Notification will be made November 20, 2025

On Display Virtually December 15, 2025 – January 31, 2026.

Awards will be announced onJ anuary 6, 2026.

Introducing In Contrast

Contrast is a dynamic force in artistic expression, shaping perception, guiding emotion, and commanding attention. Whether through striking juxtapositions of light and dark, bold complementary hues, or the interplay of texture and form, contrast heightens impact and deepens meaning. It is a tool that artists have long used to create tension, harmony, and visual intrigue.

From the stark chiaroscuro of the Baroque to the electrifying oppositions in Fauvist color, contrast has played a defining role in art history. Op Art relies on optical contrast to create movement, while contemporary artists push boundaries by manipulating digital and material contrasts to challenge perception and provoke thought. In fashion and design, contrast is a marker of sophistication, think the enduring elegance of black and white or the rebellious clash of punk aesthetics. This exhibition explores contrast in its many forms, color, light, texture, subject, and concept. We invite artists working in all mediums to submit works that harness contrast as a powerful tool of artistic expression.

Any original 2D or 3D work that follows our exhibition guidelines will be considered. This includes works selected by the juror which will be exhibited in Maryland Federation of Art’s (MFA) first In Contrast Exhibition through our Virtual Gallery from December 15, 2025 – January 31, 2026.

Click this icon to view and print the downloadable prospectus.

Juror: Marcie Cooperman: Professor in the Fashion Dept. at Parsons School of Design

Marcie has a multidisciplinary career in the areas of fashion design and academia, authorship (Color: How to Use It, Pearson 2014), color theory, interior design, and fine art. She teaches Fashion Marketing, Fashion Merchandising, Social Commerce, Entrepreneurship and Color Theory classes at Parsons School of Design, and has also been a Professor of Color Theory at Pratt Institute of Design. She also teaches fashion design and fashion marketing in China at several pre-college design schools.

Marcie’s Fashion Design degree, her Stern MBA and eponymous knitwear business afford Marcie a well-rounded fashion business perspective. Marcie also owns Fresh Interiors, a bespoke interior design business, offering soup-to-nut services.

You can find Marcie Cooperman online by Googling “Color Theory expert professor”.

Juror’s Statement

To be published with the awards on January 6, 2026.

Awards

Awards designated by the juror total $500.

Information for Accepted Artists

Exhibition Schedule

Exhibition Schedule:

  • Aug 19 Online Entry Opens for Submissions
  • Oct 22 Entry Deadline
  • Nov 20 Notification @ 5 PM
  • Dec 15 Exhibition Opens
  • Jan 6 Awards Announced @ 5 PM
  • Jan 31 Last Day of the Exhibition

Liability

Liability

MFA shall not be liable for any special or consequential damages that result from the use of, or inability to use, MFA’s virtual exhibition gallery.

Sales

Sales

  • MFA’s Virtual Sales Gallery is provided to North American artists to sell their work. Only artists in the 48 contiguous United States may set a price. MFA will reimburse up to $35 in shipping costs to those artists for online sales shipments if a receipt is provided. All other artists must enter Price on Request (POR) and purchase inquiries will be referred by MFA to the artist.
  • Artists will retain 80% from sales (85% for MFA Members). MFA will retain 20% commission (15% 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. Artists will be responsible for fulfillment of sales.
  • 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 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.