Sonya Clark, Solidarity Book Project

Journal Submissions

Are you interested in submitting an article for Surface Design Journal? We truly value the work, viewpoints, and perspectives of our members and fiber community and would love to hear from you. Listed below are our themes, deadlines, and requirements for proposals!

Please make sure to review all instructions carefully. This will ensure your proposal is properly formatted for consideration.

Surface Design Journal Themes for 2024

SPRING: Hunter/Gatherer

This Journal highlights the relationship between performance art and natural dyes: a relationship that centers on beauty, ritual and tradition.

  • Proposals Due: closed
  • In Print: April 2024

SUMMER: Wrapping & Binding

Wrapping and binding practices have been used to imbue objects or individuals with meaning by humans throughout history. Drawing inspiration from the traditions of various cultures—the handfasting or marriage binding customs of ancient Ireland, the Furoshiki or knotting practices of Japan, or the coiling of the tefillin by the Jewish faithful—the contemporary artists in this issue engage wrapping and binding as both process and product of their work.

  • Proposals Due: closed
  • In Print: June 2024

FALL: 9th Annual International Exhibition in Print: Embrace: Expect the Unexpected

With Guest Juror Youngmin Lee & Co-juried by Managing Editor, Lauren Sinner

  • Cafe call: here
  • In Print: October 2024

WINTER: Friends with Fiber

This Journal highlights artists who work in mixed media combining fiber with other materials such as clay or wood.

  • Proposals Due: September 3
  • In Print: December 2024

*Please note dates are subject to change*

Proposal Requirements

      • A one-page abstract: 500 words max, attached as a Word document. Please note that text inserted into the body of an email will not be considered. Please name your file in the following format: “Title_FirstName.LastName.doc”
      • 4-6 representative images (jpg format) attached to email
      • Please title the subject/header of your email as follows: “SDJ Proposal: SEASON:THEME 2024” (For example, SDJ Proposal: Winter: Marigolds and Unicorns 2019)
      • Email to journaleditor@surfacedesign.org

Full Articles: (what to expect if your proposal gets accepted!)

      • Full article: Word count varies depending on department (see below for word count)
      • Images: All images must be 300 dpi, jpg, tiff, or png, minimum 6 inches on the shortest side, shared via Dropbox, Do not send images as email attachment or google drive
      • Caption sheet: Name, Title, Year, materials, techniques, dimensions, photo credit (all are required for every image).
      • Example: Nádia Taquary, O Mundo/Ifá,  2019. Old iron ball, shell, cowrie shells, coastal marsh grass, wooden beads, 29 x 31.5 x 31.5 inches. Photo: Andrew Kemp.

      • Bio: 50 words max on background of author
      • Any relevant links (artist website, Instagram handles, Vimeo/YouTube videos)
      • Emailed to journaleditor@surfacedesign.org

Guidelines

      • Submissions received after deadline will not be accepted.
      • All articles will be reviewed for consideration but not guaranteed for publication.
      • Please allow up to 2 weeks for a response. Our staff is working very hard on multiple deadlines and projects, and will require sufficient time for review.
      • All submissions must be original, and exclusive to Surface Design Journal. We will not consider articles that have already been published, in any form, in print or online.

Journal Departments & Examples

Unsure of what department your article idea fits into? Here’s a breakdown of the Surface Design Journal departments, including final word counts and some examples from past Journals.

FEATURES

      • In-depth article on an artist or project, and scholarly or technical concepts within the field of fiber
      • 1,200–1,500 words, 15-20 images

IN REVIEW

      • Exhibition or conference review focusing on execution of themes, techniques, and/or installation
      • 600 words max, 10-15 images

IN CONVERSATION

      • Interview or conversation from one artist/critic to another about a specific project
      • 600 words max, 10-15 images

SPOTLIGHT ON EDUCATION

      • An article highlighting an innovative or interesting project done by a college institution, studio school, or other educational facility
      • 600 words max, 10-15 images

IN THE STUDIO

      • A first person account of an artist’s studio practice, highlighting techniques, materials, and concepts utilized by the artist
      • 600 words max, 6-10 images (finished work, in-progress work, studio, action shots)

FIRST PERSON / EMERGING VOICES

      • A first person account of an established or emerging artist’s concepts, inspirations, and background
      • 600 words max, 10-15 images (finished work, action shots, studio)

MADE AWARE

      • Article that focuses on various forms of textile and fiber art including (performances, workshops, collaborations, etc.) as demonstrations of social practice and sociopolitical activism
      • 1,200 words max with 10-15 images

INFORMED SOURCE

      • A first person account of any fiber/textile-based artist, curator, or collector who has a certain expertise or focus in their creative practice and makes compelling work.
      • 600 words max, 10-15 images (finished work, in-progress, studio, facilities)

IN PRINT

      • Review of a textile-themed book
      • 500 words max, 6-10 images (cover of book, images from book)

Other departments include: Visual Essay, Artist-In-Residence, On Display, Exposure, Legacy, Fiber in Film, By Design, Collaboration, Restoration, and more. While we don’t always feature every department in a Journal issue, we welcome proposals from any category

Contact

– Elizabeth Kozlowski, Journal Editor and Lauren Sinner, Managing Editor