Deadline for entry: August 20, 2026
About the Society of West-Coast Artists (SWA)
Originally named “The Society for Sanity in Art”, our non-profit organization was founded by Josephine Hancock Logan and incorporated in Chicago, Illinois in 1937. Branches were established in Boston, Los Angeles, Des Moines, Philadelphia, with our San Francisco Chapter being formed in 1938.
In 1939, the San Francisco Chapter of The Society for Sanity in Art, located in the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco, held their first art exhibition at California Palace of the Legion of Honor. In the 1940’s, the name was changed to the Society of Western Artists to better represent the society. The name changed again in 2019 to Society of West-Coast Artists.
The San Francisco Chapter and our Sister Chapter located in the San Joaquin Valley continue to carry on the tradition of supporting the dissemination, exhibition and education of representational art, with non representational art being added in 2019.
Membership is open to all artists and art supporters.
About the Online Exhibition
The Pacific Artistry Showcase is presented by the esteemed Society of West-Coast Artists (SWA) and is an exclusive online competition and exhibition that celebrates the vibrancy and diversity of fine art and has become a national beacon for artistic talent.
The Annual Exhibition of Excellence: SWA’s international online exhibition, the Pacific Artistry Showcase is an annual highlight, fostering a dynamic and collaborative environment among SWA members and art associations across the world.
New* Worldwide Award Winners: The World has taken notice, and we are attracting more and more entries from all over the world. Past Award winners have been from Spain, Canada, Finland, the Philippines and the Netherlands to name a few.
A Platform for Artistic Achievement: This juried showcase not only offers artists the opportunity to vie for prestigious awards and critical acclaim but also serves as a conduit to esteemed jurors, renowned galleries, and discerning art collectors who will view the online showcase. Embracing a spectrum of artistic expression, the Pacific Artistry Showcase welcomes all forms of two-dimensional fine art, providing a premier platform for artists to share their vision with the world.
The Annual Exhibition of Excellence: SWA’s international online exhibition, the Pacific Artistry Showcase is an annual highlight, fostering a dynamic and collaborative environment among SWA members and art associations across the world.
New* Worldwide Award Winners: The World has taken notice, and we are attracting more and more entries from all over the world. Past Award winners have been from Spain, Canada, Finland, the Philippines and the Netherlands to name a few.
A Platform for Artistic Achievement: This juried showcase not only offers artists the opportunity to vie for prestigious awards and critical acclaim but also serves as a conduit to esteemed jurors, renowned galleries, and discerning art collectors who will view the online showcase. Embracing a spectrum of artistic expression, the Pacific Artistry Showcase welcomes all forms of two-dimensional fine art, providing a premier platform for artists to share their vision with the world.
Juror of Awards
Frank is an award-winning artist who grew up in Europe and apprenticed with Italian master painter Renato Casaro in the 90’s. In the 80’s and 90’s, Frank worked as a professional illustrator for video cover sleeves.
He strives to create timeless art in both oil and watermedia and works in a direct, loose style influenced by the Old-World Masters and Impressionists. He lived for three years in the south of France and has painted on location in many countries around the world.
Frank is a Signature member of the American Impressionist society (AIS), and the American Watercolor Society (AWS) in New York. He is a juried Artist member of the prestigious California Art Club. Frank conducts workshops and classes locally and at the national and international level.
Jurors of Selection
Deborah Shea
deborahsheastudios.com
deborahsheastudios.com
Deborah is an award-winning Pastel Artist and signature member of Society of West-Coast Artists. She was born into a family of artists and grew up in San Francisco. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art and Design at the University of California, Davis, where she studied with Wayne Thiebaud and Roland Peterson. Deborah had a career for over 20 years as a creative director, designer, and illustrator before becoming a full-time fine artist in 2017. She has won numerous awards in juried group shows, solo exhibitions, publications and commissions for public buildings, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative in 2023 and the 2025 and 2026 Salon at the Triton Museum. Deborah is a signature member of SWA as well as several Pastel Societies across the US. She teaches pastel workshops for the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum in New Mexico, and at her studio in San Carlos at Art Bias.
Carrie Drilling, SWA
Carrie is a signature Member of the Society of West-Coast Artists and an award-winning artist. Her goal is to create paintings which closely mirror the scenery that inspire her works, by painting the subject as close to the image as possible. Carrie is the Exhibits Chair for the SWA and has served the organization for many years.
William G. Ramroth, SWA
Bill is an architect and a Signature Member of the Society of West-Coast Artists. Having drawn for as long as he can remember, he went on to take oil painting classes in high school and college. During his career as an architect, there was little time to paint but he continued to draw. After retirement, Bill began painting again and learned he enjoyed painting portraits. Many of his portraits have won awards, including SWA’s Annual Best of Show and SWA’s Annual Best Oil Painting Portrait. The Judges for the City of Millbrae’s Annual Painting Contest awarded him another First Place.
Please read this Prospectus information carefully!
Jury Process
A panel of three jurors will make initial selections & 1 judge will make the final selections for awards. Artist will receive an email with acceptance & award information. See Jurors of Selection and Juror of Awards above for their information.
Entry Fees
- SWA Members: $45 first entry, $15 per additional entry
- Non-Member: $65 first entry, $15 per additional entry
- MAXIMUM of five (5) entries total.
Note: Up to 3 entries per artist may be accepted. Fees must be paid online when you register on ShowSubmit. All fees are non-refundable.
Medium Categories
Oil, Watercolor, Acrylic/Mixed Media, Pastel, Non-representational.
Awards
- Best in Show: $700
- First Place, $300 awarded in each of the five (5) categories.
- Honorable Mention, $25 awarded in each of the five (5) categories.
Rules
- Artwork must be 2D only and completed in the last five (5) years.
- Artwork must be the artist’s original work and conceived by the artist.
- Artwork cannot be a direct copy of a copyrighted** work, including work by other artists, images from magazines or other printed material, or materials/images from the internet.
- Artwork created through a reference photograph is allowed if the image used was also an original image/photograph taken by the artist or the artist has permission in writing to use the photo.
- There is no size limitation, but images of artwork must meet the criteria as stated in the “Criteria for Photographs of Artwork”.
- Diptych, triptych or other multiple works are not currently accepted for online shows.
- Images that are unclear or show mats or frames will automatically be disqualified.
- Artwork accepted into a previous Pacific Artistry Showcase is not eligible.
- ANY questions regarding artwork, show criteria, etc., should be asked PRIOR to registration.
Contact an SWA Show Coordinator at [email protected] with any questions or concerns regarding artwork eligibility or for help with entry.
Note: *Collage must also meet copyright standards. For clarification, please see: Creativity & The Law: Collage and Fair Use under the Copyright Laws
**Copyright and Fair Use Exceptions - for clarification, please see:
Registration Process online through ShowSubmit
- Artists must register and establish an account on the ShowSubmit website to enter the exhibit.
- You may register up to Thursday, August 20, 2026 until midnight
- To register go to showsubmit.com/register.
Entry Process
You may submit up to five (5) entries that meet the following:
- A digital photo attached that meets the criteria as stated in the “Criteria for Photographs of Artwork” listed below and listed on the ShowSubmit website.
- Artist’s name will be published in the online presentation, along with the title of the image, the image dimensions and the price given to ShowSubmit by the artist.
- Entry must meet all the SWA Exhibit Rules.
- A guide for registering and artwork submission is available to print and is also located here: showsubmit.com/entry-guide.
Criteria for Photographs of Artwork:
All artwork submissions must be in digital format using the online site showsubmit.com. A maximum of five (5) images from each artist may be submitted. Images should depict the complete work and be cropped to show only the work and not the mat or the frame. Image should be clearly focused and be a JPG format, at least 1,500 pixels on the longest side. Images that show frames and/or mats, are blurry or not properly cropped will NOT be accepted. Images that do not meet the criteria listed here will not be accepted.
Sales
Artwork may or may not be for sale. All sales will be handled by the artist.
Responsibilities of Participants
- Upon submitting their entry, Artists should make sure that they receive their Entry Confirmation email. The artist should check their spam/junk mail folder prior to contacting SWA or ShowSubmit regarding lack of confirmation.
- Each artist will help to publicize the event. (email, Facebook, Instagram, post flyers, postcards, etc.).
- Artists should make sure that they receive their Acceptance/Non-Acceptance email. The artist should check their spam/junk mail folder or view their Entry History in their ShowSubmit account (see the Additional Notification Information section below).
- All insurance, if deemed necessary, is the responsibility of the artist.
- Artists agree to follow all the SWA Exhibit Rules that are not otherwise stated herein.
Terms and Conditions
SWA reserves the right to use Artist images for promotional purposes of the exhibition and by entering this show, the artist consents to the use of any and or all their images in future. Any copyright issues will be the liability of the artist.
Questions
For questions about SWA or this Prospectus contact:
Show Coordinators
Susan Jochheim & Yvonne Newhouse
Show Coordinators
Susan Jochheim & Yvonne Newhouse
Additional Notification Information
Notifications will be emailed and posted in your ShowSubmit account by the end of the day on August 26, 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 (August 20, 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 Susan Jochheim ([email protected]) for questions about the Prospectus, SWA, 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.