Pastel Society of Western New York
Exhibition artwork

Pastel Society of Western New York

Perfectly Pastel

Members Juried Exhibition

Railroad Street Artworks, Fairport, NY

August 20 – September 20, 2026

Deadline is July 17th.
Find Open Calls

Opens for entry Jun 12th.

Where and When

The Pastel Society of Western New York Members Juried Exhibition at
Railroad Street Artworks
3 Railroad Street, Suite g
Fairport, NY 14450

Hours
Thursday – Saturday, Noon–6pm
Sunday, Noon–4pm

Awards

Best in Show, $200
Pastel Society of Western NY Award, $75
Rochester Art Supply, $50 RAS gift card
Jurors Award, $25 RAS gift card
Jurors Award, $25 RAS gift card
Jurors Award, $25 RAS gift card

Reception

Show Reception will be held Friday September 11, 2026, from 6:00 – 8:00pm.

Artists are asked to supply food and beverages for the reception. Look for an email to sign up!

Sales

All sales will be handled by Railroad Street Artworks. Sold artwork cannot be removed from gallery until September 20, 2026, 1pm

Railroad street artworks take commission of 13% of all sales made during the show.

Eligibility and Show Rules

  • Entrant must be a PSWNY Member in good standing of the PSWNY.
  • Entries must be created within the last three years and not previously shown in a juried show in Monroe County, or any other PSWNY exhibitions.
  • Work that has previously won an award in any national or international competitive show is not permitted.
  • Painting cannot exceed 60 inches on longest side before framing.
  • All aspects of entry must be the artist’s original work including subject, photography, composition, drawing and painting. Using someone else’s photograph is not permissible.
  • Work submitted must be at least 80% soft pastel. No charcoal allowed.
  • Entries may not be produced in any instructional class or workshop.
  • Only Two-dimensional works will be accepted into this exhibition.
  • No diptych or triptych paintings, mechanical reproductions, photography, crafts, or computer generated art.
  • PSWNY does not anticipate damage or theft; however, neither Railroad Street Artworks, nor the PSWNY is responsible for damage or loss of art works submitted for this exhibit.
  • Saw-tooth hangers ARE NOT allowed. All paintings must be well framed and supported by picture wire only. Wire ends need to be covered with tape to prevent unforeseen injuries to the hanging committee.
  • Dirty or damaged matboard or frames will not be hung.
  • We reserve the right to refuse work not presented in such manner.

Entry and Fees

  • PSWNY Members only: $35 for 3 paintings. $10 for a 4th entry.
  • Up to 4 entries are allowed.
  • 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.

Work Drop-off and Pick-up

  • Pastel Society of Western New York is not able to accept shipped work.
  • Work that is accepted into the show may not be picked up until the listed pick-up day, and only within the pick-up times.
  • If you absolutely cannot pick up your own work, please plan for someone else to pick up your work, and notify Stacy Mayou ([email protected], 316-350-5180) of who that person will be.

Our Juror and Awards Judge

Melanie Rinn Martinek

Melanie Rinn Martinek is a fine artist and arts educator currently working in the Rochester, NY area. Melanie graduated from the College of Art and Architecture at Penn State University and went on to work for design studios in Boston and Phoenix. Upon moving to Rochester, she attended Nazareth University for her MS in Art Education and St. John Fisher for her MS in Educational Administration. She was an art teacher at Victor Central Schools for over 20 years. She has studied oil and pastel painting with various accomplished and internationally recognized artists. She is currently an adjunct professor in the Masters of Science for Teachers graduate program in the College of Art and Design at the Rochester Institute of Technology. As a Signature Member, Melanie has served as President of the Rochester Art Club for the past three years. Her studio is in Rochester where she paints and draws with a variety of art mediums.

Additional Notification Information

Notifications will be emailed and posted in your ShowSubmit account by the end of the day on August 3, 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 (July 17, 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 Stacy Mayou ([email protected]) for questions about the Prospectus, PSWNY, 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.