Valerie MaGee, Yosemite Remembrance No. 5; monotype/chine colle, 18 x 14

Entry Tips

Yosemite Renaissance is dedicated to raising awareness of the unique landscape, history, and people of Yosemite and the Sierra. We especially enjoy seeing artists who approach their work from a level of emotional intimacy. An artist's ability to portray his/her own vision of this remarkable area in a passionate and skillful manner is what we look for from our entrants. We have no preference for style or medium as long as the work is genuine and well executed.

Please keep in mind that we see thousands of images of Yosemite and the Sierra each year. We also live in this beautiful landscape, so we are familiar with mundane and derivative portrayals produced by those who only bother to document the obvious.

Yosemite and the Sierra offer such diverse and overwhelming beauty, it is often difficult for artists to accept its challenge to do it justice. Many artists are not willing or ready to attempt such a challenging subject, but those that are, are rewarded far beyond what any arts organization can offer.

Lastly, please make sure your work fits our criteria. We've received some stunning paintings of moose and buffalo in the past; unfortunately, Yosemite and the Sierra is not, and never has been, home to moose or buffalo.

 

Slide Tips

If you choose to enter slides of your work, the following link (generously provided by photographer David Swift and originally published on the Arts for the Park website) offers excellent advice on how to shoot them: