fws 52nd annual exhibition
It is your responsibility as the artist who is entering the show to READ, understand, ask questions, and to know the rules before you submit your entries. Entrants will be notified of updates via email, so check and read your FWS emails! For full printable Prospectus, visit https://floridawatercolorsociety.org/resources/Documents/Exhibitions/2023\_AnnualProspectus.pdf
Florida Watercolor Society is pleased to announce the 52nd Annual Exhibition to be held at the beautiful Webber Gallery on the Ocala Campus of College of Central Florida.
ELIGIBILITY
Qualifying Associate/Participating, Life, and Sponsor (Diamond or Platinum) Members of Florida Watercolor Society in good standing whose 2023 dues are current by midnight March 31, 2023 may submit one or two digital images of original paintings for judging. Basic members are not eligible to enter this Exhibition.
FEES
The non-refundable entry fee is $35 for one (1) entry and $40 for two (2) entries, paid through CaFE with MasterCard or Visa. Accepted work will require shipping or hand delivery to Webber Gallery in Ocala. A handling fee will be required by cash or check: $10 hand-delivery, $30 for AirFloat or MasterPak boxes, or $45 for other shipping boxes.
JUROR AND AWARDS JUDGE
Andy Evansen will be both Juror of Selection and Awards Judge for the 2023 Annual Exhibition.
CONVENTION, TRADE SHOW, & WORKSHOPS
The 2023 FWS Convention & Trade Show will be held at the Hilton Ocala Hotel from September 28-30. Convention registration, workshop, and hotel information is on the FWS website and will come by email.
Please add info@floridawatercolorsociety.org to your contacts so that you will receive information.
ENTRY FEES
The non-refundable entry fee is $35 for one (1) entry and $40 for two (2) entries, paid through CaFE with MasterCard or Visa.
AWARDS
Monetary & merchandise awards totaling over $20,000 including two optional purchase awards of $1500. (May be subject to change.) Presentation of Awards is scheduled for Saturday, September 30th at the Gala Awards Dinner.
EXHIBITION LOCATION:
Webber Gallery
3001 SW College Road
Ocala, FL 34474
Hours: Monday - Thursday 10am-4pm; Closed Friday - Sunday
ELIGIBLE ARTWORK
Minimum artwork size: 80 square inches
(8" ×10", 9" ×9", etc.) not including any mat or frame.
Maximum artwork size: Longest side of frame or panel must not exceed 60" (outside dimension). Artwork should be sized to accommodate this limitation. (Please note: Maximum allowable size changes every year depending on what the venue can accommodate.)
CREATION DATE
All entries must have been created after January 1, 2021, and not previously shown in any FWS Online or Annual Exhibition. Correspondingly, artwork accepted into this Exhibition is not eligible for submission into other FWS Shows.
Artists found in vetting to have clearly submitted work created before January 1, 2021, but to have changed the creation date on their application, will have all of their entries disqualified, removed, and will forfeit all fees paid.
ORIGINALITY
Paintings submitted must be the artist's own idea, composition, and design, painted by hand, not copied from another photographer's or artist's work, in whole or in part, with or without permission, nor done in a live or online class or workshop, with input from an instructor.
If you paint in series and you use the same reference photo you used for a painting submitted to FWS prior to 1/1/2021, your new painting must be in some way substantially different than your prior submission. This applies regardless of whether the painting was accepted into a show or not.
REFERENCE MATERIALS
All references, including photos, used in developing the submitted artwork must be created by the artist. FWS does not allow use of the following photo references, in whole or in part:
• purchased images/stock photos
• photos taken by others, even with permission
• photos found on the internet
• any published or copyrighted source, including magazines, books, or other published materials that become the featured subjects) in the artwork
• vintage/heirloom family photos
MATERIALS AND EXECUTION
Eligible artwork is limited to water-soluble watermedia created on surfaces specifically for watermedia (excluding canvas of any type) and framed under Plexiglas (acrylic) OR sealed with varnish to include paintings mounted to or painted on a cradled board.
Collage is acceptable only if it is from paper painted by the artist in watermedia, in an aqueous manner. Photographs, printed words, reproductions, digital images, or work created digitally will not be permitted.
Printing and stamping using eligible watermedia within the composition is allowed if the entire entry is not a single print (i.e. gelli print). There must be painting with a brush by hand included in the entry. All stamps and stencils must be created by the artist; commercially available stamps and stencils are not allowed.
Diptychs or triptychs are not permitted, even in a single frame. A detailed list of accepted and prohibited materials is included on page 5 of the Prospectus.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR ENTRY
FIRST, PREPARE YOUR IMAGES
Do this before beginning application!!!
Prepare digital images of your artwork according to the CaFÉ specifications in order to upload successfully into the system:
Dimensions: The longest side of your image must measure at least 1800 pixels. (1920 pixels is better.) If it is too large, you can resize. If it is too small, you will be required to use a different image or reshoot/rescan the artwork. Problems with images being too small are often a result of an email program. Resend at "ACTUAL SIZE." Compression: JPEG file size must be less than 5.0 MB. To see the file size, close your editing program, highlight the file and Get Info or View Properties.
File Format: Save all images as Baseline ("Standard") JPEG or JPG. Do not save as Baseline Optimized or as Progressive. If given a choice, the best color profile for submission is RGB , preferably sRGB.
DO NOT WATERMARK OR PUT TEXT OF ANY KIND OVER YOUR IMAGES.
SECOND, ADD IMAGES TO CaFÉ PORTFOLIO
Once you have images meeting criteria above, sign in (or sign up) at CaFÉ and upload the paintings you would like to enter to MY PORTFOLIO. Fill out all the information CaFÉ requests, including the actual artwork IMAGE size; selected artists will be asked for the framed size at a later date. Keep in mind that framed size must not exceed 60" in either direction.
THIRD AND FINAL STEP....APPLY TO EXHIBITION
- Once you have the desired artwork in your CaFE portfolio, click APPLY TO CALLS.
- Under Call Listings, type FWS. Click the green magnifying glass button.
- Look for FWS 52nd Annual Exhibition. You may have to scroll down.
- Click Apply to This Call. NO PASSCODE IS REQUIRED THIS YEAR.
Select the desired image(s) from your Portfolio. Do not click SAVE until your images are selected. Provide a brief Artist's Statement about the artwork you are submitting. (THIS IS NOT A "BIO" about you!)
When you have completed your application, scroll down and save it! (The SAVE button is at the bottom and may be out of sight.)
WARNING: You may only go through the entry process ONCE! When entering two pieces, you can save your in-process application, but DO NOT finalize your entry and check-out until you have both pieces of artwork listed in the entry! If you search again after submission is complete, it will say Not Found. If you started the process and did not finalize or check out, your saved application will be in your account under My CaFÉ Entries.
You will pay through the CaFÉ website with a MasterCard or Visa, or via PayPal (you do not need a PayPal account). If you enter and are determined to be ineligible, you will forfeit your entry fees.