MISSION STATEMENT:
The International Roots Art Project connects nature, women, and art—bringing together women artists from diverse backgrounds, including trans women, femme/feminine-identifying genderqueer individuals, and non-binary artists. Our collective focus rests on the intrinsic beauty of the natural world and the imperative need to safeguard our environment.
We celebrate the profound symbolism of trees, delving into the intricate tapestry of their roots that mirror the interconnectedness of all life forms. Just as roots anchor a tree, binding it to the earth, so too do they bind us—to our shared humanity, our ancestral legacies, the embrace of our families, and the journeys of migration that define us.
The International Roots Art Project is a platform for connection and advocacy. Through our art, we amplify our voices, weaving a narrative that transcends borders and foments social change.
CALL FOR ART:
The Roots International Art Project seeks diverse artwork in all media from self-identified women and nonbinary artists whose art inspired by the natural world, our shared planet. We are particularly interested in, but not limited to, art that focuses on trees, their roots, and the interconnectedness of all living things. That can include works that focus on our connections with each other, no matter where we live. We are committed to amplifying a wide variety of voices and viewpoints. Artwork acceptance and inclusion to this global art community will be moderated by Marguerite Elliot and Elizabeth Addison, San Francisco Bay Area visual artists and The Roots International Art Project creators.
SUBMIT YOUR ARTWORK
EXTENDED! Deadline for Entry: Wednesday, Monday, July 1, 2024, 12 midnight, Pacific Time
Notification: Wednesday, July 31, 2024
Media Accepted: Painting, drawing, mixed-media, printmaking, collage, public art, sculpture, ceramics, video, assemblage, digital art, installation, performance, poetry, writing, music, and sound.
Artwork Statements: We require a short paragraph about your submitted artwork, between 150 -200 words. Please include insights into how your creative practice/life relates to The Roots Project, as well.
Image Specifications:
Maximum size: Up to 10 mb, maximum file size. Minimum size on shortest image side: 1200 px
Title your images as follows: Lastname_Firstname_Title_h x w x d in_year.jpg (sample: Elliot_Marguerite_Medusa Tree I_72 x 48 x 48 in_2023.jpg)
Formats accepted: .jpg (300dpi), word doc, google doc, .pdf, or video URL.
By submitting your digital images, you permit The International Roots Project to reproduce and print the artwork for marketing, events, catalog, and exhibitions
You may submit up to 3 images with 3 individual submissions.
EXTENDED! Submission deadline: Monday, July 1, 2024, 12 midnight, Pacific Time
Inquries? Contact project creators/facilitators:
Marguerite Elliot and Elizabeth Addison at: internationalrootsproject@gmail.com
MEET THE PROJECT’S CO-FOUNDERS:
Marguerite Elliot / Founder
Marguerite Elliot is a sculptor based in the San Francisco Bay Area with a strong background in feminist, environmental, social justice, and nuclear disarmament issues. She holds a B.A. from Pitzer College and has taught at institutions including Otis College of Art and Design and the Los Angeles Woman’s Building.
Elliot played a pivotal role in the feminist art movement in Los Angeles during the 1970s-1980s. Her work, archived at the Getty Museum, reflected her dedication to addressing societal issues through public installations and performances.
Despite the traditionally male-dominated field, Elliot became a hard-core welder, expressing her love for working with steel. She is recognized for creating large-scale public art with a focus on environmental concerns. Her sculptures can be found in sculpture parks in Finland, Denmark, France, Ireland, as well as in New York, Nevada, and California.
Marguerite Elliot has been awarded seven artist residencies in Europe and the United States. Her work has been showcased in numerous solo and group exhibitions in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York City.
Elizabeth Addison / Co-Director
Elizabeth Addison is a visual artist, curator, and educator whose works are included in numerous private and public collections. Her practice encompasses printmaking, dimensional mixed media, digital art, and immersive installation.
Elizabeth daily records images on her walks transforming them into Mandalas of ‘the one… the universe.’ Her work ranges from examining California’s waterways, native flora, and environmental equity to pondering consistency in nature’s forms and the cosmos. Elizabeth has exhibited throughout the West Coast and nationally.
Elizabeth has been a NCWCA member since 2014. She is an Artist-in-Residence at Kala Art Institute, Creative Director of the Bay Area Women Artists’ Legacy Project, an EcoArtSpace member and a Women Eco Artists Dialog (WEAD) member. She has a BA from Northwestern University and an MFA from John F. Kennedy University.
Born in Chicago, Elizabeth has lived on both coasts and has resided in Berkeley, California permanently since 1990. She spends as much time as possible in nature and visits the Smith River (California’s last wild river at the Oregon border) each summer with her family.
ARTIST DIRECTORY
Get in touch: internationalrootsproject@gmail.com