The American Artists Professional League
Exhibition artwork

The American Artists Professional League

Visions: AAPL at the Carriage Barn

Carriage Barn Arts Center, New Canaan, CT

April 19 – May 8, 2026

Deadline is March 10th.
Find Open Calls

Opens for entry Feb 7th.

About the Exhibition

The American Artists Professional League (AAPL) is pleased to announce our exhibition at Carriage Barn Arts Center in New Canaan, CT, representing the finest in American realism.

The exhibition and virtual show are open to all AAPL and CBAC Members in good standing; 2-dimensional work is only to be hung on the walls and sculptures will be displayed on pedestals.

There will be a special watermedia workshop event on the evening of April 22nd with Holbein, Legion Paper, and General Pencil, and watercolorist Andrea Walker. This event will be held in person at CBAC and via Zoom.

The Awards Reception will happen on Sunday, April 19th, 3-5 pm.

Holbein, Legion Paper, and General Pencil Watermedia Workshop

This Brand Ambassador Materials Workshop is a hands-on workshop for artists of all levels and experience from beginner to professional. Along with the instructor Andrea Walker, this guided workshop is a learning experience where participants have the opportunity to experiment with many different materials. The Watermedia Workshop will focus on Holbein’s Watercolor, Gouache, Acrylic Gouache, and Watercolor Mediums, as well as Legion’s 100% cotton Stonehenge Aqua White and Black papers, Yupo White paper, and an assortment of General Pencil materials.

Teacher Bio
Andrea Walker is a nationally recognized fine artist and art educator who creates realistic paintings and drawings, and she specializes in still lifes and portraits. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration from the Savannah College of Art and Design and is now based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Andrea enjoys working with many different mediums, with a focus on watercolor, and her watercolor paintings have been juried into the American Watercolor Society and Ohio Watercolor Society. Andrea has led workshops throughout the US and Canada, and her paintings and drawings are featured in curated publications, international juried exhibitions, and private collections around the country.

About the Carriage Barn Arts Center

The Carriage Barn Arts Center, located in New Canaan, CT's Waveny Park, is a non-profit arts center and gallery established in 1977 to promote the visual and performing arts and enrich the community through exhibitions, education, and cultural experiences. Membership is open to all artists and arts appreciators who wish to support and participate in the organization's wide-ranging events and opportunities. Visit carriagebarn.org for more information.

Terms and Conditions

  • Open To AAPL and CBAC members 18 Years Of Age Or Older
  • No limit to the number of entries artists may submit; one or two may be accepted.
  • Only works created in contemporary or traditional realism styles will be considered.
  • Acceptable media includes, but is not limited to: oil, acrylic, water media, colored pencil, scratchboard, pastel, drawings, graphics (non-mechanical fine art prints), and sculpture. Choose the dominant media when entering mixed media, and list all media used in the description. Direct questions about non-traditional media to [email protected].
  • Artwork must be original and not previously exhibited online or in-person with the American Artists Professional League.
  • Giclées, photographs, digital prints, paintings on photos, AI or digitally derived works are not eligible.
  • Artwork must be for sale.
  • Your entry confirms that the work entered is original, that your own references were used, and copyrighted or public domain images by others have not been incorporated into your work. Licensed images by others and master copies are not allowed. AAPL reserves the right to eliminate submitted artwork if the jurors feel the method of creation is in question. In cases where a work is under consideration for disqualification, efforts will be made to engage in a discussion with the artist regarding the techniques employed before any disqualifications are made. Progress pictures may be requested.
  • Framed work may not exceed 50 inches wide. Work that is too large to hang in the gallery will be rejected by the Exhibition Director at their discretion. To discuss the possibility of an exception email [email protected] before applying.
  • Sculptures may not exceed 36 inches in height, and no more than 40 lbs.
  • Sale prices for art should be in U.S. currency.
  • By entering, you agree that AAPL may reproduce your work for promotional purposes. Selected work will be showcased on AAPLinc.org, and may appear in print ads, in the AAPL newsletter, and on AAPL social media. The artist retains the copyright.
  • All art (even if sold) must remain in the gallery for the whole duration of the exhibition. Please do not commit your selected pieces to another gallery or institution during or near our exhibition dates.

Entry Fees

  • AAPL and CBAC members: $50.00 for first entry, $20.00 for each additional entry.
  • There is no limit to the number of entries. One or two may be accepted.
  • No refunds will be made. Mistaken entries will be donated to the American Artists Fund, the charitable arm of AAPL. Please read the prospectus carefully.

Membership

  • Membership in good standing is required. Open to all AAPL and CBAC members.
  • New members are always welcome. Apply for membership before entering this show. AAPLinc.org/levels
  • CBAC artists who are accepted will be offered Elected Artist Membership in the aapl.
  • Any questions? Please email [email protected]

Entry Process And Specifications

  • All entries are to be submitted through ShowSubmit from {show_open_entry}–Tuesday, March 10, 2026. AAPL provides help with any application issues by contacting Alex Tibar at [email protected].
  • Submit digital files in the universal jpeg format - 1920 pixels on the longest dimension - 300 pixels per inch, maximum 30 mb. ShowSubmit will automatically resize large files.
  • No frame, mat, or background may be visible. The image must be displayed right-side up. For instruction on taking the best image possible of your work, view AAPL's guide: How to Photograph Artwork
  • Sculptors may include 2 images per artwork.
  • After submitting an image(s) and making payment, you can change your submission(s) by returning to the ShowSubmit website and following directions. Or contact ShowSubmit or AAPL for help.
  • No submissions will be accepted after midnight EST on Tuesday, March 10, 2026.
Note: Artwork entered by February 11 may be eligible for promotion in various digital and print ads and in an editorial in American Art Collector.

Jury Process

  • Visions: AAPL at the Carriage Barn is curated by three Guest Jurors of Selection: Anna Toberman, Keith Willis, and JuliAnne Jonker.
  • Each entry is reviewed and scored on the quality and individual mastery of each medium as well as the composition and design of the work.
  • Jurors score the image without seeing any information about the artist.
  • Images not displayed right side up or without proper cropping will not be juried. Jurors make selections based on the digital image(s). Make certain the image(s) submitted are an accurate representation of the work. Work misrepresented by the submitted image(s) will not be shown.

Notification Of Accepted Works

  • Notification of accepted works via email: by Wednesday, March 18, 2026
  • Names of 'Accepted Artists' to be listed on the AAPL website: AAPLinc.org
  • Accepted work will be showcased on AAPLinc.org in addition to the gallery show.

Delivery And Pick Up Of Artwork

  • Delivery by FedEx or UPS accepted at CBAC from Monday, 4/13- Wednesday 4/15/26.
  • In-person delivery accepted Saturday 4/11, 10-12 pm and Sunday 4/12, 1-3 pm. Pick up of work will happen on Friday, 5/8 3-5 pm or Saturday 5/9 10am-12 pm.
  • Work must be packed in an AirFloat StrongBox, or similar box, and must include return shipping labels. Boxes packed with styrofoam or peanuts will not be unpacked. AAPL has arranged for a discount with AirFloat; code AAPL2023.
  • Upon acceptance and if your work sells, indicate a willingness to sell the box to the buyer of your work (reimbursement would follow) or if the box should be shipped back empty.
  • Shipped work must include a FedEx or UPS pre-paid return label.
  • All 2D artwork must be professionally presented, framed or gallery wrapped canvas with finished edges, wired, and ready to hang. No saw tooth hangers. Pedestals will be available for sculpture.
All shipped work must arrive by Apr 15, 2026.

Awards

  • Best in Show: International Artist Publishing will offer its American Art Collector Award of Excellence. The award winner will receive a full-page Artist Focus in AAC, value $3000
  • President's Award of Excellence: Fine Art Connoisseur 1/2 page artist award ad, value $2400 International Artist Publishing will offer its American Art Collector Award of Excellence.
  • Best of Medium Awards: $300 Cash Each (6) Oil • Acrylic • Pastel • Graphics Media • Water Media • Sculpture
  • Awards of Merit (2): $100 Cash
  • Fine Art Connoisseur Award of Merit: One-year subscription ($150 value)

Sales

  • Accepted works will be posted on AAPLinc.org to promote sales.
  • Sold artwork won't be allowed to be removed from the show floor until the end of the show and will be shipped at the buyer's request and expense. Airfloat boxes will be returned to the artist unless otherwise arranged.
  • A 30% commission will be realized on all sold work.

Additional Notification Information

Notifications will be emailed and posted in your ShowSubmit account by the end of the day on March 18, 2026.

If you do not receive your email, login and view the notification in your account. We cannot respond to inquiries regarding the status of notifications.

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 (March 10, 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.

Support

Questions about this exhibition?
Contact Alex Tibar ([email protected]) for questions about the Prospectus, AAPL, eligibility, artwork requirements, drop-off, pick-up, 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.