Thinking Through Tapestry

Thinking Through Tapestry is a juried exhibition featuring work that celebrates, explores, and builds upon specialized techniques often associated with tapestry. The exhibition invites artists to submit work exploring discontinuous weft-faced woven processes rooted in tapestry techniques such as wedge weave, pulled tapestry, the use of hachures, or other structures such as H.V. (Handarbetets Vänner also known as Theo Moorman technique). The exhibition seeks to highlight work illustrating the close relationship between tapestry weaving, drawing, painting, and sculpture. Experimentation and inclusion of additional materials (such as clay, steel, or wood) are encouraged and welcome; however, the majority of the submitted work must incorporate mostly handwoven work.

The jurors for the exhibition are Emily Silver and Erin M. Riley. Emily lives and works in Los Angeles and is on the faculty at Santa Monica College in the Sculpture Department and the Director/Curator of the Pete and Susan Barrett Gallery. Erin M. Riley is a Brooklyn-based artist whose work focuses on women and women's issues primarily in hand-woven, hand-dyed wool tapestries. Two awards will be given: the First-place Teitelbaum Award for technical proficiency in tapestry weaving with a monetary award of $300, and the Second-place Teitelbaum Award with a monetary award of $200.

Applicants may submit up to three works for consideration and must provide a total of 6 images (1 overview, 1 detail of each work), artist statement related to the work submitted, artist biography (3-4 sentences), title, media, size, and year completed for each work submitted, and contact information. Entry fees are $45 for ATA members and $70 for non-members. The exhibition will be held at Evanston Arts Center from May 31-June 28, 2026, with an opening on the first Sunday from 1-4 pm. A catalog will accompany the exhibition.