Edible: Botanical Art & Illustration

This exhibition features illustrations of edible plants. Submissions should include plants used directly for consumption such as vegetables, fruits, seeds, and mushrooms, as well as plants used as components of foods including spices, flavorings, and food colors. Less conventionally edible plants such as those traditionally considered weeds or not commonly known to be edible are welcome. Plants consumed for non-food purposes, such as those used as poisons or for psychoactive properties, will not be considered. The call extends only to plants that can be eaten by humans; plants for animal consumption are not included.

All media taught in the Denver Botanic Gardens' School of Botanical Art and Illustration are accepted, provided all artwork is original. Photography and digitally generated work will not be accepted, nor will giclée prints or offset lithographs. Each artist may submit up to three two-dimensional entries. If scale is included on the plate, only metric units are allowed. Digital files must be submitted as JPG files only, with a minimum of 1920 pixels on the longest side and 5.0 MB maximum. File names should include the artist's last name and title of artwork (e.g., Smith_Planta communis). Submissions are accepted from August 22nd through September 5th, 2016 at 11:59pm Mountain Daylight Time.

Upon acceptance, artists must submit matted artwork only without frames. Mats must be 4- or 8-ply white rag, fitting exactly into a 16" x 20" frame (interior measurement). Pieces must be matted with both a backing board and face mat, securely attached using hinging or photo corners. The jury will consist of Kim Manajek, Associate Director of Exhibitions, Art & Interpretation, and Mervi Hjelmroos-Koski, Manager of the School of Botanical Art & Illustration. Work will be judged according to standards of the media including composition, technical skills, and botanical accuracy, along with thematic relevance. While on site, artwork is insured by Denver Botanic Gardens. Images submitted may be used in catalogs or publicity in print or electronic form for the exhibition and for promotion before, during, and after its run.