On Display November 26 – December 21, 2025

In-Person Reception at Circle Gallery on December 4th from 6 – 8 PM

Virtual Awards Ceremony was November 30, 2025 from 4 – 5 PM via Zoom

Art on Display       Artists on Display       Watch the Virtual Awards Ceremony

Introducing Small Wonders 

Life is full of little things that can make a big impact. The little details come together to form a bigger picture, or in this case, an exhibition of small but wonderful works. This show is for artists who dream big but work small. Work is limited to under 11 inches in all directions, but there’s no limit on creativity or media. Maryland Federation of Art (MFA) invites all artists residing in any of the states or territories of the US, Canada, or Mexico to enter our 22nd annual Small Wonders exhibition. All original 2D or 3D work under 11 inches in all directions (including the frame and display!) and following exhibition guidelines will be considered. Works selected by the juror will be exhibited in MFA’s Circle Gallery from November 26 – December 21, 2025.

Click this icon to view and print the downloadable prospectus.

Juror: Dr. Elizabeth Nogrady: Chief Curator of the Leidan Collection in New York

As Curator of The Leiden Collection, Elizabeth Nogrady collaborates with institutions nationally and internationally, contributes to the scholarly Online Catalogue, and supports The Leiden Collection’s commitment to educational outreach. Elizabeth began studying Dutch seventeenth-century art as an undergraduate at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, NY and went on to receive an MA in art history from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a PhD from the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University. She has served as a fellow at the Morgan Library & Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and was a specialist in Old Master Paintings at Christie’s. Before coming to The Leiden Collection in 2023, she was the Andrew W. Mellon Curator of Academic Programs at Vassar’s Loeb Art Center.

Juror’s Statement

Maryland Federation of Art’s 2025 exhibition, Small Wonders, reveals how works of art created on an intimate scale to produce powerful reactions and deep emotions. I had the pleasure of reviewing the compelling entries for this show, which prompted me to contemplate the relationship between the sensation of awe and perceived size. We often associate wonder with vastness, such as that found in the ocean or the night sky. But this type of amazement can also occur when we notice the minute details of nature, small moments in daily life, or familiar materials seen in new ways. Time and again, artists’ powers of observation and their willingness to capture and share what they see remind us to slow down, look closely, and appreciate these occurrences. Creating a small work of art demands the same skill and creativity as a large one, as the technical prowess and diverse media featured in Small Wonders attest. Collectively, these works of art serve as a testament to the shared human desire to access wonder, as well as to the capacity of an artist’s vision to help us to experience this rarest of commodities.  

Awards

Awards designated by the juror total $1,000.

Best in Show

  • Layers of Time, photograph, Amy Evans

Juror’s Choice

  • Wander, hand-built porcelain sculpture mounted to custom walnut base, Elisabeth Running
  • In the Dark, linoleum printing and gouache, Jihae Kwon
  • The Collection, mixed media on panel, Karen Schulz

 Honorable Mention

  • Three Little Roses, oil on panel, Elizabeth Lee
  • An Infinite Mystery, digital print, Robert Hunter
  • Interlaced Spine, lead, steel rods and exposed and unexposed x-ray film, Warren Chambers
  • Composition No. 17, mixed media, Sandra Emme

Information for Accepted Artists

Exhibition Schedule

Exhibition Schedule:

  • Jul 22 Online Entry Opens for Submissions
  • Oct 1 Entry Deadline
  • Oct 30 Notification @ 5 PM
  • Nov 19 – 23 Accepted and Shipped Work Must Arrive at MFA Circle Gallery from 11 AM – 4 PM
  • Nov 26 Exhibition Opens
  • Nov 30 Virtual Awards Ceremony from 4 – 5 PM via Zoom
  • Dec 4 Reception at MFA Circle Gallery from 6– 8 PM
  • Dec 21 Last Day of the Exhibition
  • Dec 22 – 23, 27 – 30 Pick-up Hand-Delivered Work from 11 AM – 4 PM
  • Jan 8 Shipped Work Will Be Sent

NOTE: Should Circle Gallery or any other exhibition space be closed for reasons beyond our control, MFA reserves the right to move a planned physical exhibit to our online gallery.

Delivery and Shipping

Delivery

  • All work delivered to the gallery must have the following information affixed to the non-viewing side of the artwork:
    • Artist Name
    • Address, phone number, and email
    • Title of the work, medium, and price. Be specific with medium descriptions (e.g., oil on hardboard or canvas, not oil; chromogenic print or archival inkjet print, not photography or digital print; oil pastel on paper, not pastel; etc.)
  • Work must arrive on scheduled dates.
  • Paintings must be dry.
  • Measure to ensure work meets size limitations before delivery, include outer edges of frames. Work not in compliance with the exhibition guidelines and MFA’s General Guidelines will not be exhibited. No exceptions. Work delivered must correspond with the images submitted to the juror.
  • All shipped work must include a bar-coded shipping label. Do not send by United States Postal Service (USPS). We prefer UPS but accept FedEx. No shipping peanuts allowed.
  • Please affix packing/repacking instructions to OUTSIDE of the shipping box.
  • Tips on shipping can be viewed on the RedDotBlog

Pickup and Storage

Pickup and Storage

  • Work may not be removed from the exhibition early for any reason. Artists may pick up their work on the specified dates, or at 6 PM after the Closing Reception.
  • Unless previous arrangements have been made, work placed in storage after announced pickup dates will be subject to a fine of $10 per piece, per week. Work left in storage longer than two (2) weeks shall become MFA property and may be disposed of, or used for fundraising purposes. There are no exceptions.

Liability

Liability

All work will be handled with all possible care, but pieces submitted for the exhibition are at the artist’s risk. In the event of damage or theft, MFA will not be held liable. If insurance is desired, the artist must carry it.

Sales

Sales

  • All work entered into any exhibition must be for sale unless prior agreements are made, and marked either with a price or POR for Price On Request.
  • Artists will retain 70% from sales (75% for MFA Members). MFA will retain 30% commission (25% for MFA Members) on any work sold through MFA.
  • The sale of artwork is taxable and all sales tax processing will be handled by MFA.
  • Sold artwork requiring shipment will be handled by MFA with costs collected from the buyer. Buyers will be asked if the work may be retained until the exhibit ends. If the buyer disagrees, the Gallery will let the work go, and the artist will be informed.
  • MFA asks that artists donate 20% from any sale made through a direct referral from MFA within three months. All donations are used to help defray operating costs of the Maryland Federation of Art and are tax-deductible by the artists to the full extent of the law.

Notification

All entrants will receive notification by email. Accepted artists will also be posted on MFA’s website. Artists who have unsubscribed from MFA emails will not receive notification. The notice to accepted artists will include specific details and could vary from the prospectus. Please set your email account to recognize amani@mdfedart.org and info@mdfedart.org. Contact Circle Gallery if you do not receive notice by 6 PM on the day of notification.