Southwest Florida Pastel Society
Exhibition artwork

Southwest Florida Pastel Society

National Juried Online Show

September 4 – October 31, 2026

Deadline is August 24th.
Find Open Calls

Opens for entry Jun 5th.

Awards

  • First Place: $1,000
  • Second Place: $500
  • Third Place: $250
  • 6 Honorable Mention Awards in Cash & Prizes

Judge of Show

Mark Ivan Cole, Master Circle, IAPS, Signature Member, PSA

Award-winning artist and teacher Mark Ivan Cole, PSA, IAPS/MC began making art as soon as he could hold a crayon. He could be described as self-taught, but that does not give proper credit to the amazing artists--both contemporary and historical--whose works and methods he has spent decades studying. He was juried into the Pastel Society of America as a signature member in 2018, received his Master Circle designation from the International Association of Pastel Societies in 2025, and has painted, exhibited and taught around the world. When not out with his wife exploring some beautiful place elsewhere on the planet, he is painting landscapes, recording original music, or working on his latest novel at home in Portland, Oregon, usa.

Eligibility

  • Open to North American artists 18 years and older – SWFPS members and non-members.
  • Any styles or subject matter from traditional to contemporary welcome.
  • Paintings must be at least 80% soft pastel (no oil pastels).
  • Original artwork only – paintings done in classrooms or workshops with any instructional supervision are not allowed.
  • Work must be based exclusively on the artist’s own photo reference, life set-up, or plein air experience, concept and composition.
  • All artwork must be originally drawn and not created on top of any type of photographic image or traced image.
  • Any paintings entered in a concurrent show are not allowed.
  • Any paintings previously receiving major awards (Best of show, first, second, or third place), in prior exhibits and online shows are not permitted.
  • Accepted images must be identical to the artists’ paintings, not digitally altered.
  • Paintings entered must have been completed in the last three years.
  • SWFPS reserves the right to exclude any paintings deemed inappropriate.

Entry Fee

  • A maximum of five(5) images may be submitted.
  • Members: First image $35 each additional image $5
  • Non-Members: First image $45 each additional image $5
  • Entry fees must be paid online at time of entry.
  • Members of SWFPS must be current on dues prior to show entry. To become a member, go to the Membership page.
  • At the end of your entry process, payment can be made using a valid credit or debit card.
  • All entries must be paid for by the entry deadline or your entry process is not complete. Once the deadline passes, you cannot make any further changes to your entries.

Sales

Work may be for sale; NFS is allowed.

Photo Release Statement

Artists agree to allow the Southwest Florida Pastel Society to use your entry image(s) without compensation by Southwest Florida Pastel Society and its representatives. Images or likenesses may be used in publications, websites or social media for any lawful purpose or advertising.
This is an online only show! No framing, handling charges or shipping!

The juror's decision on entries is final. Only juried art will be exhibited. Juried in art not to exceed 100.
All artists will receive notification by email after jurying is complete. (Please add [email protected] to your safe senders list to ensure notifications are received.)
Notifications will be emailed and posted in your ShowSubmit account by the end of the day on Monday, August 31, 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.

Questions

Please direct questions about the show or Southwest Florida Pastel Society to [email protected].

Additional Notification Information

Notifications will be emailed and posted in your ShowSubmit account by the end of the day on August 31, 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 24, 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 Kris Gardner ([email protected]) for questions about the Prospectus, SWFPS, 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.