Southeastern Pastel Society
Exhibition artwork

Southeastern Pastel Society

Luminosity

2026 Juried Virtual International Open Exhibition

November 1 – December 31, 2026

Deadline is October 19th.
Find Open Calls

Opens for entry Aug 31st.

Juror of Selection and Awards

Bill Schneider, AISM, IAPS-EP, NOAPS-M, OPAM, PSA-MP

General Information

  • Up to 5 paintings can be submitted per artist.
  • A maximum of 2 paintings per artist can be accepted into the exhibition; however, there is no guarantee that a painting will be accepted.
  • Paintings submitted do not have to be for sale.

Entry Fees

  • Members: $35 for up to 2 images,
    $10 for each additional image up to 5 images
  • Non-Members: $45 for up to 2 images,
    $10 for each additional image up to 5 images
  • Members must be current with SPS 2026 dues at the time of submission.
  • New members must join prior to submitting to the exhibit.
To update your membership or join, visit: southeasternpastel.com/join

Entry fees are non-refundable.

Categories

The category of entry for a painting is to be selected by the artist when entering painting information on ShowSubmit. Artists are encouraged to use the following to determine which category their painting falls into:
  • Landscape
    Includes traditional outdoor settings, marine, skycapes, cityscapes and architecture
  • Portrait/Figure
  • Still Life/Floral
  • Animal/Wildlife
  • Abstract/Non-Objective

Awards

Total cash awards are $4,550. Only one award is allowed per artist.
  • Best in Show - $1,000
  • First Place - $750
  • Second Place - $500
  • Third Place - $350
  • Six Honorable Mentions - $75 each.
*Categories:
  • 4 Awards of $150 each for Exceptional Merit, one per each of the following categories: Portrait/Figure, Still Life/Floral, Animal/Wildlife, Abstract/Non-Objective.
  • 4 Awards of $100 each for Merit, one per each of the following categories: Portrait/Figure, Still Life/Floral, Animal/Wildlife, Abstract/Non-Objective
  • 2 Awards of $150 each for Exceptional Merit in Landscape
  • 2 Awards of $100 each for Merit in Landscape
*Please note that due to the large number of submissions in the Landscape Category compared to the other categories the Juror will select two Exceptional Merit Awards and two Merit Awards.

Sales

  • Paintings submitted DO NOT have to be for sale.
  • Any sales enquiries will be directed to the artist to arrange the sale and shipping.
  • No commission will be required, however a 10% donation will be gratefully appreciated if your work sells during this exhibition.

Artwork Eligibility

SPS is committed to maintaining the highest standards of ethics and integrity in pastel painting. Only original paintings are eligible for entry into SPS Exhibitions. Each submitted work must be created entirely by hand by the artist submitting it and must be original in both concept and design.
  1. Paintings cannot have appeared in any previous SPS Members’ or SPS International Exhibitions. Please be sure to check your ShowSubmit History before submitting your paintings.
  2. We ask that you not submit your entries into shows that will be running concurrently.
  3. The surface of the painting must be at least 80% soft pastel.
  4. There is no size limit in the virtual exhibition.
  5. Your entry confirms that the work entered is original, that your own references were used, unless expressed permission given from another photographer.
  6. Submitted artworks must be created with the pastel medium itself, and not a digital creation. Any submission created completely with AI (artificial intelligence) is ineligible.
  7. Artists' work must not violate any Public domain images &/or Copyright laws.
  8. Artwork must not be created on top of any photographic image.
  9. Artwork must be: 3 years old or less, not painted under supervision of an instructor or in a class, and not copied from published photos.
  10. If the outcome of the painting has been significantly and unduly influenced by another artist’s work, the juror(s) may consider the painting to be ineligible.
SPS reserves the right to remove artwork from the exhibition should it be determined to be in violation of these rules either at the initial jurying &/or subsequent award level. Disqualified artists will forfeit &/or return any awards&/or gifts and be excluded from entering SPS Exhibitions for two years.

SPS reserves the right to exclude from exhibitions any artwork deemed offensive, or any artwork that violates the laws of the United States, or of state or local governments.

Terms

Even though the artist retains copyright to his/her image(s), accepted images do become part of SPS archives and may be used to promote future SPS events.

Workshop Information

Day 1: Painting the Still Life…From Life
Day 2: Master Copy, Portrait

Instructor:
Bill Schneider, AISM, IAPS-EP, NOAPS-M, OPAM, PSA-MP

Dates:
Nov 13 and/or 14 9:00 - 4:00 est

You may sign up for one day or two days:
SPS Members: $150 for one day/ $275 for both days
Non Members: $200 for one day/ $350 for both days
*There is a minimum of 10 students/day. Workshop will be cancelled if the minimum number of students isn’t met per day.
SPS Contact for Workshop:
Brenda Pinnick: [email protected]

Image and Filename Specifications

  • File Format: Submit original, high-quality JPEG image files. Other formats (e.g., PNG, TIFF) are not accepted.
  • Crop Your Image: Ensure only the artwork itself is visible in the image. Do not show any visible matting, frames, or background distractions.
  • Orientation: Make sure your image is oriented correctly (right side up) so that the artwork appears in its intended viewing direction.
  • Image Size: You do not need to resize your image files before uploading. The system will automatically resize them. Smaller images cannot be enlarged to meet the requirements, so ensure your images are high resolution before uploading.
  • File Names: You do not need to rename your files before uploading them. The system will handle any file naming requirements.
  • File Size: There is a 30MB maximum file size limit. Larger image files will take longer to upload and process.

Additional Entry Information

  • You will pay for your entry by credit or debit card using our secure checkout system.
  • After your entry is submitted and paid for, you may log back in to review your entry, edit artist and image information, and add or substitute images up until the entry deadline (October 19, 2026.)
  • Entry fees are not refundable and must be submitted and paid by the entry deadline.
  • Entries cannot be accepted or changed after the deadline. Incomplete entries will be disqualified.

Notifications Are Posted in Your Account

Results will be posted in your ShowSubmit account by the end of the day on October 27, 2026. You will also receive an email.

Log in and check your account. We are unable to answer individual inquiries about results.

Support

Questions about this exhibition?
Contact Terry Metzler ([email protected]) or Brenda Pinnick ([email protected]) for questions about the prospectus, SPS, eligibility, artwork requirements, sales, etc.

Need help with ShowSubmit?
Visit our Help Center or Entry Guide for guidance on image uploads, payments, and managing your entry. If you still need help, email ShowSubmit Support ([email protected]). We respond Monday–Friday, 9am–6pm Eastern.