Small Works - NMWS 2026 Spring Exhibition

Description

Small Works - NMWS Spring Exhibition 2026

We are pleased to invite NMWS Members to submit original watermedia paintings for our spring exhibition with Guest Juror/Judge Dave Cook (Small Works). Small works are those less that 50 square inches (width x height) and larger than 24 square inches.

Entries Accepted: February 2nd – March 8th at 5pm MST

Opening Reception & Awards Ceremony: Saturday May 2nd, 1-4 pm MDT
Exhibition Open to the Public: Sunday May 3rd – Saturday May 23rd, Thursdays through Sundays, 10AM - 4PMExpo New Mexico · Fine Arts Gallery, 300 San Pedro Drive NE, (Gate 3 Entrance) Albuquerque, NM 87108

Exhibition Requirements

NMWS Membership is required to enter this show. Dues for 2026 must be paid in full before submitting your entry and remain current throughout the show. To join or register, log in to New Mexico Watercolor Society (nmwatercolorsociety.org)

All submitted paintings must be original and must have been completed after March 8, 2024, or they will be withdrawn from jury consideration.

Each artist may enter up to 3 original paintings for small works.

All accepted paintings must be for sale.

Watercolor must be the dominant medium though some minor use of other water media may be acceptable. You must specify all media used in your entry.

Gouache, egg tempera, casein, watercolor pencils, watercolor crayons, fluid acrylics, and water soluble inks are acceptable.
Texture may be created by using a thin layer of white paper collage or gesso but not by thick application of any other media (e.g., impasto technique).
Permitted surfaces: cotton rag paper or board, undyed oriental papers, Yupo, Aquabord, or Gessobord.
Types of media prohibited include heavy body acrylic, gel medium, water-soluble oils, three dimensional objects, commercial papers, computer generated art, encaustic, wax, woven material, built up textured materials, canvas and watercolor canvas.

By entering, you guarantee that your entries are original. Works produced from copyrighted materials are ineligible (i.e., published materials, photographs, or other artworks).

All artworks entered must be executed solely by the entering artist. Artwork completed during a workshop or class under the guidance or advice of an instructor are not eligible for entry.

Works accepted or shown in National Shows, Western Federation of Watercolor Societies (WFWS), MasterWorks of New Mexico (MWNM), or any NMWS shows in the past are not permitted.

Submitted paintings must be available from the submission day, Monday April 26, 2026 to the end of the show on May 23, 2026. Any artist withdrawing one or more pieces after acceptance into the exhibition will be disqualified from exhibiting all his/her paintings in the current and following two NMWS exhibitions.

The artist retains the copyright for his/her image(s). However, by submitting to this show, the artist agrees to NMWS’s use of the images for publicity, promotion, and archival purposes.

Accepted artists must volunteer for show hosting or other volunteer activity. If unable to host or serve in some other volunteer capacity, another responsible person may substitute in your place or you must pay a fee of $50. Complete information on hosting will be distributed by email to volunteers. Artist residing more than 75 driving miles (by Google maps) from the Fine Arts Building are exempt from the show hosting requirement.

Small Work Painting Requirements

Minimum sales price for small work paintings is $100.

The maximum unframed painting size is less than 50 square inches (width x height).

The minimum unframed painting size is 24 square inches (width x height).

The maximum overall framed size must NOT exceed 170 square inches (width x height).

Each artist may submit up to 3 images for selection into the show through ArcCall.

Up to 2 small works may be selected for exhibit from each artist. Selected small paintings do NOT count towards Signature status. 

Entry Submission and Entry Fees

All entries must be submitted through the entry application, ArtCall.org.

You may enter up to 3 small work paintings. Entry fees are $35 for the first painting and $10 for each additional painting.

You will need to pay online using a credit or debit card, no checks are accepted.  There are no refunds.

You may change your entries up to 5:00 PM MST on Saturday March 8, 2026 through ArtCall.

You will be notified by email of acceptance or rejection before 5:00 PM MDT, Saturday, March 21, 2025.

Digital Image File Specifications
Only digital entries of artwork will be accepted. File format: .jpg, .jpeg,  files only.

Image should be cropped to show the artwork image only, no mat or frame in the image

Size: less than 10 MB

The juror will judge paintings by viewing digital entries only. If the image does not accurately represent the actual painting, the work will be rejected. Use a good digital camera (3.0 Mega Pixels or higher issuggested).

Framing Requirements

Exhibited work must meet professional, gallery-quality framing standards. Art works will be inspected at the time of entry and will be disqualified if does not meet the requirements in this prospectus.

Traditional Presentations and Framing Requirements

Paintings must be have a Metal or Wood frame with a mat unless using the Alternative Methods detailed below.

All mats must be white or off-white. Double mats with colored liners (inner mats) are acceptable, but the visible width must not to exceed a 1/4” in on each side.

Plexiglas must be used on all water-soluble works and non-varnished works. Glass is not permitted. There should be no dirt or debris between the Plexiglas and the mat.

The back side of the frame must be neatly finished. Backs of paintings in Wood Frames should be finished/sealed with clean paper dust covers, without rips, mars or writing. Cradled paintings with hanging eyelets and wires mounted entirely inside the back are exempt from dust covers.

Backs of paintings in Metal Frames must be finished using one of the following methods:

Finished/sealed with clean, unmarked paper dust covers, without rips, using double-sided tape (no masking tape).
Finished/sealed with white artists’ tape, covering the gap between foam core and frame and covering any exposed staples, clips, brads, or nails. The visible foam core should be otherwise clean, unmarked, and without ragged edges.
Finished with an inserted piece of clean, unmarked foam core neatly cut so that it fits tightly into the back of the painting, filling the entire space and hiding all staples, clips, brads or nails. The back of the foam core should be flush (even) with the back of the metal frame. Depending on the style of the metal frame, you may need to slightly notch the foam core to accommodate the hanging wire. The “filler" foam core can be adhered to the foam core back of the actual painting (inside and not visible) with double sided tape or glue, so the added foam core doesn't fall out.

For small work paintings, the hanging wire should attach to the frame and must peak at 2" below the top of the frame. The ends of the wire should be wrapped in tape or finished.

Alternative Presentations and Framing Requirements

To allow artists to present their paintings in a more contemporary fashion, the NMWS Exhibitions Prospectus includes an Alternative Presentation Category. This category is applicable for paintings with a varnished or wax finish and presented without Plexiglas. Paintings in this category must meet the applicable Painting and Framing Requirements of this prospectus as noted above. Additionally, Alternative Presentations must adhere to the following requirements:

All artwork must be securely attached to the foam core with archival adhesives, or dry mounted. Backs must be sealed/finished with kraft paper or as described elsewhere in this prospectus.
Varnished or waxed works must be free of debris and clear without lint, hair, flakes, or dust. No hazy varnish or heavy visible brush strokes are permitted.
Varnished or waxed works do not require mats, however if a mat is used it must also be varnished, including the bevel.
The inside edges or the mat next to the image should be secured to the foam core with “double sided” tape. The entire window perimeter must be sealed to avoid any gaps. Do Not Use Glue.
Varnished or waxed entries will be inspected upon delivery. If a painting does not meet these requirements it will be disqualified.

Eligible Supports for Alternative Presentations

Shallow supports consist of works on approved supports less than 1” deep (boards or panels). These must be framed inside a “floater” frame or a regular frame with or without Plexiglas.
Deep supports consist of 1” to 2 1/2” thick, ready to hang cradled Aquaboard, Gessobord, or hardwood panels with allowable paper securely attached and sealed with varnish. If mounting paper to wood, it is recommended that the paper be protected from the acids in the hardwood support. Golden Artist Colors recommends 2 coats of GAC-100 to seal bare wood. Suitable glue such as PVA (polyvinyl acetate) or soft gel (matte) is recommended to mount paper to wood to make it both archival and secure. (see Lineco PVA, Blick Art Materials or Golden Artist Colors, Inc. for supplies)
Floated & Framed presentations are also acceptable. This is defined as paintings on approved deep or shallow supports or papers, that are unsealed or floated in a frame with or without a mat, behind Plexiglas. This presentation can be used to show off the deckled edges of the paper.
Want to know how to wax a watercolor painting? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzEcH-Ce6LE
Want to know to varnish a watercolor painting? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUUGwIl6sUs

Delivery of Artworks

Accepted artworks will be hand-delivered to Expo New Mexico Fine Arts Gallery on Sunday April 26th from 1:00 PM - 3:00PM MDT. Late entries will not be accepted. If you need help getting your framed painting delivered, please contact another member who lives near you, using the NMWS website Membership Directory.

Accepted artworks may be shipped by FedEx or UPS to NMWS c/o Mail Bank, 1933 San Mateo Blvd, NE, Albuquerque NM 87110. Shipped artwork must arrive before Friday, April 24. Fees for shipping (make checks payable to Mail Bank: $60 for one painting in one box, $40 for each additional painting in the same box or $85 for a crate containing one painting, plus $40 for each additional painting in the same crate. Include a pre-paid return shipping label.)

The artwork images submitted through ArtCall must match the respective delivered artwork. An artist delivering a substitute for the original submission will be disqualified from the current exhibition and the next two NMWS shows. 

NMWS has the right to refuse or disqualify any artwork that fails to meet eligibility, entry, and exhibition requirements or deemed inappropriate for public viewing.

Terms of Artwork Sale

All accepted paintings must be for sale.

New Mexico Gross Receipts Tax (GRT) will be added to the sale price and will be collected from the purchaser at the time of sale.

NMWS will pay GRT to the New Mexico Tax and Revenue Department on behalf of artist. NMWS will then send a payment to the artist of 70% of the cost of the painting (not including the GRT) before June 30, 2024. NMWS will withhold 30% of the sale price for handling sales and exhibit expenses.

Artwork sold during the exhibition will be taken by the buyer at the close of the show on Sunday May 24, 2026 from 11:00-2:00 PM MDT. The buyer will receive a receipt at the time of purchase to be presented at the time of pick up.

Buyers who wish to have their purchased artwork delivered to them will be responsible to pay all packing and shipping charges, insurance costs, and handling expenses incurred.

Any artist who sells an exhibited artwork without going through NMWS will be disqualified from exhibiting all his/her paintings in the current exhibition and the following two NMWS Exhibitions.

Insuring artwork is optional and exhibiting artists are responsible for all costs related to insuring their work during transit and exhibition.

The New Mexico Watercolor Society, EXPO-NM State Fairgrounds, their agents, employees, volunteers, and anyone working on the exhibition will NOT be held responsible for any theft, loss or damage of any artwork in the exhibition or during shipping.

Accepted works may be used for website or promotional materials for this or future exhibitions.

An artist’s entry submission and payment constitute acceptance of all conditions and terms in this prospectus.

Calendar of Important Dates

Event

Date / Time

Location

Entries accepted though ArtCall.org

February 2 – March 8, 2026 at 5 pm MST

https://nmwsspring26-small.art...

Notification of jury selection by email

on or before March 21, 2026

by email, or by logging in to ArtCall.org

FedEx or UPS delivery of artworks

Friday April 24, 2026

Mail Bank

Hand delivery of accepted artworks

Sunday April 26, 2026 1-3 pm MDT

Expo NM

Exhibition hours

May 3 – May 23, 2026   Th, Fr, Sa, Sun 10-4 MDT

Expo NM

Opening reception and awards ceremony

Saturday May 2, 2026   1-4 pm MDT

Expo NM

Exhibition ends

Saturday May 23, 2026   4 pm MDT

Expo NM

Pickup of sold and unsold artworks

Sunday May 24, 2026   11 am-2 pm MDT

Expo NM

Return of unsold works that were shipped

May 30, 2026

Mail Bank

Payment sent for sold artworks

June 30, 2026

Mail

HELP and Contact Information

For membership information about NMWS and other events, visit New Mexico Watercolor Society - HOME (nmwatercolorsociety.org)

Do you want to know how to use ArtCall for the first time?     https://artcall.org/users/sign-up

Once you have an Art Call Account, log in and click the green Video Tutorial below.

For questions about Art Call, preparation, sizing, fees and payments, email Spring Show File Manager Tina Stallard tmstallard@comcast.net.

 

User Entry Process Tutorial

You can leave this video on your call site's homepage (or embed it on any page) for a quick tutorial your users can watch to help them with the submission process.