On Display October 25 – November 25, 2023

The Virtual Awards Ceremony will be held October 29, 2023 from 4 – 5 PM via Zoom

The Closing Reception will be at Circle Gallery on November 25, 2023 from 4 – 6 PM

Notification was made September 13, 2023

View Notification Gallery

Introducing Stokes of Genius 

A painter creates with head, heart, and hand. The sweep and flow of the brush in that hand conveys all that is in the head and heart of the artist and physical power and emotional tenderness are transmitted to paper and canvas. The brushstroke becomes the artist’s voice and communicates with the viewer throughout time. Maryland Federation of Art (MFA) invites all artists residing in any of the states or territories of the US, Canada, and Mexico to enter our 12th annual all-painting competition, Strokes of Genius. All original 2D work created through any painting media (oil, pastel, acrylic, watercolor, encaustic, etc.) and following entry guidelines will be considered. Works selected by the juror will be exhibited in MFA’s Circle Gallery from October 25 – November 25, 2023. Exhibition Chair: Nichole Leavy.

Click this icon to view and print the downloadable prospectus.

Juror: Mark Karnes, Professor of Drawing and Painting at the Maryland Institute College of Art 

Mark Karnes received his MFA in painting from Yale University in 1972 and his BFA in painting from Philadelphia College of Art. He has received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Maryland State Arts Council as well as a Fulbright-Hayes grant for study in Florence, Italy. His work has been widely exhibited both nationally and internationally and can be found in numerous private and museum collections, including the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C. Karnes lives in Baltimore, MD, where he has taught drawing and painting at Maryland Institute College of Art since 1974. See his work and learn more at markekarnes.com.

Juror’s Statement

*coming soon.

Awards

*coming soon.

*Award contributors and recipients will also be listed in the exhibition catalog.

Information for Accepted Artists

Exhibition Schedule

Exhibition Schedule:

  • Jul 5 Online Entry Opens for Submissions
  • Aug 16 Entry Deadline
  • Sept 13 Notification @ 5 PM
  • Oct 18 – 21 Accepted and Shipped Work Must Arrive at MFA Circle Gallery
  • Oct 25 Exhibition Opens
  • Oct 29 Virtual Awards Ceremony from 4 – 5 PM via Zoom
  • Nov 25 Last Day of the Exhibition; Closing Reception at MFA Circle Gallery from 4 – 6 PM
  • Nov 26 –  27 Pick-up Hand-Delivered Work from 11 AM – 4 PM
  • Nov 27 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

  • When the exhibit ends, unless specified otherwise, you may pick up your work no earlier than 6:00 PM on the closing day of the exhibit.
  • 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 be sent notice by email. 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. A list of accepted artists and artwork will also be posted on MFA’s website. Please set your email account to recognize notification@mdfedart.org and info@mdfedart.org. Contact Circle Gallery if you do not receive notice by 5 PM on the day of notification.