⁠How Artists Are Making Food Look Deliciously Real: Submissions So Far

Think About the Last Meal That Left an Impression. Maybe it was a dish that reminded you of home, a recipe shared with friends, or a flavour that lingered long after the plate was empty. Food is never just nourishment it carries memory, culture, and emotion. When we opened submissions for 101 Artbook: Food Edition, we expected creativity. What we didn’t anticipate was the depth and intimacy revealed through every piece. These works aren’t about presentation or perfection. They’re about connection, heritage, and the human stories woven into every bite.

Each artwork feels like an invitation. Not just to look at food… but to experience a moment, a memory, a perspective. Food can evoke joy, comfort, nostalgia, or reflection. It can celebrate, question, or honour. Through every texture, colour, and composition, food reminds us that we are seeing more than ingredients we are witnessing memory, culture, and emotion.

But now we turn the question to you.

What does food mean in your world? Is it memory and tradition? Is it comfort, indulgence, or ritual? Does it tell a story about family, identity, or culture? Maybe your art explores meals as celebration, survival, or longing. Perhaps it captures Flavors and textures that words cannot. There is still time to share your vision and let your work be experienced by those ready to Savor it.

Interpreting the Theme: Food

Food has always held a special place in the story of humanity and art. It is a medium of connection, one that thrives on diversity and cultural storytelling. It is playful because it invites imagination, reflective because it holds memory, and poetic because it transforms everyday rituals into universal narratives. Few subjects can merge personal memory, cultural identity, and imagination in quite the same way.

The Food Edition of the 101 Art Book is a celebration of this magic. It is a call to artists everywhere emerging or established, traditional or digital to share their interpretations of food. Whether your work is a quiet still life, a bustling marketplace, a childhood memory, a reflection on sustainability, or a conceptual exploration of desire and indulgence, this edition is built to embrace the endless possibilities of the theme. Because in art, food is never just food. It is culture, memory, ritual, and poetry.

What We Didn’t Expect to See

Food speaks even when still. It holds memory, identity, joy, and reflection. When we opened this call, we anticipated compelling work but the submissions have surpassed even our highest expectations. Artists from all over the world are contributing, bringing unique perspectives, traditions, and experiences to the theme. Every piece submitted so far carries energy. Some are vibrant, playful, and celebratory. Others are tender, intimate, or reflective. Many explore heritage, cultural rituals, environmental awareness, or personal memory. Together, these works form a rich mosaic of perspective, history, and storytelling.

We are seeing art that honours tradition, experiments with medium, and transforms everyday food into something poetic. These pieces remind us that food is rarely just food, it is memory, culture, identity, and connection made visible.

A Glimpse into Submissions

The submissions we have received are breathtaking in both scope and originality. Artists are taking the theme of food and stretching it in every direction. Some works are delicate and deeply personal, others are bold, chaotic, and unapologetically experimental. Together, they remind us that food is not just sustenance; it is storytelling, culture, and a universal language.

Here’s a sneak peek at just a few of the stunning works we’ve received:

1. On the Clock Artwork Submitted by Izzy Thomas @busyizzyart

2. Ingrained Artwork James Asava Submitted by @asava99

3. Fried Egg Artwork Submitted by Ellie Goodliffe @elliegoodliffe

4. Peperoncini Veneziana Artwork Submitted by Trish Evans @pevanzini

5. Dragon Cabbage Artwork Submitted by Karen Romani 

6. Pumpkin Gnocchi Artwork Submitted by Devon DelCastillo @bluedelladraw

Please note: The artworks highlighted so far represent submissions we have received and are not the final selections. The final list of chosen artists will be reviewed, curated, and formally announced by our team after the submission deadline closes.

Who Can Submit?

Open to artists at any stage of their career, from beginners to established professionals

• Artists aged 18 and above
• Open worldwide; all cultures and backgrounds are welcome
• All mediums accepted: painting, drawing, photography, digital, textile, sculpture, mixed media, and more

Show Us Your Interpretation

The Arts to Hearts Project remains deeply committed to its mission of building a vibrant, international community of contemporary artists. Through projects like the 101 Art Book series, we continue to forge meaningful connections between artists, curators, galleries, collectors, and art lovers across the globe. Previous editions have celebrated themes such as Portraits, Animals, Landscapes, Mixed Media, and Collage, becoming treasured resources and collectible volumes in their own right. Now, the Food Edition carries that legacy forward, highlighting one of the most universally resonant themes in art today.

There is still time to share your perspective and let your work be part of this edition. We want to see how you experience and interpret food whether it’s memory, culture, emotion, ritual, or creativity.

Your artwork could capture the colors, textures, and stories of a meal, explore traditions or celebrations, reflect on sustainability, or experiment with imaginative approaches. Whatever your vision, this is your opportunity to share it with a global audience and be part of a collective celebration of food and art.

Submissions close on December 10, 2025, at 11:59 PM EST.