Application Closed
Entry Fee (Entry fee for first piece 45th International Watermedia Exhibition): $40.00
Media Fee(Additional fee per entry): $15.00
Images | Minimum:Min. 1, Maximum:Max. 3
Total Samples | Minimum:Min. 1, Maximum:Max. 3
Eligibility: International
State: Texas
Event Dates: 3/7/23 - 3/30/23
Jury Dates: 1/14/23 - 1/28/23
The 46th Annual International Watermedia Exhibition (IWE) is Houston's premier watermedia event, showcasing the excellence of artists from around the world in a gallery exhibit held in Houston's popular Museum District. In March 2023, entries selected by widely sought-after exhibit juror and judge, Brenda Swenson, will receive maximal exposure in a month-long gallery exhibit as well as an online exhibit that will last through the end of the year. Additionally, participants have opportunity to win awards totaling more than $10,000.
PROSPECTUS
Juried and judged
46th Annual International Watermedia Exhibition
March 2023
Online registration begins: September 14, 2022
Online registration closes: January 13, 2023, 11:59pm MST
Gallery Reception: March 5, 2023, Sunday, 3:30 pm CST
Juror and Judge: Brenda Swenson
Prizes: More than $10,000 in awards
Designations: Earn Signature and Signature Elite status
IWE Chairperson: Donna Van Fleet
Contact Info: iwe2@watercolorhouston.org or (713) 942-9966
Juror and Judge Brenda Swenson Brenda Swenson is a highly sought-after exhibition juror and judge, an acclaimed workshop instructor and the artist author of two books, Keeping a Watercolor Sketchbook (Finalist, Award of Excellence) and Steps to Success in Watercolor. Her artwork has been featured in countless books and magazines (Splash, Best of Watercolor, An Illustrated Journey, Creative Freedom, Complete Guide to Watercolor, Watercolor Artist, Watercolor Magazine, Watercolor Highlights, Plein Air magazine and numerous other publications), and she has achieved signature status in WW-M, NWWS, SDWS and CWA. An active participant in the arts community, Brenda has served on the Boards of the National Watercolor Society and Watercolor West.
AWARDS
More than $10,000 in cash awards
1st Place $2,500
2nd Place $1,500
3rd Place $1,250
Odette Rubin Memorial Award $1000
Margaret Bock Award $500
Jack Bowen Award $500
Hebert Family Award $500
Directors Award $500
Special Merit Award $200
Up to ten Merit Awards of $150 each
. . . and more.
Taxation: US residents for tax purposes who receive $600 or more in awards and/or sales must complete a Form W-9 and will receive a Form 1099 in January 2024. US residents will be paid via check.
Entrants who are not US residents for tax purposes must complete a Form W-8 BEN (which will be emailed with instructions for completion). Withholding tax will be made from awards in accordance with US tax laws and any existing tax treaty with the entrant's country of residence. Due to tax withholding, awards will be cash awards only and not gift certificates. No withholding is required on proceeds of a sold painting that was painted outside of the US. Payments to non-US residents will be made via wire transfer.
Signature and Elite Signature Status
Signature status and Elite Signature status are honorifics awarded to artists whose works have been selected for multiple years' participation in the WAS-H IWE. Signature artists have exhibited their work in three IWEs; Elite Signature artists have exhibited their work in five or more IWEs. Once designated, artists may add the credential "WAS-H" after their signature to indicate their status.
To be eligible, an artist must be a WAS-H member at the time their works are accepted into the IWEs, however, there is no requirement for an artist to retain ongoing membership in WAS-H. A "Signature Status Artist" retains that honorific for life regardless of membership.
Application Requirements
HOW TO ENTER
WAS-H uses CallforEntry.org (CaFE) to manage this Exhibition, and all entries are submitted online via CaFE. To enter, artists must have a CaFE profile, which is easy to create online. Once a profile is set up, artists can upload their artwork as digital files and enter the 2023 IWE Call-for-Entry.
Entry Regulations
| Regulation | Additional specifications | |
| Age | Artists must be 18 years of age or older. | |
| Entering | All entries are submitted online via CaFE (CallforEntry.org). | Set up a profile at https://www.callforentry.org |
| Number of entries | Up to three entries per artist may be submitted. | Only one entry/artist may be selected by the Juror for the Exhibition. |
| Entry fees | 1 entry = $40 2 entries = $55 3 entries = $70 | Entry fees are nonrefundable. |
Eligibility Criteria
ELIGIBILITY
Eligibility Regulations
| Regulation | Additional specifications | |
| Age | Artists must be 18 years of age or older. | |
| Age of artwork | Only works created within 24 months of the entry deadline are eligible. | Entry deadline is 1/13/2023. |
| Original artwork | Paintings must be artists' original work. Reference photo(s) may be used only if the photo(s) were taken by the artist. | Not created in class, from DVD or from other instruction. Not copies or giclees. Not created from photos taken by others. |
| Watermedia | At least 80% water media: watercolor, acrylic, gouache, egg tempera, casein, ink. | No water miscible oil. |
| Surface | Paper, Yupo, Claybord, Aquabord, Gessobord and paper-based board (illustration or art board). | No canvas. |
Surface size (measured height x width inside the window created by the mat)
|
No smaller than 9 1/4 inches or 23.5 centimeters on any side. | When submitting images online, it is extremely important to enter correct dimensions not including the frame and mat.
Artworks are measured for compliance when received in the gallery.
|
| Maximum framed size | Including the frame, no larger than 48 inches or 122 centimeters in any direction. | |
Framing and Matting Regulations
| Regulation | Additional specifications | ||
| Framing | Artwork must be matted and framed. | Liners and mats must be white, not white-toned. Mat cores must be white. No colored liners or mats. | |
| Framing exception for cradled panels | Cradled panels made of Claybord, Aquabord or Gessobord must have finished sides. | Flat panels without a frame are not acceptable.
| |
| Frame colors | Wood or metal frames – simple, not embellished. Frames must be one color. | Only black, brown, white, gold- or silver-toned. | |
| Frame thickness | No thicker than 2.0 inches/5.08 centimeters. | Measured from front. | |
| Hanging wire | Frames and cradled panels must be strung on the back with wire for hanging. | No sawtooth hangers. | |
| Stability | Frames must be stable and undamaged. | Artwork in unstable frames will be disqualified. | |
Protection
| Artwork must be protected by Plexiglass® for framed work or varnish for cradled panels. | No glass allowed. | |
| Display-ready | Work must be ready to hang when received by the gallery. | ||
HOW TO PARTICIPATE
All artists will be notified whether or not their artwork is selected by the Juror to participate in the Exhibition. If your artwork is selected by the Juror to participate, you will receive an Invitation. Congratulations! Promptly accept your Invitation, pack your artwork and send it to Houston.
Invitation, Shipping and Hanging Regulations
| Regulation | Additional specifications | ||
Invitations issued
| Notifications sent 1/31/23. Artists whose works were selected by the Juror will receive an Invitation. | All artists will be notified whether or not their work is selected to participate.
| |
Accept invitation
| 2/10/23 deadline By deadline, invited artists must accept or decline their Invitation to participate.
| Lack of response from artist will be treated as declining the Invitation.
| |
Agree to onlineexhibition
| Invited artists must agree to participate in the onlineexhibition as well.
| If artist declines online exhibition, they forfeit eligibility for gallery participation and awards. | |
Selected artwork
| Selected artwork must be the same as the digital picture originally entered online.
| No substitutions. Registration information cannot be changed at this time. This includes the price, title and entry size. | |
Shipping
| Shipping period is 2/14/23 - 2/28/23 Shipping instructions will be provided in the Invitation.
| Artists are responsible for all shipping fees and must include pre-paid return shipping labels.
| |
Days/times for deliveries
| Deliveries can be accepted Tuesday – Saturday
| Deliveries at other times might be left unattended outside.
| |
Delivery deadline
| 2/28/23
| Paintings received after the deadline will not be in the Exhibition. No exceptions.
| |
Intake
| 3/1/23 Works are uncrated and closely examined for compliance with Prospectus regulations.
| Screening committee has the final say regarding disqualifications. Disqualified works are shipped back to their artists.
| |
Hanging in gallery
| WAS-H will determine the location of hanging for all artworks.
| Special requests by artists are not permitted.
| |
Duration of Exhibition
| 3/7/23 - 3/30/23 Artwork must remain on display in the gallery for the duration of the Exhibition.
| Removal of artwork prior to Exhibition closing will result in penalties assessed by WAS-H and disqualification to enter future shows.
| |
Handling fees
| $25 for hand-delivered work $50 for shipped works.
| ||
SALES
Sales of paintings during the Exhibition will be handled by WAS-H on behalf of the artist. Interested buyers may call the gallery at 713-942-9966 or send an email to admin@watercolorhouston.org.
Sales Regulations
| Regulation | Additional specifications | |
| Pricing | Price includes frame. The sales price is specified in the initial entry and may not be changed. | Not-for-sale paintings are to be entered with a zero (0) price. |
| Discount | WAS-H reserves the right to negotiate up to a 10% discount to close a sale. | |
| WAS-H donation | WAS-H receives a donation of 25% for paintings sold during the Exhibition. | |
| Sales tax | Sales tax is charged for all sales regardless of artworks' country of origin. | Sales tax is 8.25%.
|
| Sold painting | Sold paintings may not be removed from the gallery until the Exhibition closes. | Paintings are released March 31, 2023, at 10 am CST. |
| Shipping and delivery of sold paintings | Artist is responsible for any shipping costs or delivery fees. |
IWE Calendar
| Phase I | Online | 9/14/22 - 1/13/23 | Artists enter works for consideration. |
| Entry | |||
Phase II Selection |
1/14/23 - 1/28/23
| Juror determines which entries will be Invited to participate.
| |
Phase III Notification
|
1/31/2023
| Artists are notified via email whether paintings are accepted or not into the Exhibition.
| |
Phase IV Invitation Acceptance | 2/10/23 (deadline) | Invited artists accept or decline the Invitation to participate. Artists also agree to participate in the online exhibition. | |
Phase V Shipping | Houston Gallery
| 2/14/23 - 2/28/23 | Artists pack and send original artwork ready to hang. |
Phase VI Intake
| 3/1/23
| Artwork is uncrated and examined for compliance. Disqualified works are shipped back to artists. | |
Phase VII Judging | 3/4/23 | Judge selects winners and winners are notified. | |
Phase VIII Awards | 3/5/23
| Winners are announced, followed by Awards Reception. | |
Phase IX Exhibition
| 3/7/23 - 3/30/23 3/5/23 - 12/31/23 | Gallery Exhibition is open to the public. Online exhibition is available through end of the year. | |