TWO WEEKS LEFT TO ENTER YOUR CARVINGS!

OWCA CALL TO CARVERS – 2026 ROYAL BOTANICAL GARDENS CARVING EXHIBITION

The Ontario Wood Carvers Association (OWCA) has been approached by the Royal Botanical Gardens (RBG), in Burlington, ON, to participate in a two-month exhibition entitled “Of Wonders, Wild and New”. This year’s edition of the exhibition is entirely focused on contemporary artists working in wood. The Exhibition will run from February 1 until April 6th, 2026. This is a showcase of world class wood carvers. The RBG had confirmed artists from across Canada, Italy, Spain and more! Last year the RBG event drew in excess of 80,000 visitors. As one of their major exhibitions, the RBG will be marketing the event widely reaching millions, which will also include features on the artists and partners engaged. This is an amazing opportunity for us to reach new members to join our carving community.
OWCA is reaching out to our members to participate in this exhibition. We are asking you to submit a digital picture of your best carving, new or old, which we will collect and send to the organizers of the exhibition. RBG staff will select carvings from this group to be on display in the show. They have also asked for a short carver biography and a statement about your carving, which will be used in their display.
You will enter your photo, bio and statement on a site called “Artcall”. There will be a link on the OWCA website that you can “click” to take you to the Artcall site to submit your entry. Once you are in the Artcall site there is a video describing how to create your “account”. Once you have an account you will then submit your entry (another video link is provided to walk you through this step). It is recommended that you have your photo, bio, statement, and carving dimensions before you begin the entry process. There is NO COST to enter your carving. If you experience any difficulties with this process, an OWCA member can assist you.
OWCA will be running an online competition in 2026, using your entries. Details about this online show to follow.
THE VENUE:
Royal Botanical Gardens
680 Plains Road West, Burlington, Ontario, L7T 4H4
Please visit www.rbg.ca for more information.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS:
1. Entries will only be accepted from OWCA members in good standing.
2. Entry is exclusively online. Selections for the show will be chosen from the Artcall site.
3. Digital photos must be in jpeg or png format, no more than 5MB in size and readable on a PC.
4. You can submit three carvings. If the RBG wishes to see more of your work you will be contacted to submit additional pictures.
5. The carving must have been carved by you. You cannot submit someone else’s carving.
6. There is no limit as to the age of your carving.
7. Your carving must be on display for the entire length of the exhibition. We will not be able to remove carvings prior to the close of the event.
8. You will need to include a brief (100 words or less) carver biography.
9. You will need to include a brief (100 words or less) statement about your carving (what it’s made of, why you carved it, what it means, etc).
10. We will require the dimensions of your carving/wood work in order to determine how many pieces will fit into the space provided.
11. Submissions will be accepted from November 10th to December 14, 2025.
12. Successful entrants will be emailed by January 2, 2025.
13. Carvings chosen for the show will need to be delivered to the RBG by January 16, 2026. Arrangements for shipping/delivery by members living a significant distance away can be discussed with OWCA.

CARVING SPECIFICATIONS:
1. ALL ENTRIES MUST BE THE CARVERS OWN WORK.
2. The carving must be made from wood. Habitat/setting/stands etc., for the carving can include other materials.
3. Other acceptable wood working techniques are: marquetry, wood turning, luthier?,
4. Selections will be based on:
– Originality and design
– Craftsmanship and technical skill
– Surface finish and presentation
– Overall artistry and visual impact of the piece

TERMS AND CONDITIONS:
The staff of the Royal Botanical Gardens will be selecting the carvings for the exhibition.
By submitting to this exhibition, you agree to allow reproduction of your digital files for educational, publicity and archival purposes, unless we are informed otherwise in writing.

QUESTIONS:
For any questions or assistance with submitting your carving to Artcall, please contact:

Lynn Burnett: lynnkburnett@gmail.com or cell# 519-994-2280

Karen Walker: treasurer@ontariowoodcarvers.com or cell# 519-570-5055

OR
John Lemay: president@ontariowoodcarvers.com