November 29, 2009 

The Union of Concerned Scientists, an outstanding science-based national environmental organization, is issuing a call for entries for original artwork to hang in the public spaces of its Washington, DC, offices for approximately one year. (Full disclosure: I have been on the BOard of UCS for 18 years).

The theme of this juried show, "Thoreau's Legacy: Humans and Our Habitat," is based on the book of essays on the personal impacts of global warming published this year by Penguin Classics and the Union of Concerned Scientists. The jurors are Washington Post art critic, Michael O'Sullivan; artist and curator Ellyn Weiss (moi); and artist, graphic designer, illustrator and UCS Communications Director Elliott Negin.

The deadline for entries is January 15, 2010.

full poop follows: 

Earlier this year, the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) and Penguin Classics published “Thoreau’s Legacy,” a book of essays on global warming in the tradition of Henry David Thoreau’s “Walden” (for more information, go to www.ucsusa.org/americanstories). As a follow-on, UCS is issuing a call for entries for an exhibit of original artwork “Thoreau’s Legacy: Humans and Our Habitat,” to be shown in the public spaces of its Washington, D.C., office. Artists and photographers should submit digital images of their two-dimensional work for the year-long exhibit by January 15, 2010. The exhibit will open in February with a public reception.

UCS is a national non-profit organization with more than 200,000 members and activists that provides science-based solutions to the world’s most serious problems, including climate change and nuclear proliferation (for more information, go to www.ucsusa.org). The organization, which moved into its current office in March 2008, hosted its first exhibit, titled “Earth in the Balance,” from October 2008 to October 2009 that featured the work of 16 artists and photographers.

The jury for the new show includes Michael O’Sullivan, a Washington Post art critic; UCS board member Ellyn Weiss, a noted Washington painter and curator, and UCS Media Director Elliott Negin, a painter, graphic designer and illustrator. UCS will display the artists’ contact information and offer the selected work for sale during the year at no commission.

EXHIBIT THEME: “Thoreau’s Legacy: Humans and Our Habitat”

DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES: January 15, 2010

FORM OF ENTRIES:  Entrants should submit no more than three images in CD format. We will not consider slides. Make sure to include a document citing the title of each piece, its dimensions and medium, and your email and phone number. In addition, please provide a short explanation of how each of your pieces relates to the theme of the show.

SEND ENTRIES TO: Douglas Pedersen, Union of Concerned Scientists, 1825 K St. NW, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20006-1232 (on a CD) or via email to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it For more information, call Douglas at 202-331-5650.

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Now celebrating its 40th anniversary, the Union of Concerned Scientists is the leading U.S. science-based nonprofit organization working for a healthy environment and a safer world. UCS is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and also has offices in Berkeley, Chicago and Washington, D.C. For more information, go to www.ucsusa.org.