Theme: Pastel Panache seeks to showcase any form of expression rendered by the medium of pastels, which includes soft pastels, chalk, hard pastels, oil pastels, ink pastels, water-based pastels, conte crayons or sticks, sanguine, and similar dry mediums including charcoal. Mixed media works are welcome where pastel or qualifying media is the primary medium.

Jurors: Pamela Comfort, Ed.D., President of Pastel Society of the West Coast (PSWC) and artist; Bonnie Zahn Griffith, Secretary of PSWC, artist, art educator; https://pswc.ws/

Artwork Requirements:

• San Francisco Bay Area artists only (artist must live within 100 miles from San Rafael, California).
  • Refunds will not be given to applications who don’t qualify.
• Open to most subject matter including abstraction.
• Open to visual arts media primarily using pastel and pastel-related mediums such as hard, soft, oil, pastel-pencil, and mixed media primarily using pastels.
• Original artwork only. No giclées or reproductions.
• Images of explicit sexual content or violence will not be considered.
• Size limit: artwork must not exceed 72” including frame, stand, and all materials.
• Submissions must not have previously exhibited in the AWD 1337 Gallery.
• Apply through CallForEntry.org. AWD will not accept hardcopy, email, or disk submissions.

Application fee: $40 for up to 3 entries. Discount provided to AWD Artist Members, become a member today!

Exhibit Calendar:

• February 29: Entries due via CallForEntry.org. Technically you have until 11:59 Mountain time (9:59pm Pacific time). We are not available for questions about applications on the due date, please plan ahead.
• March 7, 8: Notification by email. Separate emails announce “invited” and “not invited” submissions.
• March 28–30, 12–6pm: deliver accepted entries, artist statement, and signed contract.
• April 5–May 25, 2023: Exhibition dates.
• Wednesday–Saturday, 12–6pm: Public visiting hours.
• April 12, 5–8pm: opening reception and 2nd Friday Art Walk
• May 10, 5–8pm: second reception and 2nd Friday Art Walk
• May 30-June1, 12–6pm: Pick up unsold artwork

Delivery of Accepted Work: 

• Work(s) must be hand delivered to Art Works Downtown 1337 Fourth St., San Rafael between the hours stated, above, under Exhibit Calendar.
• All work must be ready to install. Wall-hung artwork must be securely wired. Please include clear directions and proper hardware for special installations needs.
• We will not accept substitutes for the artwork approved by the juror. Please also deliver an artist statement and resume for the exhibit binder. We do not print these materials for you.
• The artist must complete and sign the Consignment Contract before or during delivery. If a representative of the artist delivers, the artist must call ahead to give the representative’s name.
• Please note that other artists will deliver and pick up at the same time. You may need to wait for staff to process other artists. Paid parking can be found on the surrounding streets and in two garages—one block away—on C Street.

Pick Up:

• Artists who do not retrieve their work will be charged a storage fee of $5.00 per day. Works remaining after 30 days will become property of Art Works Downtown. Please note that other artists will deliver and pick up during the same hours. You may need to wait for staff to process other artists. Paid parking can be found on the surrounding streets and in two garages—one block away—on C Street.

Sales: 

• Art Works Downtown (AWD) expects a 40% donation upon sale. AWD processes sales as follows. All checks and credit card sales will be made payable to Art Works Downtown. AWD then reports the sales tax and passes the net sale. The artist is responsible for donating 40% of the net sale total to AWD. It is not the artist’s responsibility to report sales tax. All sold artworks will remain on display until the end of the exhibition. Patrons retrieve their artwork when the exhibit ends. Sales will be paid to artists as soon as possible after the exhibit ends.

Application Requirements

Online Entry: 
AWD uses callforentry.org (CaFÉ) to process juried exhibitions. To submit entries, visit www.callforentry.org. First create a free profile then upload images to your portfolio. Second, apply to this call. The CaFÉ website provides all the assistance you should need to prepare your submissions and apply. If you have trouble sizing your image(s), use the links provided below for help. Before you start, we recommend reviewing the CAFÉ HELP page. We also recommend reviewing our CAFÉ Tips and Tricks by going to artworksdowntown.org > Artists tab > Calls for Entry > Tips and Tricks. AWD does not provide technical assistance for submissions.
• 3D/sculptural entries: Since you can only submit one image per entry, we suggest submitting one image with two views.
• Free online image software:  pixlr.com/editor; online-image-editor.com
• Using the most current internet browser. Check the CaFÉ help page or this link: browsehappy.com.
• First-timers: please note that adding images to your account “Portfolio” does not submit them to the “Call.” You will need to add the images from your portfolio to the call when you apply.

Eligibility Criteria

San Francisco Bay Area artists only (artist must live within 100 miles from San Rafael, California). Refunds will not be given to applications who don’t qualify.