Tucson Pastel Society
Exhibition artwork

Tucson Pastel Society

Pastel Expressions

Tucson Desert Art Museum

September 30 – October 25, 2026

Deadline is August 3rd. 7 weeks left to enter.
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Venue

Tucson Desert Art Museum
Four Corners Gallery
Santa Fe Square
7000 E. Tanque Verde

Awards

Cash and merchandise

Eligibility

Open to artists who have an up-to-date membership with the Tucson Pastel Society.

You may join the Tucson Pastel Society at this link: Join - Tucson Pastel Society.

Entry Fee

  • Members: $35 for up to 3 paintings.
  • No more than two paintings per artist will be chosen for the show.
  • Entry fees are not refundable and must be paid by the entry deadline.
You may join the Tucson Pastel Society at this link: Join - Tucson Pastel Society.

Entry Guidelines

  • Size restriction: no larger than 11x14 unframed.
  • All work must be for sale and appropriately priced.
  • All paintings must have a label on the back with the artist’s name, title, and price.
  • Payment for the paintings sold will be handled by the Gallery.
  • Commission to the gallery is 50% of the sale price. If purchased by a museum member, the member receives a 10% discount prior to gallery commission of 50%.
  • All paintings will undergo a thorough review to ensure appropriate framing using wire and flat metal hangers (D-rings or Triangle hangers) and label on back. No sawtooth hangers, damaged frames or “clip” frames are allowed. Paintings that are not properly framed may be rejected.
  • All paintings must be photographed without glass and cropped to the edges of the painting so that no frame or mat is included in the image
  • Accepted paintings must be identical to the submitted digital image. If any change is made to the painting after submission of the digital image, the painting may be rejected at check in.

Plagiarism, Artistic Ethics, And Penalties

Under no circumstances may a painting submitted for this or any other TPS show be based upon an image found on the internet or any publication in any media, regardless of copyright issues or lack thereof.

If a painting accepted into a show is later found to be based on any photograph not taken by the artist or painted from life, it will be considered to have been entered in violation of this Prospectus and therefore plagiarized material. The painting will be removed from the show.

Juried Show Policy

Work completed in a class/workshop, under supervision, or with artistic assistance of any kind is not eligible for entry.

All submitted paintings must be original. No reproductions of any kind are permitted. Reproductions may include, but are not limited to, painting on top of a photograph, print, or a giclee.

Underpaintings

All show submissions must consist of 80% soft pastel. Underpaintings of various media and mixed media components are acceptable as long as the finished painting is 80% soft pastel. Oil pastel may not be used.

Artist’s Responsibility

Each submitting artist is responsible for understanding and following the Prospectus rules and delivery and pick up submissions at the publicized time/date.

Risk and Liability

All entries are made at the risk of the entrant. Care and caution will be made in the handling of all paintings. Neither the Tucson Pastel Society (TPS) nor its agents shall be held liable for any loss or damage to any entry while it is in possession of TPS or its agents.

Submitting your online registration constitutes an agreement with all conditions in this prospectus.

The decision of the TPS Committee Panel and Jurors is final and will determine how many artworks are suitable for display and sale. Any variation in the rules in this Prospectus may result in rejection of a painting. If a painting is accepted into a show, there is no guarantee that any painting will be sold. By entering this show you give TPS and Fine Arts Gallery permission to publicize, advertise and/or promote your painting(s).
Tucson Pastel Society reserves the right to refuse to consider work that is offensive or pornographic in nature, as determined by the show committee. Tucson Pastel Society reserves the right to refuse upon arrival, any painting of unacceptable quality or that does not meet the above requirements in any manner.

Jurors of Selection

Three (3) individuals anonymously chosen from a committee of seven (7) Tucson Pastel Established Members.

Judge of Awards

Christine DeBrosky

We are pleased to welcome Christine Debrosky as our Judge of Awards. An internationally recognized pastel artist and longtime Arizona resident, Christine is celebrated for her luminous landscapes inspired by the Southwest’s extraordinary light. Her discerning eye and deep artistic experience make her a wonderful choice for this year’s awards.

Additional Notification Information

Notifications will be emailed and posted in your ShowSubmit account by the end of the day on August 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 (August 3, 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 Rita Anderson ([email protected]) or Becky Neideffer ([email protected]) for questions about the Prospectus, TPS, 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.