2026-27 CWS Member's Exhibition

Description

CALL FOR ENTRIES
2026-27 Colorado Watercolor Society Member's ExhibitionDates: October 1, 2026 to January 9, 2027Exhibition Location: Adams County Government Center / Taza Coffee Shop
4430 S Adams County Pkwy, Brighton, CO 80601Open Mon–Fri 7:30am–2pm
Eligibility

The Members Show is open to all CWS members whose dues are currently paid. This show is not juried for entry, therefore does not count toward signature status. Each member is eligible to have one painting hung in the show. The show will be judged for awards.MembershipMembership can be renewed at https://www.coloradowatercolorsociety.org.

Media and SubstrateMedia must be predominantly watermedia (watercolor, acrylic, gouache, casein, water based ink, and tempera).Paintings must be on paper, synthetic paper, yupo, canvas, watercolor paper attached to an aluminum or wood panel, or on watermedia boards such as aquaboard.Original WorkArtwork must be the artist’s original work.No copies or likenesses of another artist’s work, no copies or partial copies of any published source whether copyrighted or not copyrighted, and no copies of any published material from the internet, videos, magazines, or newspapers are permitted.Reference photographs must be taken by the artist. No use of other people’s photos, even if you have permission.No work done in a class or workshop, or under the direction of anyone but the artist is permitted.Any collage material must be produced by the artist by application of watermedia to paper and the design must be original.Digital media, photography, prints, reproductions and AI (artificial intelligence) generated work are not permitted.The painting must be painted by the Artist and not in collaboration with anyone else. The artist may be asked to provide the reference photo if there is a question of originality.
Additional RequirementsPaintings must have been completed within the last two years starting from January 1, 2024 to present.Paintings may not have been previously shown in a juried or non-juried exhibition sponsored by CWS or another Colorado watercolor society.Paintings exhibited in Colorado in an exhibition sponsored by a regional, national, or international watercolor society are permitted.Prices and all information on this registration are considered final and may not be changed after the submission deadline.Accepted artwork may not be shown or be for sale in another exhibition, virtual or in person, at the same time as this Exhibition.Artwork must be on display for the duration of the Exhibition.The artist's signature must appear on the front of the painting.PresentationMaximum Art size: (not including frame) 22” x 30”. Minimum image size: 80 square inches.All paintings must be delivered framed (including paintings under plexiglass and paintings that are sealed or varnished). Only gallery quality frames are permitted.No frame moulding over five inches wide per side is permitted.All frames must have hardware with picture wire in place. Sawtooth hangers are not permitted.All artwork must either be under plexiglass of a thickness that does not buckle, or the entire exposed surface must be sealed with an acrylic based varnish or waterproof wax. Glass and mylar may not be used.Artwork that is not sealed with varnish or wax must be matted, including floated work.Mats must be white. The minimum mat width on the narrowest side may not be less than 3".Colored liners or fillets are permitted but may not be larger than 1/4”.Paintings that are varnished or sealed with wax may not be matted and must be framed in a manner similar to an oil painting.Paintings delivered with chipped, cracked, damaged, dirty or improper presentation will not be hung.Rules/Read Carefully
CWS reserves the right to refuse any painting that does not comply with the requirements stated in this call for entry or does not match the submitted image.  All information provided, including price, is final and may not be changed after the submission deadline. Failure to comply with these rules or meet any requirements in this Call for Entry may result in disqualification of your entry, ineligibility to enter future CWS exhibits for a minimum of two years, and a forfeiture of any award. If you fail to deliver your work, if it is accepted, you will be ineligible to enter future CWS exhibits for a minimum of two years.

File Format
Please submit jpeg files only. The resolution must be 300 dpi. Submissions must be under 4mb with a minimum dimension of 540px and a maximum dimension of 1920px on the longest side. ArtCall will permanently resize submissions. 
FeesThe entry fee is $25.Delivery and PickupInstructions for delivery, pick up and shipping will be provided with notification of acceptance. There will be a $50 handling fee for shipped work. Sales of Artwork
All entries must be for sale. No price changes will be accepted. A 15% commission will be charged by CWS. The artist will receive 85% of the price charged on their sales. Commission checks will be mailed to artists within 45 days of exhibition close.

Liability

Neither the exhibiting venue, nor the Colorado Watercolor Society nor their officers, directors, staff, or volunteers, nor any receiving or shipping agent will be liable for loss or damage to any artwork submitted to this exhibition.  Insurance of the artwork is the responsibility of the individual artist.
Use of Images

The artist grants the Colorado Watercolor Society and the exhibiting venue permission to photograph artwork submitted to this exhibit, and images of selected artwork may be used for publicity, including a catalog, web gallery, or slide show, at the discretion of CWS and the exhibiting venue.
JurorOur Juror of awards for this exhibition is Cliff Austin. Information about Cliff is available on the "About our Juror" tab on this website.MembershipMembership can be renewed at https://www.coloradowatercolorsociety.org.

The following is a quick tutorial explaining how to submit your images to this Exhibit.