Deadline for entry: June 4, 2026
Venue
Visual Experience Fine Art Gallery (VEFA)
Torrance, CA
Torrance, CA
Awards
Judging for acceptance and awards will consider all entries together, regardless of painting style.
There will be an estimated $15,000 in awards, including cash awards for Best of Show, First, Second and Third Place.
Daniel E. Greene Memorial Award
For Best in Show - $3,000
Wakeham/Sutherland Award
First Place - $2,000
There will be an estimated $15,000 in awards, including cash awards for Best of Show, First, Second and Third Place.
Daniel E. Greene Memorial Award
For Best in Show - $3,000
Wakeham/Sutherland Award
First Place - $2,000
Exhibition Details
The 40th Annual Pastels USA – 99 Voices in Pastel International Open Juried Exhibition will be presented at the Visual Experience Fine Art (VEFA) Gallery, Torrance, California, from August 1 to September 12, 2026. There will be an estimated $15,000 in awards, including a Best in Show Daniel E. Greene Memorial Award of $3000 and a First Place Wakeham/ Sutherland Award of $2000. All accepted artists will have their painting displayed at the gallery, in the PSWC magazine and on the PSWC website. Artists will include a brief bio on the submission form for use by PSWC and the VEFA Gallery.
Judge of Awards
Clark Mitchell grew up in the country outside Denver, Colorado, and at a very early age began sketching the beautiful local landscape using a set of fine German pastels given to him by his father. He’s made Northern California his home since the early seventies. Every year, Mitchell travels to different parts of the country to participate in plein air events. In 2005, he won Best of Show at the Laguna Beach Plein Air Invitational, in 2011, Best of Show at Maui Plein Air Painting Invitational; and in 2024, Best of Show at Paint Sausalito. He’s been designated a Distinguished Pastelist by the Pastel Society of the West Coast and a Master Pastelist by the Pastel Society of America.
Jurors of Selection
Mary Aslin loves to paint the beauty in our world, beauty which invites contemplation and peace. Light and nuances of color and form guide her as she composes and paints, most often directly from life with florals and figures as her subject. It is thrilling when the unique story of each painting is revealed, one that she is grateful to share with viewers. A lifelong learner, and honored with many awards, Mary has been featured in many books and publications, is a juried Artist Member of the prestigious California Art Club, a Signature Member of the Pastel Society of America and a Distinguished Pastelist with the Pastel Society of the West Coast, and a Master’s Circle Member of the International Association of Pastel Societies. Her paintings have been exhibited in France, and collected worldwide, with one painting recently honored with a Founder’s Award Acquisition at the Hilbert Museum of California Art. Mary loves to share her knowledge with her students through local and international workshops and can be seen painting plein air near her home and studio in San Juan Capistrano.
Joe Mancuso is well known for the quality of light in his work. He is greatly influenced by the changing of seasons and the weather. The more dramatic the weather, the more inspired he feels. Joe celebrates the mood each season brings, and he enjoys working on location to accurately see and capture the changing light. Joe’s hard work and consistency are often rewarded with Best of Show, Best Pastel, People’s Choice and Artist Choice designations at plein air festivals and exhibitions. His work has been published in the Pastel Journal, Southwest Art and the Santa Barbara Seasons, to name a few. Joe achieved Master Circle Status with The International Association of Pastel Societies, is a Signature Member with the Pastel Society of America and a Distinguished Pastelist with The Pastel Society of the West Coast. He is an Artist Member of the California Art Club, a Signature member of the Laguna Beach Plein Air Painters and a member of The Pastel Society of Southern California. His paintings hang in private collections throughout North America and Europe.
Otto Sturcke is a representational artist who is influenced by the Dutch Masters. Otto seeks to impart sincerity and an admiration for the classical in a contemporary world through a variety of favored techniques. He often aims to depict an allegorical narrative with an intriguing balance of light and dark. Recognition and awards for his work include Master Circle Status with the International Association of Pastel Societies, Master Pastelist title and honoree of the Art Spirit Foundation Dianne B. Bernhard Gold Medal Award by the Pastel Society of America. His works are included in the American Latino Collective at the Smithsonian Museum and many years at the Butler Institute of American Art. He has been honored with several Best in Show and First Place awards in prestigious exhibitions and magazines, including Art Los Angeles and Pastel Journal (19th Annual Pastel 100 Competition), 1st International Pastel Exhibition in Rome, and Pastel Society of the West Coast. His work was published in the French publication “40 Maitres du Pastel” (40 Masters of Pastel) by Pratique des Arts Magazine, The Art of Chalk book by Tracy Lee Stum, and as “Artist of Note” by Southwest Art Magazine.
Joe Mancuso is well known for the quality of light in his work. He is greatly influenced by the changing of seasons and the weather. The more dramatic the weather, the more inspired he feels. Joe celebrates the mood each season brings, and he enjoys working on location to accurately see and capture the changing light. Joe’s hard work and consistency are often rewarded with Best of Show, Best Pastel, People’s Choice and Artist Choice designations at plein air festivals and exhibitions. His work has been published in the Pastel Journal, Southwest Art and the Santa Barbara Seasons, to name a few. Joe achieved Master Circle Status with The International Association of Pastel Societies, is a Signature Member with the Pastel Society of America and a Distinguished Pastelist with The Pastel Society of the West Coast. He is an Artist Member of the California Art Club, a Signature member of the Laguna Beach Plein Air Painters and a member of The Pastel Society of Southern California. His paintings hang in private collections throughout North America and Europe.
Otto Sturcke is a representational artist who is influenced by the Dutch Masters. Otto seeks to impart sincerity and an admiration for the classical in a contemporary world through a variety of favored techniques. He often aims to depict an allegorical narrative with an intriguing balance of light and dark. Recognition and awards for his work include Master Circle Status with the International Association of Pastel Societies, Master Pastelist title and honoree of the Art Spirit Foundation Dianne B. Bernhard Gold Medal Award by the Pastel Society of America. His works are included in the American Latino Collective at the Smithsonian Museum and many years at the Butler Institute of American Art. He has been honored with several Best in Show and First Place awards in prestigious exhibitions and magazines, including Art Los Angeles and Pastel Journal (19th Annual Pastel 100 Competition), 1st International Pastel Exhibition in Rome, and Pastel Society of the West Coast. His work was published in the French publication “40 Maitres du Pastel” (40 Masters of Pastel) by Pratique des Arts Magazine, The Art of Chalk book by Tracy Lee Stum, and as “Artist of Note” by Southwest Art Magazine.
Sales
A 40% commission will be taken by VEFA Gallery on all sales. Interested buyers will be referred directly to VEFA staff, who will process all sales, and collect and remit applicable sales tax as required by law.
Awards
Awards include cash prizes and gift certificates. Best in Show, First, Second and Third place awards will be cash. Awards will be announced at an awards reception at the VEFA Gallery on August 8 from 6-8 pm, and subsequently on the PSWC website. Awards are given at the discretion of the judge and are final with no exchanges or substitutions.
Please note: Works that are accepted or receive awards will only count toward PSWC signature or higher status if the artist is a current member AT THE TIME OF SUBMISSION. A lapse in membership may result in lost points toward member status.
Eligibility
- Open to artists over the age of 18.
- At least 80% of the final layer of the piece must be DRY PASTEL (no oil pastels).
- Submissions must be entirely the work of the artist and not copied from other artists’ work, photos or publications. Any reference photo must be taken by the artist themselves. No use of optical projections, digital assistance (AI), or work produced under supervision of instructor is eligible.
- Work must have been completed in the last 3 years (June 4, 2023 or newer), as confirmed on submission form.
- Paintings of nudes will be considered.
- Once accepted, works cannot be repriced, nor can they be withheld from the exhibition under a penalty of a two-year exclusion from future juried PSWC exhibitions. Please consider shipping costs, shipping agent fee ($40), insurance and potential sales commissions prior to submission of work. When accepted paintings are not delivered, it creates havoc for a show, for example, another artist did not get accepted, the catalog may have already been printed, the show curator may have already designed the show, etc.
- Work CANNOT have won any award in a national or international open juried show (including PSWC MOOS) by the time of the submission deadline for Pastels usa.
- Work cannot be exhibited in any other national or international open juried show concurrently, whether online or in person.
- Work that has been accepted into MOOS, without winning an award, or work that has won an award in a member only show other than PSWC MOOS is still eligible for entry.
- Artists are strongly discouraged from submitting works that appear to duplicate or be closely derivative of a painting previously accepted into any PSWC show.
Entry Fees
Does not include your cost for shipping and handling of accepted works.
- Non-Members: 3 entries for $75, each additional entry is $15 up to 5 paintings for $105.
- Members: 3 entries for $60, each additional entry is $15 up to 5 paintings for $90.
- PSWC Membership fees are $50 annually.
To become a member of PSWC, go to pswc.ws/new-membership - Entry fees are not refundable. Overpayments will go to the PSWC Scholarship Fund.
- A maximum of ONE (1) painting per artist will be accepted into the exhibit.
- Credit cards are accepted.
Note Regarding Accepted Works
- The gallery reserves the right to reject pieces from the exhibit that are poorly prepared or not compatible with the exhibit or framing/mat/hanging guidelines.
- Works must be framed with these framing standards: mats, if used, must be white, off white, tan, beige, black, or gray; frames should adhere to museum quality standards, and it is highly recommended to use either museum glass or acrylic.
- Artwork must be ready to hang with wire on D rings.
- Absolutely no sawtooth hangers accepted.
- The gallery reserves the right to reject work damaged in shipping. Artists will be informed and works will be returned.
Entering Your Images
You do not need to resize or rename your image files. You can upload your cropped, ‘hi-res’ or original image files. If using your mobile or tablet device, please use the ‘Actual Size’ or largest available. ShowSubmit will handle the file resizing and renaming based on the show specifications (300 dpi and 1500 pixels on the longest edge is the default if not specified). If you have already resized your images to a specific show’s specifications, they will work as is and are ready to be uploaded.
If your images are smaller than the required minimum, ShowSubmit cannot ‘upsize’ your images. They will be saved as is. It is recommended that you choose larger images to upload. ShowSubmit never compresses or changes the quality of the image; they only resize the image.
All images must be high quality jpeg (.jpg) image files. Set your camera to the highest possible quality image, use good lighting on your painting without any glass in front of it, and use a tripod for your camera. Once the photo is taken, you must crop out all parts of the photo that are not the actual painting; do not show mat, frame, etc., only the painting itself.
If your images are smaller than the required minimum, ShowSubmit cannot ‘upsize’ your images. They will be saved as is. It is recommended that you choose larger images to upload. ShowSubmit never compresses or changes the quality of the image; they only resize the image.
All images must be high quality jpeg (.jpg) image files. Set your camera to the highest possible quality image, use good lighting on your painting without any glass in front of it, and use a tripod for your camera. Once the photo is taken, you must crop out all parts of the photo that are not the actual painting; do not show mat, frame, etc., only the painting itself.
Liability
The utmost care will be taken in the handling of entries and paintings. However, neither the Pastel Society of the West Coast nor the VEFA gallery or their agents will be responsible for loss or damage to any entries or paintings in transit, or while on display when submitted for this exhibition. Shipping insurance is the responsibility of the submitting artist. Artists are advised to carry their own insurance for artworks. Signed waivers and assumption of risk forms will be required from each participating artist.
Delivery of Accepted Work
Accepted paintings may be shipped directly to the VEFA gallery, or delivered in person. PSWC will coordinate all shipments. Artists will be required to inform PSWC upon entry whether they intend to ship or deliver in person. There will be a $40 handling fee for unboxing, storage of shipping box, repackaging and return shipping. This is in addition to the cost of the actual return shipping label that must be included in the box.
If Shipping:
All shipped paintings must arrive at the gallery by Thursday, July 23, 2026 to be included in the exhibition. Works arriving after that date will not be hung.
VEFA Gallery
21825 Hawthorne Blvd.
Torrance CA 90503
vefagallery.com 310/251-2944
vefagallery.com 310/251-2944
Include name of artist, address, phone number, email, title of painting, and price on the back of your painting. Also, include a bar-coded, pre-paid return shipping label.
Please pack work carefully and add adequate insurance. It is required to use Airfloat, Uline or Masterpak boxes. Do not use packing peanuts or material – this is difficult to repack. Artists will be contacted if work arrives damaged, in which case, it will be returned and not hung in the exhibition.
For any questions on shipping and handling, please contact the show chair, Lynn Attig.
NOTE: Before shipping your painting, take photos of all the steps you took to pack your painting, including the final label. If anything should happen to the painting, you will have good backup documentation for your insurance claim with the courier.
For Hand Delivery:
Paintings must be delivered Wednesday-Thursday, July 22-23, 2026 between 10am – 3pm to:
VEFA Gallery
21825 Hawthorne Blvd.
Torrance CA 90503
Include name of artist, address, phone number, email, title of painting, and price on the back of your painting.
Please see “Eligibility” regarding the penalty if VEFA does not receive your accepted painting.
Pastels USA: 99 Voices in Pastel Chair
Lynn Attig
Discaimer/Legal
License for Promotion and Archival Use. Accepted images may be used in Pastels USA advertising and on PSWC website, magazine and social media without compensation. Artists grant VEFA a non-exclusive, royalty-free license during and after the Exhibition to use participating artists’ names, biographies (as provided), and images of artworks supplied by PSWC or artists for purposes of promoting the Exhibition and the Gallery, including on VEFA’s website, social media, email marketing, press outreach, and for VEFA’s archival records. VEFA shall use commercially reasonable efforts to include artist credits as provided by PSWC. Entry into this exhibition constitutes agreement with this understanding.
Additional Notification Information
Notifications will be emailed and posted in your ShowSubmit account by the end of the day on June 17, 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 (June 4, 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 Lynn Attig ([email protected]) or Pam Comfort ([email protected]) for questions about the Prospectus, PSWC, 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.