Deadline for entry: December 18, 2026
Exhibition Details
Arizona Pastel Artists Association is thrilled to return to the Phippen Museum of Western Art in historic Prescott, Arizona for the 11th Open International Exhibition and Sale. The Phippen houses an outstanding permanent collection and is proud of its role of presentation, promotion, and preservation of art of the American West. The charming town of Prescott, once the territorial capital, is rich with history embodied in its world-famous Whiskey Row, oldest rodeo in the country, and historical landmarks.
Awards
The 11th Open International Exhibition will display 80 pastel paintings and will present approximately $10,000 in awards, including a $1,000 Best in Show Award, generous cash awards for First, Second, Third and Fourth Places and twenty-seven additional cash, gift certificates and merchandise prizes. All accepted artists will have their paintings displayed in the APAA show catalog, on the APAA website and in APAA’s social media outlets. There will be an awards reception and pastel demonstration at the Phippen Museum on Saturday, March 13 from 11 – 3 pm. Steve Atkinson will offer a drawing workshop on Sunday, March 14 from 12 – 4.
Judge of Awards
Steve Atkinson is a Signature member of the Oil Painters of America (OPA), winning numerous awards including Gold and Silver Medals and "Awards of Excellence” at regional and national shows. As a Portrait Society of America member, his work received best in animal portraiture. His work can be enjoyed in collections across the United States and Europe and in Illume Gallery West, Trailside Galleries, Black Arrow Gallery and the Phippen Museum of Western Art.
According to Steve Atkinson, “at my very core, I’m a storyteller and I strive to infuse my paintings with those stories that excite me. Stories of the American west are always front and center. Cowboys, cattle, action scenes and moments of quiet contemplation are what I love. The authenticity of historical scenes or telling the story of today’s working cowboy is where my passion lies. It’s really all about what the painting has to say that makes it personal and unique to me. Most days I can be found in painting in my studio, but I also love to paint on location (en plein air), a practice I’ve been enthusiastic about since I started painting. Without a doubt, plein air painting is the best way I’ve found to become a better painter. Not only does it teach me about being accurate in my values, color, and atmospheric perspective, but it makes me paint through distractions like changing light, wind and curious passersby. You learn to make better decisions more quickly and to trust them. These days I make my home in Prescott, Arizona, in the very heart of the subject matter that fills my soul.”
According to Steve Atkinson, “at my very core, I’m a storyteller and I strive to infuse my paintings with those stories that excite me. Stories of the American west are always front and center. Cowboys, cattle, action scenes and moments of quiet contemplation are what I love. The authenticity of historical scenes or telling the story of today’s working cowboy is where my passion lies. It’s really all about what the painting has to say that makes it personal and unique to me. Most days I can be found in painting in my studio, but I also love to paint on location (en plein air), a practice I’ve been enthusiastic about since I started painting. Without a doubt, plein air painting is the best way I’ve found to become a better painter. Not only does it teach me about being accurate in my values, color, and atmospheric perspective, but it makes me paint through distractions like changing light, wind and curious passersby. You learn to make better decisions more quickly and to trust them. These days I make my home in Prescott, Arizona, in the very heart of the subject matter that fills my soul.”
Jurors of Selection
Sarah Blumenschein
The pastel medium is appealing to Sarah Blumenschein because of the immediacy of the color, and the ability to build layers of colors. Her selection of subjects is often based on a desire to find and replicate the way light bounces around a scene or setup. For that reason, glass, china, and other reflective surfaces are often featured in her still life paintings. Flowers are also a favorite subject, whether as part of a still life or as found in nature. Sarah enjoys the challenge of capturing a strong sense of light and creating the illusion of 3 dimensions on a 2 dimensional surface.
Sarah entered her first Art exhibition in 2003 and was honored to be awarded 2nd place. Since that time, she has won many local, national and international art competitions, including 1st place in the Still Life Category of The Artist Magazine 2009 Annual Art competition, The Grand Prize in the Pastel Journal’s 2010 Pastel 100 annual competition, “Best of Show” in the 2014 New Mexico Masterworks competition and the 2015 Pastel Society of New Mexico National Exhibition, “The Pat and Bob Suggs Award for Still Life and Floral” in the 2021 Pastel Society of America “Enduring Brilliance” Exhibition, and 1st Place in the Open Division of the 2021 International Association of Pastel Societies Web Show. In addition to awards, Sarah has also earned Signature status in the Pastel Society of America, Distinguished Pastelist status in the Pastel Society of New Mexico and Pastel Society of the West Coast, and Master Circle Status in the International Association of Pastel Societies. Her artwork has also been featured in magazine articles in both the Artist’s Magazine and the Pastel Journal.
The pastel medium is appealing to Sarah Blumenschein because of the immediacy of the color, and the ability to build layers of colors. Her selection of subjects is often based on a desire to find and replicate the way light bounces around a scene or setup. For that reason, glass, china, and other reflective surfaces are often featured in her still life paintings. Flowers are also a favorite subject, whether as part of a still life or as found in nature. Sarah enjoys the challenge of capturing a strong sense of light and creating the illusion of 3 dimensions on a 2 dimensional surface.
Sarah entered her first Art exhibition in 2003 and was honored to be awarded 2nd place. Since that time, she has won many local, national and international art competitions, including 1st place in the Still Life Category of The Artist Magazine 2009 Annual Art competition, The Grand Prize in the Pastel Journal’s 2010 Pastel 100 annual competition, “Best of Show” in the 2014 New Mexico Masterworks competition and the 2015 Pastel Society of New Mexico National Exhibition, “The Pat and Bob Suggs Award for Still Life and Floral” in the 2021 Pastel Society of America “Enduring Brilliance” Exhibition, and 1st Place in the Open Division of the 2021 International Association of Pastel Societies Web Show. In addition to awards, Sarah has also earned Signature status in the Pastel Society of America, Distinguished Pastelist status in the Pastel Society of New Mexico and Pastel Society of the West Coast, and Master Circle Status in the International Association of Pastel Societies. Her artwork has also been featured in magazine articles in both the Artist’s Magazine and the Pastel Journal.
Margaret Larlham is an Eminent Pastelist of the International Association of Pastel Societies. Interested in both landscape and figurative subjects she regularly paints en plein air and in her garden studio. Her impressionistic style may derive from her former career as dancer, choreographer, theatre director at San Diego State University and even earlier at Natal University, Durban, South Africa.
Margaret Larlham’s pastel work has garnered national and international attention.
Margaret is interested in investigating more deeply the places familiar to her and also sharpening her responsiveness to the special character of new places she encounters along the way. Her advice advice to painters is, “direct painting is critical. If I don’t go out to paint every day, wherever I am, I get a bit cranky with myself – so I try to avoid that for everyone’s peace of mind!For larger studio paintings I use references of plein air sketches, photographs, and personal experiences.”
Eligibility
- Open to all pastel artists. If you want to become a member of APAA, visit apaa.wildapricot.org. Membership is $40.
- All work must be original pastel painting completed in the last two years (2024 – 2026) and not previously shown in an APAA exhibition or show. Work that was entered, but not accepted into a previous APAA show may be entered again, provided it meets prospectus requirements.
- Entries must be of original concept and design and if a photograph is used, it must be from a photograph you took. Work copied from images, paintings, or photographs, regardless of copyright issues, that have been published or appeared on the internet, DVD, or any publication or that are likely to be published in any format whatsoever shall not be eligible. If you use a photograph as a source, you must have taken the photograph yourself.
- The artist must provide the original source photograph if a question arises about the originality of the work. Any work that cannot be verified will be removed from the show.
- All artwork must be completed with 85% dry pastel as a final layer, underpainting as part of the process is acceptable, no oil pastels.
- Size limit: There is no size limit.
- Sales Commission: All paintings must be for sale. No NFS or POR. Artist 60%, APAA 10%, Phippen Museum 30%. Any painting withdrawn as an entry by the artist after the deadline date and time will be subject to a payment to APAA of 25% of the stated sales price. No price changes will be accepted after you have submitted your entry, so please double-check your entries for accuracy.
- Work done under supervision, mentorship, or in an instructed class, workshop, online instruction, published step by step instruction, DVD, or any other form of instruction is not eligible. Any work shown to be part of any instruction as defined above will be removed from the show.
- The artist retains copyright to their image(s), however permission to reproduce the artist's work for APAA and the Phippen for marketing and publicity purposes prior, during the show, and for future APAA event promotions is deemed given by the artist with the acceptance of their work.
- Accepted paintings must be identical to the image submitted for entry. No substitutions, copies, adjustments, repairs, or any other modification to the painting is allowed after the entry image is submitted.
- The prices on accepted paintings for the exhibit must match the price on the artists’ website, gallery and other platforms.
- All shipped paintings will be separately invoiced by apaa.wildapricot in the amount of $25 and you can pay by credit card or PayPal. Hand-Delivered paintings must be in a portfolio with a handle and label. The portfolio must completely enclose the painting and be zipped shut.
- By entering the exhibition, you agree that you have read and will abide by all rules outlined in this prospectus.
Entry Fees
- Members: 3 entries for $45
- Non-Members: 3 entries for $55
- Entry fee is non-refundable whether you are juried into the show or not.
- A maximum of one (1) painting per artist will be accepted into the exhibit.
Phippen Museum
The Phippen Museum of Western art is located at 4701 AZ-89, Prescott, AZ 8630, (928) 778-1385
Accepted Work
Upon acceptance, artists will receive shipping/delivery instructions and forms.
Work must be suitably framed in a fine art gallery-quality frame, wired and ready for hanging. No metal frames, gallery wrap canvases or sawtooth hangers. Unsuitable framing will be disqualified. Repair or replacement of frame is the financial responsibility of the artist. APAA and the Phippen are not responsible for damage caused by works framed with glass.
Hand-Delivered or transported paintings must be in a portfolio with a handle and label. The portfolio must completely enclose the painting and be zipped shut.
General Information
- JURORS AND JUDGE OF IMAGES: Two Jurors will select the entries to be accepted for the exhibition and a Judge of Awards, Karen Budan. Jurors of Images for 2026 are Stephie Clark and Margaret Dyer. Please visit their websites for more information.
- Sold artwork will be shipped to the buyer at the buyer’s expense after the show has ended. The Gallery will collect shipping information from the buyers at the time of sale and will provide sales information to the artist in a timely manner.
- SALES COMMISSION: All paintings must be for sale. Artist: 60%, Phippen: 30%, APAA: 10%. Sales will be handled by the Phippen Museum.
- INSURANCE: The artist will be responsible for insurance of artwork in transit to and from the show. The Phippen will be responsible for insurance on artwork only while it is in possession of the artwork. Buyer will be responsible for insuring work during delivery to Buyer.
- LIABILITY: APAA and/or the Phippen are not responsible for any loss or damage to artwork while in transit or at the Exhibition. All due care will be taken at all times, and if a painting arrives damaged, the artist will be contacted to determine what action should be taken.
- While we anticipate that this show will open, we realize that there is a possibility that the health and safety of our members may take precedence. If the show does not open because of pandemic issues, APAA will carry on with an online exhibition and sale and national advertising as planned.
- Artists are responsible for monitoring their emails and the website for postings and updates.
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 (December 18, 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 January 15, 2027. 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 Nori Thorne ([email protected]) for questions about the prospectus, APAA, 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.