Join

Application-click here to download: Guild_Application.pdf. Please read the information below.
Membership is open to anyone, from any community, who wants to help support and promote local original fine art and artists in the Three Rivers area.
Membership is available in two categories, Artist Members and Friends of the Guild.

  • Friends of the Guild: Anyone, artist or non-artist, who wishes to support and encourage the growth of an art culture in the Three Rivers area may become a Friend of the Guild. Dues are $25 annually. Friends of the Guild may attend all Guild sponsored workshops and educational events and may attend general membership meetings. Friends of the Guild do not vote. Friends of the Guild may not sell or display work at Guild events. Download the application or Contact the Guild by email at 3rivart@gmail.com for more information.
  • Artist Members: Artists working in the visual arts who support the Guild goal of promoting the Arts in Three Rivers may apply for jurying-in as an Artist Member of the Guild, joining with other local artists in a local network of mutual support and inspiration, and through the Guild making connections with the community at large. Artist Members will serve on committees and may be elected to the Board. Artist Members may also participate in Guild-sponsored markets, exhibitions, and educational events. To apply, begin by downloading the Three Rivers Artists Guild application, Guild_Application.pdf.

In order to be considered for membership as an Artist Member, you will need to do the following:

  • Fill out an application (download here: Guild_Application.pdf.)
  • Mail the fee and the filled-out application to the Guild. You will then be notified of the jurying-in time, date and place.
  • Prepare five pieces of recently completed work for presentation.
  • Show up on the scheduled jurying date. (See below for a description of jurying if you are unfamiliar with the process.)

You will be notified by mail of the jury’s decision. Fee will be refunded if you are not accepted.
You may also wish to read the section on below on acceptable and unacceptable work to be presented for jurying to assist you in deciding if the Guild is right for you.
Requirements for Jurying In
For jurying, prospective Artist Members will bring five works, framed (if 2D), or ready to present (if 3D.) All works must be the original work of the artist, representing the artist’s typical work. Fine art and fine art crafts in any media are welcome. The jury consists of Artist Members of the Guild, it’s not scary! The purpose is not to judge you as an artist, but rather to decide if your work fits in with the Guild’s ideas and emphasis. Jurors look for quality in design, technical competence, individual creative style, consistency and professional presentation. Each juror will have their own subjective interpretation of and reaction to the works presented, which is also part of the process.

Acceptable work for jurying
Acceptable work for presenting to the jury is your original fine art and fine art crafts, properly presented as explained above. Fine art, the emphasis of the Three Rivers Artists Guild, has been defined as the creation of objects pleasing the senses, but with a larger and deeper meaning that creates an emotional reaction to the piece. The creator’s intent may define whether works are fine art or not. Some works may require more explanation to the jury than others.

Unacceptable work for jurying
Although items listed as unacceptable for jurying may be attractive and carefully done, they are not in line with the intent of the Three Rivers Artists Guild. Works unacceptable for submission or for exhibition at Three Rivers Artists Guild events include, but are not limited to:

  • Anything that violates copyright law.
  • Student work (work executed under supervision) is not acceptable for jurying as it is partially the teacher’s work.
  • Pieces intended for functional use and based primarily or entirely on purchased and/or manufactured items are not acceptable for jurying or for exhibition at Three Rivers Artists Guild events. Again, this is NOT a judgment on the attractiveness of such items, but only reflects the Guild’s emphasis on original fine art. Specific expamples:
    • Beaded jewelry assembled from purchased beads and fittings. Beads must be made by the artist. Any manufactured beads used must clearly play a subordinate role in the finished piece.
    • T-shirts, sweat shirts, hats, and other commercially manufactured clothes, no matter how embellished by the artist.
    • Tole painting.
    • Cut coin jewelry.
    • Pieces assembled from kits.
    • Anything made in a commercial mold, in any medium.
    • Stud earrings in commercial settings.
    • Enamels on manufactured representational copper shapes.
    • Manufactured items.
    • Manufactured tiles with a design as a major component of the piece.
    • Dried flowers, whether they are in groups, arrangement, or bouquets.
    • Wreaths.
    • Dough art or food.

For examples of artwork done by members of the Three Rivers Artists Guild, please visit the “our artists” page or click on the artist logos in the sidebar. If you still have questions as to whether or not your artwork fits with Guild requirements, please contact the Three Rivers Artists Guild by mail at PO Box 232, Three Rivers, MI 49093, or by email at 3rivart@gmail.com. The decision of The Guild is final.

Need more information on Jurying?
To assist in understanding the process of jurying-in, typical jurying-in standards for a fine art group are listed below. This is NOT a check-list; decisions are subjective and made individually.

  • Artistic style:
    • Works show the individual style of the artist.
    • Works are not copied; pieces express the artists personal feelings and thoughts.
  • Technical skill:
    • Handling of the media and materials in the works shows control, skill and experience.
  • Design and consistency:
    • The design or composition of the works exhibit knowledge of the principles of design.
    • Works show a design consistency within each piece and through the pieces presented.
    • Works show that they have taken time, thought, knowledge and skill to complete.
  • Presentation:
    • Works are presented in a manner that enhances the art.
    • Pieces presented are complete and ready for display.
  • Overall impression:
    • Jurors will need to have a positive overall impression of the works presented. This will be a subjective decision, and will depend on the particular jury and jurors.

Note: Work presented to the jury at a New Member Jurying-In Day must be the original work of the artist and should be representative of the quality and nature of the artist’s current work. It will be at the discretion of the jury to accept or reject the work. Decisions are, of necessity, subjective; not based only on a checklist of competency points, but also on the jurors’ interpretation of and reaction to the works presented – and the jurors’ take on how the works presented fit in with the Guild’s ideas and emphasis.

For questions regarding membership requirements or jurying in, contact the Guild at: 3rivart@gmail.com.