal visual weight through clever use of color, size and negative space. Works may contain elements that radiate outward from a central focal point or axis in a balanced or unbalanced way. Deliberate weight shifts that make a piece feel precarious or unstable create visual tension. Off center focal points or clashing color values may create a sense of unease or energy that disrupt the expected composition. A sculpture may look like it might tip over, forcing the viewer to feel the risk of it being physically risky. Balanced works feel harmonious, anchored, stable, mirrored, poised, rhythmic and equitable. Unbalanced works may feel unstable, perilous, shaky, uncertain, fractured, tenuous, weighted or restless.
Many well-known artists deal with these ideas in their works including Richard Serra’s “Strike: To Roberta and Rudy”, Malevich’s “Self Portrait in Two Dimensions”, Andy Goldsworthy’s “Balance”, Tom Stodgon’s “Sandstone Overlap”, Piet Mondrian’s “Composition II in Red, Blue and Yellow”, Helen Frankenthaler’s “Mountains and Sea”, Agnes Martin’s “The Islands”, Sarah Sze’s “Triple Point (Pendulum)”, Wangechi Mutu’s “The Bride Who Married a Camel's Nose”, Cecily Brown’s “Black Painting 2”, Amy Sillman’s “The Elephant in the Room”, and others.
Acceptable media for this exhibition includes painting, drawing, printmaking, collage, photography, sculpture or any other fine art medium.
In keeping with our love of music, we couldn’t agree on a song about the theme of balance, so we scrapped that idea and decided to honor Dolly Parton. Of course we both love “Jolene”, and we also love “Here You Come Again.” When we looked through her songs the closest one that dealt with balance is “Halos and Horns”.
“Halos and horns, sinners and saints,
We're praised or we're scorned, we either run or we faint
Oh, but life is a challenge from the day that we're born
Just tryin' to balance halos and horns
It's heaven or hell, halos or horns”
ACCEPTABLE WORKS
Size: No size limit on dropped-off artwork.
Media: painting or drawing on paper, canvas, or other media; collage or textiles, photography, prints, sculpture.
Works must be original. No AI or reproductions of original works.
All works in the exhibit must be for sale with 60% to artists and 40% to Drawing Rooms.
Submissions Due 9/28/26
ARTIST NOTIFICATION 10/02/26
Please remember to check your spam and promotions folder. If you haven't received a notification by 10/04/26, please check the status of your submission in CAFE. Accepted works will be listed as "invited."
DROP OFF
Fri 10/16/26, 5-7p, Sat, 10/17/26, 2-5p, Sun 10/18/26 3-5p
Mail in
Must ARRIVE by Monday, 10/19/26
SHIPPING REQUIREMENTS
2D: Unframed 18” x 24” or less, works on paper or panel/canvas may be mailed in and must fit in a padded or cardboard shipping envelope, (stay flat photo envelope / rigid mailer), or a strong tube, and you MUST include a return label or postage.
Framed works follow same rules. We discourage boxes, unless simply and neatly packed using acceptable materials: bubble wrap, paper, foam board (no 'peanut filler'). Send to the Drawing Rooms location listed.
3D: Please pack well in a box 30" x 36" x 36" or less. Work not packed well may be rejected. (Drop-off preferred)
EXHIBITION LOCATION
Drawing Rooms
926 Newark Ave. T101
Jersey City NJ, 07306
Closest PATH stop is Journal Sq
Free parking lot. Entrance is on Newark Avenue.
Drivers: turn into Mana/Topps building driveway.
PICKUP
Sun, 11/22/26 6-7p, Mon, 11/23/26 4-7p
Tues 11/24/2026
MAIL BACK
Starts Mon, 11/23/26
Drawing Rooms art gallery at the Mana Contemporary complex in Jersey City is a project of Victory Hall Inc., a 501(c)3 non-profit organization producing exhibitions, programs, and public art projects in the NJ/NY area with a national and international reach since 2001. www.drawingrooms.org
EXHIBITION LOCATION
Drawing Rooms
926 Newark Ave. T101
Jersey City NJ, 07306
Closest PATH stop is Journal Sq
Free parking lot. Entrance is on Newark Avenue.
Drivers: turn into Mana/Topps building driveway.
