Small Stones Festival of the Arts opened its Art Call on July 15 for submission of work. Calling all fine art artists and photographers to join the region’s finest painters, photographers, water colorists and other two-dimensional artists in the fifth year of the festival.

The Festival returns to the Great Hall at One Grafton Common Oct. 14 for an opening ceremony announcing this year’s winning artists. Five regional art organizations – Apple Tree Arts, The Worcester County Camera Club, the Blackstone Valley Art Association, Shakespeare Club of Grafton and Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra have collaborated to create a festival showcasing the art exhibition, artist and juror talks, music and literature programs.

Photography and all forms of two-dimensional artwork are welcomed, with a maximum of four entries per artist. The Art Call will remain open until midnight of the day, 500 entries are received. All artwork meeting acceptance criteria will be displayed online. Visit https://smallstonesfestival.org/ to submit artwork.

A distinguished panel of six jurors will select 144 works to appear in the exhibit and cash prize winners in fine arts and photography categories. Awards include first, second and third cash prize winners and juror’s choice (six awards). A popular choice award for each category will be voted by viewers online. Cash awards are $500 for first; $250 for second; and $100 for third place. The hardbound exhibition catalog will feature the juried artwork and will be sold online.

The fine art painting category is juried by Jo Ellen Reinhardt, accomplished portrait, still life and landscaper artist, a signature member of the Copley Society of Art and award-winning artist. Joining her is Susan Termyn, a well-known representational painter and elected artist of several art associations including the Lyme Art Association and Rockport Art Association and Museum. The third juror is William Pope, a devoted advocate for visual arts, music and art education and executive director and curator of the Zullo Gallery Center For the Arts, Medfield, MA.

The photography category includes esteemed professionals. Al Weems is a renowned fine art portraiture photographer whose work is widely exhibited and published. Lauren Szumita, an accomplished curator of the Fitchburg Art Museum, who also has worked in the curatorial department of prints, drawing and photography of the Worcester Art Museum joins him. Juror David DeMelim is the managing director of the Rhode Island Center for Photographic Arts and a well-known photographer whose work is often exhibited at the Newport Art Museum, Mystic Museum of Art and Fitchburg Art Museum.

  The Festival Chair Ken Crater of the Worcester County Camera Club is working with a committee of sixteen to offer a free festival slated to run Oct. 14 to 24 for the community featuring fine art, photography, music and literature programs at three locations – Apple Tree Arts at One Grafton Common, the newly expanded Grafton Public Library and the Congregational Church of Grafton.

The mission of the Small Stones Festival of the Arts is to elevate the practice and appreciation of fine art and photography in the Blackstone Valley and beyond. Grafton Arts Inc., a 501 (3) organization is the financial sponsor of the Festival.

The festival organizers appreciate the major donors of last year’s festival including the Cultural Councils of the towns of Grafton, Millbury, Northbridge, Shrewsbury and Westborough; Homefield Credit Union, The Town House Tavern, One Grafton Common; and Yesod Foundation, Inc. 

Sponsorships are available to help support the 2022 Small Stones Festival of the Arts. Please contact Chair Ken Crater at [email protected]. For more information, visit https://smallstonesfestival.org.