October is California Archaeology Month and November is Native American Heritage Month. To celebrate, the San Diego County Archaeological Society and California State Parks have collaborated to present an annual archaeology-themed juried art show and contest called “Celebrating the Art in Archaeology.”

Dates to Remember:

• August 25, 2017: Entries due.
• October 6, 2017: Opening reception from 5-8pm during the Friday Night Liberty event at Liberty Station in Point Loma.
• October 21, 2017: Awards ceremony will be at the SDCAS “Arch in the Park” event at the Los Peñasquitos Ranch House.
• October 6 to December 29, 2017: Artwork on display at California State Parks office, Barracks 26, Liberty Station.

The exhibition features four categories of artwork to showcase the various ways that art and archaeology intersect. Works in the Archaeological Line Drawing category are hand-drawn archaeological illustrations, including artifact illustrations, maps and other line drawings used in archaeology. The Photography category encompasses both archaeological field photography and fine art photography with an archaeological theme or subject matter. The Fine Art category includes paintings, drawings, sculptures, and multimedia works with an archaeological theme or subject matter. In the Traditional Arts Category, works exhibit the use of traditional materials and/or techniques such as flintknapping, pottery, textile weaving/sewing, basketry, and blacksmithing.

Art and archaeology are inextricably linked. Archaeologists often study the artistic creations of past cultures, whether ancient Grecian mosaics or finely crafted stone tools of pre-contact California. Archaeological sites and past peoples have long served as sources of inspiration for artists working in a variety of mediums. There is considerable artistic skill displayed in hand-drawn archaeological mapping and artifact illustration, and field photos can also be well-composed works of art. People engaged in replicative arts recreate clothing, tools, and other objects from the past using traditional materials and techniques. In the Native American community, artists use cultural traditions that are thousands of years old.

Sponsorship:
We are seeking sponsors to donate money, gift certificates or the like to provide prizes to the winning artists in each category, and to help offset the cost of displaying the artwork, hosting the opening reception, and printing the show catalogue. We are also requesting food donations (light snacks/non-alcoholic drinks) for the opening reception on Oct. 6th.

If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, please contact ArchaeologyArtShow@gmail.com for more information or send monetary donations to:

San Diego County Archaeological Society
PO Box 81106
San Diego, CA 92138