EXHIBITIONS
d’Art Center
Open Call for Artists
Our open calls to artists for our exhibitions go onto CALLFORENTRY.ORG about a month and a half before each exhibition’s scheduled opening day. Current open calls are listed below. Our annual exhibition schedule can be found below.
If you are an artist and would like to be on our eblast list for open calls, please contact the Gallery Director at abradley@d-artcenter.org.
Calls for artists open on CALLFORENTRY.ORG during the times listed under each show Below on the full exhibit schedule.
Current & Upcoming Exhibitions
Got Wax?: A Juried National Exhibition of Artworks Created with Cold & Hot Wax Processes
Saturday, February 14th – Saturday, March 14th, 2026
Got Wax? is an exhibition of artworks created with cold and hot wax processes. Artists working with wax fuse, blend, layer, build and dig to add luminosity, texture, and depth to their works. The use of wax in art dates back to ancient Greece, Rome, and Egypt and contemporary artists of today continue to explore wax’s versatility in art.
To Mother, with Red: Eloise Shelton-Mayo Solo Exhibit in The Vault
Saturday, February 14th – Saturday, March 14th, 2026
Eloise lives in Virginia Beach with her family. Her background includes a creative career as an advertising designer at the News & Observer in Raleigh, NC for over a decade. She also taught as an art Adjunct at TCC’s Visual Arts Center in Portsmouth, Virginia for ten years. Now, she teaches both live and online art workshops. Eloise’s work is in both public and private collections.
Her academic background includes a BA in English from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, a studio arts degree from Tidewater Community College at the Visual Arts Center, as well as study with many well-regarded contemporary artists.
Eloise’s abstract works are influenced by themes of home, transition, and memory. Eloise’s fascination with the transient nature of time and how we relate to place and each other, are the psychological underpinnings of her art. She has chronicled the decay of urban and country landscapes in her personal photography which influences her paintings.
Oil paintings with cold wax, encaustic, acrylic and mixed media, collage, as well as print making, are all mediums Eloise enjoys. However, she is best known for encaustic and oil & cold wax paintings. She likes experimenting with mixing mediums creating mystery through layering and both adding, scraping and covering up.
Glass Immersed: Dual Glass Installation, Glass Art Sale & Juried Exhibit
This Dual Installation will be on exhibit March 21st – April 18th, 2026 and will be a destination on The Norfolk Glass Circuit Event, scheduled Sunday, March 29th, 2026.
In 2026, our Glass Immersed Dual Installation at d’Art Center will feature a Juried Glass Art Exhibit as well as an Artisan Glass Sale from both local and national artists. This installation will also outline the history of Norfolk’s Glass Scene, as well as the history of the Studio Glass Making Movement. The Juried Exhibit will highlight a unique and diverse range of glass artworks while the Artisan Glass Sale will provide functional and decorative glass pieces for sale – perfect for both seasoned and new collectors!
Beginning in the 1970s and still thriving today in 2026, Norfolk’s vibrant glass art scene continues to flourish and enrich our surrounding communities while also captivating artists, collectors, and art lovers across the nation.
In 2025, The d’Art Center launched its first Glass Circuit Event in alignment with Chrysler Museum’s Perry Glass Studio Grand Reopening Weekend. The Glass Circuit Tour featured glass exhibits, glass demos, art activities, and free transportation that connected three venues – The d’Art Center, Chrysler’s Perry Glass Studio, and The Glass Light Hotel.
We had over 700 people participate in the Inaugural 2025 Glass Circuit Tour and are excited to bring back this event!
Flourish: d’Art’s Annual Juried National Exhibition of Floral and Botanical Artworks
Saturday, April 25th – Saturday, May 30th, 2026
Flourish is an exhibition of floral and botanical artworks from across the country. Work must depict flowers and/or plants to be considered. Works can include other objects, but the focal point/subject of the work should focus on the floral or botanical element(s). This is our 5th annual Flourish Exhibit, and this exhibit opens on the final day of Historic Garden Week in Virginia making it a the perfect event for local garden clubs and flower lovers to enjoy.
Open call to artists through Sunday, March 8th. Submit here.
On Point!: A National Exhibit Featuring Contemporary Embroidery
Saturday, April 25th – Saturday, May 30th, 2026
On Point! is an exhibition of artworks that showcase contemporary embroidery from across the country. Today’s embroidery artists are pushing the boundaries of traditional needlework techniques by combining them with new and creative methods proving that embroidery should no longer be considered a purely functional and decorative craft. Works in this exhibit may utilize other materials in the work, but the clear focal point and star of the work should be the embroidery component(s).
This exhibition will take place in our smaller exhibition space, The Vault, to create a more intimate and close up experience for our patrons. The Vault is a historical bank vault within The Center, and gives artists an opportunity to exhibit their work in a unique space in the heart of Norfolk’s Arts District (The NEON District). This will be a competitive call as this intimate space will only be able to accommodate about 25 works.
Wilderness Photography Foundation’s Traveling Exhibit, Nature’s Generosity
Saturday, June 6th – Saturday, July 11th, 2026
Photography allows us to capture and reflect on the remarkable landscapes and diverse ecosystems that surround us, fostering a deeper appreciation for our environment. The Wilderness Photography Foundation’s mission is to use the visual power of photography to increase awareness of the beauty and value of wilderness and wildlife to encourage action to protect and preserve wild space.
The health of public lands, wildlife, predators, pollinators, and entire ecosystems is not just an environmental issue, it is a foundation for the stability and survival of life on Earth as we know it. Every species plays a role in maintaining balance. Predators regulate populations, pollinators sustain the food supply, forests and wetlands filter water and stabilize climate, and biodiversity as a whole build’s resilience. When short-term profit leads to long-term destruction, the cost isn’t just paid by nature, it is paid by future generations, by global stability, by food systems, and by the 99% of life that never had a say in the decision. Preservation isn’t a luxury. It is an investment in planetary health, economic sustainability, and the wellbeing of all living things.
Art, through creative expression, can inspire wonder, promote conversation, challenge assumptions, connect diverse thinking, help imagine new solutions, and motivate action for positive change. Join us in preserving the beauty of the wilderness through the art of photography.
Metal Transformed: A National Exhibit Featuring Fine Art Metalsmithing
Saturday, June 6th – Saturday, July 11th, 2026
Open call for artists: Monday, March 16th – Sunday, April 19th, 2026
Divulge: A National Exhibit Featuring the Use of Art for Therapy & Mental Health Awareness
Saturday, July 18th – Saturday, August 15th, 2026
Open call for artists: Monday, April 27 – Sunday, May 31, 2026
Word of Art: A National Exhibit of Artworks that Incorporate the Written Word
Saturday, July 18th – Saturday, August 15th, 2026
Open call for artists Monday, April 27 – Sunday, May 31, 2026
Flowing & Flying: A National Exhibit of Waterbirds and Waterscapes
Saturday, August 22nd – Saturday, September 19th, 2026
Open call for artists: Monday, June 1st – Sunday, July 5th, 2026
Tiny But Mighty: A National Exhibition of Small Artworks
Saturday, August 22nd – Saturday, September 19th, 2026
Open call for artists: Monday, June 1st – Sunday, July 5th, 2026
Later in 2026
MAIN GALLERY EXHIBITIONS
THE VAULT
This one hundred and thirty-two square foot exhibition space is a historical bank vault within the d’Art Center and gives artists an opportunity to exhibit their work in a unique space in the heart of the Norfolk Arts District. All styles and aesthetics are considered.
The Vault can be booked for Invitational Shows, Small Group Shows, or Juried Open Call Shows.
Artists interested in submitting a proposal for The Vault can download a proposal form here.
The d’Art Center markets the show through its social media and patron base and provides invitational postcards/fliers. There is a 60/40 commission on sales (60% Artist, 40% d’Art Center).