HEART of Houston

HEART of Houston 

A Juried Exhibition of Works by Houston Artists hosted by Winter Street Studios at Sawyer Yards

August 29 - October 31, 2026

Overview

HEART of Houston is a community-centered exhibition hosted by Winter Street Studios celebrating the creative voices of artists working in the Greater Houston Area. This exhibition invites artists to share work that reflects the spirit, complexity, culture, and character of Houston — a city shaped by diversity, resilience, connection, and ongoing transformation.  We're looking for Houston artists who have a love for our city and create art that exemplifies that love.

We are seeking artwork that engages with Houston as a place, a memory, a community, a landscape, or an idea. Submissions may respond directly or indirectly to Houston culture, lived experience, neighborhood identity, civic life, traditions, stories, and the many visual and emotional textures that define life in our city.  

Exhibition Theme

Houston is not one thing — it is many things at once. It is neighborhood and skyline, heritage and innovation, struggle and celebration, movement and rootedness. HEART of Houston invites artists to reflect on that multiplicity through work that expresses personal connection and collective experience.

Juror: Tanja Peterson 

Bio

Tanja Peterson is a German-American arts professional currently serving as the Executive Director and Curator at Redbud Arts Center in Houston, Texas. She holds a Master of Arts in Arts Leadership from the University of Houston and specializes in 20th-century modern and contemporary art, with a particular focus on German Expressionism.

Peterson has curated numerous exhibitions, six of which have received Glasstire’s Top Five designation. She leads international cultural exchange initiatives, most notably collaborations between Houston and Leipzig, Germany, while also showcasing artists from Denmark and fostering cross-cultural artistic dialogue. 

Peterson additionally founded and developed the “Emerging Visions” initiative, a juried exhibition program supporting collegiate and emerging artists through exhibition opportunities, mentorship, and professional exposure.

She is an accomplished educator, photographer, juror, and writer, with several published exhibition catalogs to her credit. In addition to her curatorial work, Peterson has served as a juror for various regional art competitions and has been invited as a guest lecturer at the university level.

In 2022, she managed and organized the widely praised Blue Norther exhibition at Houston's Site Gallery in the Silos. She is also the creator of the innovative “Bare Wood Wall” concept, aimed at making affordable art more accessible to the public. Peterson is based in Houston. 

Submission Guidelines:

• Submitters may submit up to 3 artworks. 
• Artworks must be original works.
• Sculpture and installation works are eligible. Artists are responsible for providing their own pedestal(s) if needed.
• Artists must be at least 18 years old to participate.   
• Submission Fee:  $35.00

Schedule and Deadlines: 

• Monday, August 7 | Submissions are due through Submittable by 11:59 PM
• Monday, August 17 | Notifications begin
• Saturday, August 22 | DROP-OFF  ARTWORK, 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM  - CHECK IN at Winter Street Studios, 2101 Winter Street, Houston, 77007 Entrance B, Main Corridor of floor 1. Make sure your artwork title, name and phone number are somewhere on the back of your artwork in case the exhibitions committee needs to contact you about the artwork for some reason.  Please use a removable tag or sticker. 
• NO LATE ARTWORK WILL BE ACCEPTED! 
• Artists must hand-deliver their artwork in person during the designated drop-off period. Shipped or mailed works will not be accepted.  If you cannot drop off on the designated date, please make arrangements with someone to drop off your work. 
• Saturday, August 22 - Friday, August 28 | Curation, installation/hanging, labels, lighting
• August 29 - October 31  | Exhibition on View
• Thursday, September 10, 5:00 - 8:00 PM | Opening Reception
• Saturday, October 31 - Monday, November 2 | ART PICKUP! Retrieve your Artwork off the walls - take your labels as well! Please make sure to pick up your work during these dates or arrange for someone else to do so. Otherwise, you delay patching and painting the walls.  Art must be removed by November 2.  We do not have any place to store unclaimed art.  

Awards

    To recognize artistic achievement, Winter Street Studios will present the following awards, selected by the juror:

     • First Place $500

     • Second Place $250

     • Third Place $100

     °  Two honorable mentions

Exhibition Guidelines/Rules:

INSTALLATION AND SELF-INSTALLATION: The artwork hung by the Winter Street Exhibition committee, however for certain difficult, intricate, or heavy installations, artists may be responsible for hanging their work. If you think this applies to you, make sure that you are available during the aforementioned installation period. 

ARTWORK PRESENTATION: ARTWORKS MUST HAVE HANGING HARDWARE/SYSTEM, WE WILL NOT WIRE OR INSTALL D-RINGS FOR YOU. 

Frames and artwork must be in good condition (no scratches or loose corners). Painting stretchers must lay flat against the wall (not warped). All paintings must be dry (NO wet submissions in any media). Paper works must be framed.  Loose drawings and works mounted on Matte board but unframed are not allowed. Alternative display methods such as magnets or pins will be considered on a case-by-case basis by the Exhibitions Committee. 

HANGING HARDWARE: WIRE, D-RINGS, and CLEATS are acceptable. DRYWALL SCREWS WHEN NECESSARY.

WIRE is preferred and must be firmly attached to the back of the piece so that when stretched it will not unravel or be visible above the top of the artwork. Just D rings with no wire are acceptable for larger, heavier pieces only. French Cleats, or drywall screws may be used for heavy works or wall-mounted sculptural pieces. If your piece is complicated to understand or install, you will be asked to hang it yourself. 

*Works without a hanging system will be rejected (no hanging stretched canvases by a couple of nails in the wall). 

• NO sawtooth hangers - wire or D-rings only
• NO Adhesives, such as tape, command strips, or velcro on the walls
• NO Painting directly on the wall
• Please specify if an electrical outlet is needed before installation
• SOLD WORK must remain in the exhibition for the duration of the show.  
• All sales are handled directly by the artist. Management will not handle sales in any way.  Artists will keep 100% of their sales.  
• All submission information for labels on Submittable will be final.  No changes or reprints will be made.  Please make sure information in all fields is accurate.  

SOUND AND VIDEO: Any such works would need to have headphones. Artists are responsible for their own AV equipment such as headphones, media players, speakers, TVs, projectors, etc. 

DISCLAIMERS:

1. Artists are responsible for insuring their work. Sawyer Yards does not provide insurance coverage for artworks hung in the hallways or common areas. 
2. Sawyer Yards is not responsible for damage or theft, however, we will follow professional standards when installing and handling artwork. We cannot guarantee:

• that every work will receive its own lighting source 
• specific locations for specific works

 If you have any questions, please contact Marie Casamayor-Harvey casamayor@att.net