Submission window closes: December 15, 2023 (By 5:00 PM HST)
Artist notification: December 18, 2023
Drop off accepted artwork at Wailoa Center: Sat. Dec 30, 2023 from 10:00am-1:00pm
Kona pick-up at Akamai Arts: Thur. Dec 28, 2023 at 10:00am (artwork dimensions for transport cannot exceed 40"x40" including packaging)

Off Island work must be received by December 29, 2023. Artists are financially responsible for shipping to and from Wailoa Center. Packages MUST include a prepaid return label as well as a $10 handling fee. Checks can be made out to the Hawaiʻi Island Art Alliance (HIAA). *Please research shipping costs for the artwork prior to entering. 

Shipping Address:
WAILOA CENTER
200 Piopio St. 
Hilo, Hawaii

The exhibition opens: January 5, 2024
Opening: January 5, 2024 from 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
The exhibition closes: January 25, 2024
Artwork Pick-up: Friday January 26; 

Hilo (Wailoa Center), 9-1pm; 

Kona (Akamai Arts parking lot) 10am (please be prompt)

Note: Maximum of five entries per artist, with $15 non-refundable entry fee for each submittal. Please review our legal agreement at the bottom of the page. 

Juror: Robert Weiss

Juror's Statement: 

Plein Air Painting is not easy.

Weather, rapidly changing light, equipment failures, and time, make painting outdoors a real test of your mettle. It takes lots of practice and no small amount of determination to get the hang of it. But once you do (and by then you’ll have been hooked), it's so rewarding. Making all those spots of color work together to create an illusion of place and light in a short span of time is wonderfully satisfying. This describes my own experience of painting outdoors, and my guess is it's the same for most of you (plus, every moment spent painting outdoors helps improve your work in the studio). 

As I consider the paintings, I’ll be looking at the drawing, composition, design, and color, but most of all I’ll be looking for work that communicates a sense of place, of time, and light. The paintings do not have to be completed entirely outdoors (I tweak most of my plein air pieces in the studio), but it should be evident the work was begun and largely painted on location. Have fun! 

Juror Bio: 

Robert Weiss (b. 1952) is an American painter with over 45 years experience as a professional artist in the commercial and fine art fields. As a wee sprout his artistic inclinations were encouraged by a family that included painters, musicians, and writers. From 1973 to 1978 he attended Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY, studying illustration, printmaking, and graphic design. His post-Pratt years included stints in NYC as an advertising art director, graphic designer, and freelance studio artist. During this period he studied oil painting and the Reilly Method of Classical Realism at the Reilly League of Artists in White Plains, NY. In 1985 he was smitten by the old whalers’ art of scrimshaw and worked in the medium almost exclusively for the next 25 years. He became internationally known as one of the foremost scrimshaw artists in the world, receiving numerous awards for his work. But, as time passed the desire to paint full-time grew ever stronger. Moving to Hawaii in 2006 motivated Bob to paint outdoors more frequently, and he soon took the plunge to become a full-time painter. Bob now divides his time between painting outdoors around the island, and working in his studio in the little town of Honomu on the Big Island of Hawaii.

Prizes: Monetary prizes will be awarded.

Works should be for sale – HIAA will charge 20% commission on all sales

Application Requirements

No photography, reproductions or digital art will be accepted. Works must be in the Plein Air painting style and created outdoors. 

Eligibility Criteria

Open to all Hawai'i based artists.