Annual Members’ Showcase

Venue

Juror of Selection

Awards Juror, and Workshop Instructor

Awards

How to enter

• All entries must be submitted online. NO email/postal mail entries accepted. Successful completion of your online entry will be acknowledged with an automated notification of your entry data from the website.
• If you have a problem submitting your entry online, contact Nancy Paden at [email protected]

Artwork Images

• Artists must submit digital JPEG files.
• One image per artwork may be submitted (up to 2 artworks per artist).
• It should be correctly oriented. (See How to Photograph Art and How to Prepare Images and other tips at Resources/Tips on watercolorsocietyofal.org)
• Prepare your digital images before filling out the 2024 Exhibition Entry Form. Save these files on your computer where you can locate the image(s) to upload when completing the Entry Form online.
• Color must be accurate for web and catalogue publication.
• Images must be cropped to exclude frames, mats & background and must be correctly oriented (vertical or horizontal).
• Changes/substitutions to entries can be made by you at your account of ShowSubmit up until the deadline. No changes after the deadline.

For more information, please see the Image and Filename Specifications section below.

Entry Fee

• $40 for up to 2 entries per artist.
• Nonmembers can enter by becoming members, paying the entry fee plus yearly dues of $40.00. All fees can be paid through ShowSubmit at the time of submitting your Online Entry form.
• If you have not paid your current membership dues, or if you would like to join as a new member, select Enter as New Member under the Membership heading in your entry.
• Payment may be made by credit card. Cards that are accepted - Mastercard, Visa, American Express, Discover, Diners Club, JBC, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Link. ShowSubmit does NOT ACCEPT PayPal.

Artist Eligibility

Artwork Eligibility Specifications (read carefully)

• Eligible paintings are limited to water-soluble media applied in an aqueous, watercolor manner. For more information on the term “aqueous, watercolor manner” see FAQ at watercolorsocietyofal.org/faqs
• Entries must be original, painted after January 1, 2023, and not previously juried into any WSA exhibition.

• Only original composition and artwork by the artist is accepted. See FAQ: How does WSA define the original art requirement for entries at watercolorsocietyofal.org/faqs
• Watercolor, casein, gouache, egg tempera, metallic, ink, watercolor pencil, and watercolor crayon.
• Watercolor paper, watercolor or illustration board, watercolor canvas (without added medium) and clay board (example, Aqua board), Yupo or other synthetic paper.
• Collage items: original work by the artist on one or a combination of watercolor paper, white rice paper without inclusions, white tissue paper, Yupo or other synthetic papers.

• Textured medium, textured applications (e.g., with pallet knife, applied textured papers).
• Raised paint. Raised paint when applying any of the allowed media indicates the application is not aqueous enough.
• Diptychs or triptychs unless in a common frame.
• Pastels.
• Alcohol inks
• Class or workshop paintings, copies, computer generated art, digital images, prints or reproductions.
• Copies or likeness of another’s work (i.e., painting, drawing, photograph, digital image or prints).
• Original artwork derived from any published source or other artist’s work.
• Varnished or waxed paintings.
• Canvas Supports, except Watercolor Canvas.

Presentation of Framed Art

• Minimum image size: 140 square inches (multiply height x width, e.g., 10” x 14”).
• Maximum frame size: 48” in any direction.
• Maximum frame width: 3 inches.
• Wood frame: simple wood tones or painted gold, silver, white or black without ornamentation. See FAQ at watercolorsocietyofal.org/faqs for examples.
• Metal frame: gold, silver or black (without decorative corners).
• Light enough to be handled by one person.
• Plexiglas plastic glazing only.
• Wire must have taped ends or plastic coating, ready to hang and support the strength of the painting.
• Mats required or image floated with a mat- (inner and outer) must be white.
• Wood Liners/Filets, if used, must be wood tone, white, gold, or silver.

• Glass.
• Non-glare glazing.
• Frayed wire ends.
• Colored mats/liners including beige and yellow tints.
• Saw tooth hangers.
• Smudged, dirty mats.
• Painted colored frames.

Membership

1. You may join or renew membership at any time online using PayPal: Join WSA. You will only be paying the membership fee.
2. You can join/or renew when filling out the Exhibition Entry Form – select Enter as New Member under the Membership heading in your entry.
   
   Please note: payment by PayPal will not be accepted through ShowSubmit, only credit cards, and those listed for ShowSubmit.
3. If you wish to join WSA by mail, the membership form may be downloaded, printed and filled out: Member Application Form
   
   Make check payable to WSA in the amount of $40 and mail with completed form to Membership Chair.
   
   Please contact the Membership Director Heike Covell at [email protected] for the mailing address.

Former Members

Membership Benefits

• Receipt of Newsletters
• Discount on Workshop Fee
• Copy of National Exhibition Catalogue
• Option to be in Members Gallery of Website
• Earn points toward Signature Membership. For info about Signature Member status, visit the Website at www.watercolorsocietyofal.org. (Dues must be paid annually to retain attained status.)

Sales

Delivered Works

• Artwork will be reviewed at the venue by the WSA Screening Committee to assure adherence to the Prospectus. The committee has authority to remove a painting from its frame if necessary to verify compliance with competition requirements.
• Works that do not comply with the prospectus will be returned at artist’s expense. The Screening Committee’s decisions are final.
• Entrants failing to deliver selected works may be denied entry to future exhibitions for up to two years.
• No painting may be substituted, and none may be removed before the end of the show.
• WSA reserves the right to refuse any painting that does not match the submitted entry, the prospectus, or framing criteria.

Packaging & Shipping

• Shipping Fee of $15 MUST be included in shipping box for those using TOP LOADING boxes in the style of Airfloat Strongbox, or Masterpack TitanStrong Box, or Uline Deluxe Artwork Shipper. Use of these shipping boxes is strongly encouraged.
• Shipping Fee of $30 MUST be included in shipping box for paintings shipped using side loading boxes, double boxes, and other style boxes.
• Please limit bubble wrap, no more than two layers, is preferred in non Top Loading boxes.
• NO wooden boxes, NO custom made cardboard boxes made by taping together cardboard to make box, NO peanuts, NO fiberboard, cardboard or stiff liners used inside box in addition to bubble wrap.
• Return shipping labels with bar codes MUST be included in boxes. NO Will Call Return Labels.

• WSA reserves the right to refuse any painting that does not match the submitted entry, the prospectus, or framing criteria.
• Artwork will be reviewed at the venue by the WSA Screening Committee to assure adherence to the Prospectus. The committee has authority to remove a painting from its frame if necessary to verify compliance with competition requirements.
• WSA reserves the right to refuse entries that are deemed to be obscene, controversial, or in bad taste. The Screening Committee is authorized to make the decision whether any entry falls into these categories.
• Works that do not pass on-site painting screening will be returned at artist’s expense. The Screening Committee’s decisions are final.
• Entrants failing to deliver selected works may be denied entry to future exhibitions for up to two years.
• No painting may be substituted, and none may be removed before the end of the show.

Liability

Agreement

1. I hereby release and discharge the officers of the Watercolor Society of Alabama (WSA) its representatives, and the Exhibition Venue from all claims occasioned by damage or loss of said image or painting while in the possession of WSA/Exhibition Venue.
2. No work accepted may be withdrawn prior to the close of the exhibition.
3. Permission to reproduce the painting for educational or publicity purposes is granted.
4. I realize if my work is selected and I withdraw, or it does not meet eligibility requirements set forth in the prospectus including that it has not been exhibited in another WSA show, I will be disqualified immediately. Awards or certificates and the 2025 signature status points will be rescinded, and I will not be allowed to enter WSA exhibitions for up to two years.

Questions