Application for “Transformations”: an OPA Exhibition at Waterstone Gallery

CALL FOR ENTRIES: FORMAL APPLICATION for OPA ARTISTS:

DEADLINE MAY 20, 2026

*Please read through entire description before applying*

Oregon Potters Association (OPA) Juried Show

Waterstone Gallery, 124 NW 9th Ave, Portland, OR 97209

Waterstone Gallery, a contemporary artist-owned and operated gallery, is located in Portland’s Pearl District, home to a vibrant arts scene. For more than 30 years Waterstone Gallery has presented dynamic, thought-provoking, and beautifully crafted visual art by Oregon artists. Waterstone Gallery exhibitions include Portland’s First Thursday gallery openings in NW Portland. The “Transformations” exhibition is a special opportunity have your artwork seen by a wide audience—apply now!

Eligibility: Members of OPA who are 18 years old or older, who were members as of December 31, 2025 and who remain members currently are encouraged to apply. This hybrid invitational/juried exhibition “Transformations” will include the work of 10 invited OPA members and approximately 20 juried member works. A mix of functional, decorative sculptural, and architectural artwork showing the scope of various methods and styles of working with clay is encouraged.

Exhibition Theme: “Transformations”

The “Transformations” exhibition of invited and juried ceramic works, celebrates and honors the generosity of OPA and those who support and maintain its many offerings, providing professional and educational opportunities that enrich clay artists and the broader community at large. As ceramists, we move earth—pinching, pulling and shaping it into form, sacrificing our efforts into the fire and transforming them into something new. From this process, we translate our ideas into visible objects. Through the potters’ hands and hearts—the clay emerges from the earth and the fire, gaining a voice even without words and also deriving meaning through use or contemplation. And in these transformations--from earth to idea, hand, fire, object and voice—ceramic art is created. Concurrently, the makers--and the guardians who interact with these ceramic works--are also transformed.

Ceramics—by its nature, complexity and tradition—thrives on community, it often requires it. More than forty years ago, a group of potters created the seeds of a clay community that has transformed itself from a small co-op into the Oregon Potters Association, a multifaceted organization that currently supports and connects over 600 ceramic artists working in clay today. The “Transformations” exhibition is a unique glimpse into the variety of ceramics made by members of the OPA.

Selection of work: Selected ceramic works will be exhibited with works by ten OPA members invited to the Waterstone Gallery exhibition. A broad range of functional, decorative and sculptural ceramics will be included. Approximately 20 pieces will be selected by invited Exhibition Juror Donna Cole. Donna Cole serves on the Art Faculty of Portland Community College, teaching Ceramics and Design. She has mentored many students to become professional ceramic artists in Oregon and beyond. In addition to teaching, Donna maintains a ceramics studio in Portland. A longtime member of OPA, Donna has served in many roles within the organization. Recognized for her crystalline and glass infused ceramic sculptures and functional porcelain works, Donna exhibits her work internationally, nationally and locally, and her work is featured in many collections and publications. Donna holds an MFA Ceramics Degree from Kansas State University, under Professor Yoshiro Ikeda. Her ceramic work can be seen at www.donnacolestudio.com

Entry Deadline: May 20, 2026 at 11:59pm, Pacific Time

Entry Fee: $25.00 (non-refundable)

CALENDAR

April 30: Application window opens

May 20: Entry Deadline (No applications accepted after 11:59pm on May 20)

June 1: Artist selection notification

June 26: Deadline for delivery of shipped artworks to Heirloom Ceramics

8302 SE 13th Ave Portland, OR 97202

June 28: Delivery of work to Waterstone Gallery between 5:30pm and 7pm

July 1: Exhibition opens

July 2: First Thursday Opening Reception 5-8pm

July 19: Artist Talk —panel discussion moderated by Donna Cole, Juror

Additional demonstrations and Talks by participating may be arranged each week

August 2: Exhibition closes at 4pm

*All artwork uninstalled and must be picked up between 4pm and 5pm.

Return of shipped work must be arranged with Noah Smith at Heirloom Ceramic Studio

Sold work can be picked up by purchaser at Waterstone Gallery on August 2, or during the first week of August during gallery hours.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

*Please CLICK HERE to Open, Download, and Fill out the "Submission and Checklist Form" for submission. 

Images: Images for up to 3 entries, one image of each piece, (and one detail view only if needed.)

All images must be professional quality, with solid background.

File Format: JPG or Jpeg format,

File Dimensions: Square Format, 1900 pixels each side.

IMPORTANT! Name each file in the following format:

Lastname_firstname_image#.jpg (Label image #1, #2, or #3). Label detail images as #1b, #2b, or #3b

Any work received that differs appreciably from the digital image will be rejected at the discretion of the juror.

*All Submission photos must be sent for jury to Becky Clark: rebeccaclark@oregonpotters.org*

Each entry should include the following information:

Title of work

Dimensions (H x W x D)

Type of clay, type of kiln

Price (Value) for insurance purposes. Exhibited work must be for sale (no NFS)

Additional information (optional)

Artist Website, Professional FaceBook, Instagram (if applicable).

Insurance:

Waterstone Gallery will take the greatest care in handling all work. Artwork will be insured by Waterstone Gallery while at the gallery premises. The artist is responsible for insuring works in transit.

Sales: Waterstone Gallery will take a 50% commission on sales

Delivery of work: Accepted work may be hand delivered to Waterstone Gallery on June 28, 2026, between 5:30 and 7pm. Artists are responsible for return shipping costs. If the artist lives out of the Portland metro area work can be shipped to:

Heirloom Ceramics Studio

8302 SE 13th Ave. Portland, OR 97202

If work is shipped to Heirloom Ceramics, participants must include a prepaid UPS or FedEx return shipping label in the box with the work.

Sold Works

Sold works can be picked up by the buyer at Waterstone Gallery after 4pm August 2, 2026, or during Gallery open hours the first week of August. If the work is sold to an out-of-area purchaser, and must be shipped, the artist will pick up the work and arrange shipping. Waterstone will notify artist if work is sold, and if shipping will be necessary.

Unsold Works

Unsold works should be picked up by the artist at Waterstone gallery between 4pm and 5:30pm on August 2.