Art Calls Pro/Fuse Exhibition
Opportunity Description
International Deadline: May 21, 2026 – WMG invites women and non-binary artists to submit works that feature encaustic materials or techniques, either wholly or in part. Encaustic, derived from the Greek enkaustikos, meaning “to burn in” is a versatile medium traditionally made up of beeswax, damar resin, and pigment. Artists must incorporate hot wax methods, which involve heating and fusing layers with tools such as torches or heat.
Pro/Fuse Exhibition Dates: July 11 – August 15, 2026 at Woman Made Gallery, 1332 S. Halsted St., Chicago, IL 60607.
ELIGIBILITY
We welcome a wide range of artistic approaches exploring the luminosity, texture, translucency, and sculptural possibilities of wax. Both 2-D and 3-D works are eligible, including but not limited to: painting, sculpture, mixed media, assemblage, and experimental forms that highlight the expressive potential of encaustic.
All work must be the sole creation of the submitting artist. Collaborative works are accepted provided all artists meet eligibility criteria and are properly credited.
JUROR
Kathleen Waterloo received her BFA in 1996 from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Waterloo studied encaustic painting through their program at Oxbow in Saugatuck, Michigan in 1999 and has worked in this medium exclusively for over 25 years. Her work is represented in Chicago, Seattle, and Milwaukee.
ENTRY FEE
The entry fee is $30 per entry. Each entry requires a minimum of one artwork, though up to three artworks may be considered per submission. Entry fees are non-refundable.
Notification: May 30, 2026.
SALES
Accepted work may be listed for sale or be not for sale (NFS). WMG will retain a 40% commission on sold works. Work remains the property of the artist until sold. Sold artworks shall remain in the exhibition until the end of the exhibition. Artists will be paid no later than 30 days after the close of the exhibit.
About:
Woman Made Gallery is a tax-exempt, not-for-profit organization founded in 1992. Its goal is to cultivate, promote and support the work of female-identified artists by providing exhibition opportunities, professional development, and public programs that invite discussion about what feminism means today. More than 8,000 women artists have exhibited their work since WMG was established. WMG welcomes the participation of people of all gender expressions and orientations as artists and program participants, members and supporters.
Woman Made Gallery
1332 S. Halsted St.
Chicago, IL 60607
t: (312)-738-0400
