OGPC group exhibitions are intended to highlight, support and promote printmaking by members; to present works aligned with a selected theme or technique; to introduce viewers to new works; and to include as many member artists as possible.
Here is how members can participate in OGPC shows at the Connective Gallery or outside venues.
Submitting to a call
Upcoming shows are announced several weeks in advance to allow members time to make prints. Announcements are included in the monthly newsletter and formal calls for submission are emailed to members about 6 weeks prior to the show. The call includes information regarding the theme, curator, dates, and a link to the electronic submission form that participants must complete. In addition, participants are asked to email images of their works to connectivegallery at gmail.com for use in publicity. The images must be of good quality (without distortions, reflections, or shadows), approximately 3.5 x 3.5 in. (1024 x 1024 px) and 300 dpi. The image file size should be between 0.5 MB and 1MB. The image must be labelled as follows: artist’s name_ artwork title_medium.
Terms and Conditions of Exhibit Participation
General Rules:
- You must be an Ottawa-Gatineau Printmakers Connective member in good standing.
- Registration including images must be submitted electronically via email to connectivegallery at gmail.com (see paragraph above regarding image size needed for submission)
- Prints must be framed in a professional manner as indicated below.
- Only prints submitted and delivered by the date and time specified will be considered for hanging.
- No artwork tags will be modified on the date of hanging.
- The guest curator reserves the right to cull work. The intent of exhibitions is to highlight and support the presentation of work previously unseen that is aligned with the themes and include as many member printmakers as possible.
- The OGPC Gallery does not accept digital prints, prints that infringe on copyright laws or prints not appropriate for the general public.
- Members hanging in the gallery agree to volunteer time to the OGPC gallery or other OGPC activities.
- Neither the OGPC nor the Nepean Creative Arts Centre is responsible for any loss and/or damage to artwork. Insurance of the artwork is the artist’s responsibility.
- Members are responsible for conducting any sale. See selling your artwork below.
- Artwork must be retrieved by the artist or his/her designate at the take down date and time. Please inform the guest curator if someone else will be picking up your work.
- The artist agrees that artwork photos submitted, and photos of artworks hung in the Printmakers Gallery may be used by the OGPC for archival and promotional purposes this includes brochures, posters, social media and the OGPC website.
Framing & Presentation
Whether installing exhibitions at the Nepean Creative Arts Centre or in other spaces, the OGPC has specific requirements for framing that ensure both the safety of visitors and the integrity of walls, hanging materials and the artworks themselves. The OGPC has the privilege of using a community gallery in the NCAC, which has a specialized hanging system. The following framing rules apply for all OGPC exhibitions.
The presentation of prints in a frame or mounted differently must look professional. Prints must be framed under glass or Plexiglas ̶ except for mounted prints (see Rules below) ̶ in a professional manner with hanging wire. The hanging wires must be securely attached with D-rings or the Deserres alternative, or, for metal frames, hanging wire mounts (see images). For safety during hanging, coated wire is preferred; if not coated, the ends must be taped. Clearly label the framed artwork on the back with the artist’s name, title, medium, price, and contact information (see image below).
Additional Rules for Mounted Prints (prints glue-mounted to wood panel or woodblock or canvas):
- Print must be over-coated with a sealer or lacquer;
- If the wood block , cradle board or canvas is 1.5 in. deep, the piece may be hung unframed, but it must have the edges neatly painted in black or other appropriate colour;
- Thinner blocks must be framed (like a painting).
Selling your work
If someone is interested in buying your work from the OGPC Gallery, they will contact you directly. You must handle the sale of your own artwork. Artwork must not leave the gallery wall until the exhibition closing date. Once a work is sold, you must inform the OGPC by email, at connectivegallery at gmail.com (the same email that sent the call). You will then be contacted by the treasurer, who will collect the commission amount of 15%, which is donated to an art charity of the memberships’ voted choice (For 2022 it is the OSA’s Leonard Gerbrandt scholarship). The gallery secretary will use data on sales for the annual report to the City of Ottawa, which provides the gallery space. .