PLEASE READ CAREFULLY!

It is your responsibility as the artist who is entering the show to READ, understand, ask questions, and to know the rules before you submit your entries. Entrants will be notified of updates via email, so check and read your FWS emails! For full printable Prospectus, visit the FWS website and go to the Upcoming Exhibitions Page. Or, cut and paste the web address below into your browser. https://floridawatercolorsociety.org/resources/Exhibitions/53rd%20Annual%20Exhibition/2024_AnnualProspectus_4_9.pdf

Florida Watercolor Society is pleased to announce the 53rd Annual Exhibition to be held at beautiful Creative Pinellas in Largo, Florida.

ELIGIBILITY

Qualifying Associate/Participating, Life, and Sponsor (Diamond or Platinum) Members of Florida Watercolor Society in good standing whose 2024 dues are current by midnight April 9, 2024 may submit one or two digital images of original paintings for judging. Basic members are not eligible to enter this Exhibition.

FEES
The non-refundable entry fee is $35 for one (1) entry and $40 for two (2) entries, paid through CaFE with MasterCard or Visa. Accepted work will require shipping or hand delivery to Creative Pinellas in Largo, Florida. A handling fee will be required by cash or check: $10 hand-delivery, $30 for AirFloat or MasterPak boxes, or $45 for other shipping boxes.

JUROR AND AWARDS JUDGE
Stephen Quiller will be both Juror of Selection and Awards Judge for the 2024 Annual Exhibition.

ENTRY FEES

The non-refundable entry fee is $35 for one (1) entry and $40 for two (2) entries, paid through CaFE with MasterCard or Visa.

AWARDS
Monetary & merchandise awards totaling over $20,000 (may be subject to change) including two optional purchase awards of $1500. Presentation of Awards is scheduled for Saturday, September 21st at the Gala Awards Dinner.

EXHIBITION LOCATION:
Creative Pinellas
12211 Walsingham Road 
Largo, FL 33778
Hours: Wednesday-Sunday 10am-5pm; Closed Monday & Tuesday

ELIGIBLE ARTWORK
Minimum artwork size: 80 square inches
(8" ×10", 9" ×9", etc.) not including any mat or frame.
Maximum artwork size: Longest side of frame or panel must not exceed 60" (outside dimension). Artwork should be sized to accommodate this limitation. (Please note: Maximum allowable size changes every year depending on what the venue can accommodate.)

CREATION DATE
All entries must have been created after January 1, 2021. (This is not a typo; the creation date has been lengthened for the 2024 Exhibition.)  Entries cannot have been previously shown in any FWS Online or Annual Exhibition. Correspondingly, artwork accepted into this Exhibition is not eligible for submission into other FWS Shows.

Artists found in vetting to have clearly submitted work created before January 1, 2021, but to have changed the creation date on their application, will have all of their entries disqualified, removed, and will forfeit all fees paid.

ORIGINALITY
Paintings submitted must be the artist's own idea, composition, and design, painted by hand, not copied from another photographer's or artist's work, in whole or in part, with or without permission, nor done in a live or online class or workshop, with input from an instructor.

If you paint in series and you use the same reference photo you used for a painting submitted to FWS prior to 1/1/2021, your new painting must be in some way substantially different than your prior submission. This applies regardless of whether the painting was accepted into a show or not.

REFERENCE MATERIALS
All references, including photos, used in developing the submitted artwork must be created by the artist. FWS does not allow use of the following photo references, in whole or in part:
• purchased images/stock photos
• photos taken by others, even with permission
• photos found on the internet
• any published or copyrighted source, including magazines, books, or other published materials that become the featured subjects) in the artwork
• vintage/heirloom family photos

MATERIALS AND EXECUTION
Eligible artwork is limited to water-soluble watermedia created on surfaces specifically for watermedia (excluding canvas of any type) and framed under Plexiglas (acrylic) OR sealed with varnish to include paintings mounted to or painted on a cradled board. 

Collage is acceptable only if it is from paper painted by the artist in watermedia, in an aqueous manner. Photographs, printed words, reproductions, digital images, or work created digitally will not be permitted.

Printing and stamping using eligible watermedia within the composition is allowed if the entire entry is not a single print (i.e. gelli print). There must be painting with a brush by hand included in the entry. FWS prefers that all stamps and stencils be created by the artist; commercial stamps and stencils should not be immediately identifiable and must not be a major element or a focal point in the composition.

Diptychs or triptychs are not permitted, even in a single frame. A detailed list of accepted and prohibited materials is included on page 5 of the Prospectus.

CONVENTION, TRADE SHOW, & WORKSHOPS

The 2023 FWS Convention & Trade Show will be held at the Hilton St Petersburg Bayfront Hotel from September 19-21. Convention registration, workshop, and hotel information is on the FWS website and will come by email.

Please add info@floridawatercolorsociety.org to your contacts so that you will receive information.

Application Requirements

INSTRUCTIONS FOR ENTRY

FIRST, PREPARE YOUR IMAGES

Do this before beginning application!!!

Prepare digital images of your artwork according to the CaFÉ specifications in order to upload successfully into the system:

Dimensions: The longest side of your image must measure at least 1800 pixels. (1920 pixels is better.) If it is too large, you can resize. If it is too small, you will be required to use a different image or reshoot/rescan the artwork. Problems with images being too small are often a result of an email program. Resend at "ACTUAL SIZE." Compression: JPEG file size must be less than 5.0 MB. To see the file size, close your editing program, highlight the file and Get Info or View Properties.

File Format: Save all images as Baseline ("Standard") JPEG or JPG. Do not save as Baseline Optimized or as Progressive. If given a choice, the best color profile for submission is RGB , preferably sRGB.

DO NOT WATERMARK OR PUT TEXT OF ANY KIND OVER YOUR IMAGES.

SECOND, ADD IMAGES TO YOUR CaFÉ PORTFOLIO
Once you have images meeting criteria above, sign in (or sign up) at CaFÉ and upload the paintings you would like to enter to MY PORTFOLIO. Fill out all the information CaFÉ requests, including the actual artwork IMAGE size; selected artists will be asked for the framed size at a later date. Keep in mind that framed size must not exceed 60" in either direction.

THIRD AND FINAL STEP....APPLY TO EXHIBITION

1. Once you have the desired artwork in your CaFE portfolio, click APPLY TO CALLS.
2. Under Call Listings, type FWS. Click the green magnifying glass button.
3. Look for FWS 53rd Annual Exhibition. You may have to scroll down.
4. Click Apply to This Call. NO PASSCODE IS REQUIRED THIS YEAR.

Select the desired image(s) from your Portfolio. Do not click SAVE until your images are selected. Provide a brief Artist's Statement about the artwork you are submitting. (THIS IS NOT A "BIO" about you!)
When you have completed your application, scroll down and save it! (The SAVE button is at the bottom and may be out of sight.)

WARNING: You may only go through the entry process ONCE! When entering two pieces, you can save your in-process application, but DO NOT finalize your entry and check-out until you have both pieces of artwork listed in the entry! If you search again after submission is complete, it will say Not Found. If you started the process and did not finalize or check out, your saved application will be in your account under My CaFÉ Entries.

You will pay through the CaFÉ website with a MasterCard or Visa, or via PayPal (you do not need a PayPal account). If you enter and are determined to be ineligible, you will forfeit your entry fees.

PLEASE CHECK THAT YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION (ADDRESS/PHONE NUMBER/EMAIL) ON CaFÉ IS CORRECT.

Eligibility Criteria

PRESENTATION OF ACCEPTED WORK

FWS allows framed work with acrylic glazing or varnished work painted on or mounted on a commercially-produced cradled board. Your work may need to comply with two categories below.

For framed work under glazing (Plexiglas/acrylic):
1. Wood or metal frames with no chips or scratches and intact (not gaping) corners.
2. Moulding no more than three inches in width.
3. Wood should be in natural shades such as oak, walnut, etc., not whitewashed or dyed. Wood or metal frames in black, white, gold, or silver are acceptable. The front can be one wood color and the edges black or a different wood color.
4. Frames should be simple in design (no ornate frames or painted effects).
5. Framed size must not exceed 60" on the outside dimension of the longest side.
6. Unvarnished and/or matted work must be framed under acrylic (Plexiglas). Glass is not accepted.
7. Frames must be securely wired for hanging in the correct orientation. Vinyl-coated wire is preferred, secured to D-ring hangers screwed into the frame, or attached to proper metal frame hangers. No sawtooth hangers. No hardware attached to backing. No screw eyes. Braided wire that is not coated must be taped at the wrap. Adjust hanging wire so that when stretched up, the center reaches no closer than to 3" from top.
 

For varnished work including on Aquabord, Claybord, or other approved substrates:
1. Flat, varnished 1/8" panels must be in a sturdy frame with no linen liners. Floater frames conforming to guidelines accepted.
2. Cradled work must be between 1.5"- 2" deep. Cradle edges may be natural, black, or white. The cradle edges may be stained in a natural wood color, but may not be painted it any color other than black or white.
3. Paintings painted directly on the cradled board or on approved substrates that are mounted on the cradled board are acceptable. Any artwork not under glazing must be varnished. Please note: By submitting unglazed, varnished work, you accept that your work is more vulnerable to damage such as chipping, scratching, etc., for which FWS and Creative Pinellas are not responsible, no matter the cause.
4. Cradled board or frame must be securely wired for hanging in the correct orientation. Vinyl-coated wire is preferred, secured to D-ring hangers screwed into the frame or cradle, or attached to proper metal frame hangers. No hardware attached to backing. No sawtooth hangers. No screw eyes. Braided wire that is not coated must be taped at the wrap. Adjust hanging wire so that when stretched up, the center reaches no closer than to 3" from top.

Any artwork with mats:
1. Mats may be single or double; no more than two mats are permitted. One 1/4" colored liner is acceptable. No French matting paper, color-core, or multicolored mats. Bevels must be white only. Reused mat board that appears golden or brown at the bevel will not be accepted. Any mat that is discolored from age, marred, scratched, over-cut, stained, moldy, or has debris or finger prints will not be accepted.
2. Top mat must be white only all the way through. If "white" is in the name of the mat board, it's acceptable.
3. Work floated on a white or colored mat with a white top mat is acceptable. Floated work without a top mat must be floated on white only.
4. Colored liner or colored mat around floated work may not exceed one-quarter inch (1/4"). We understand the deckle is not straight and may be wider on some edges than others. If the deckle shows on floated work, try to keep the mat board that shows to one-quarter inch around the widest part of the deckle.

5. "V"-grooves are acceptable in the white top mat.

PLEASE NOTE: FWS will not reframe, re-mat, or repair artwork! Work arriving damaged, in poor condition, or poorly or improperly presented will not be accepted. "Poor condition" includes, but is not limited to: scratched frames or Plexi, damaged artwork, poorly or over-cut mats, mats with any blemishes, debris between the mat and glazing, poorly joined frame corners, wire that is not secure, artwork dislodged from the mat, etc. Artists whose artwork has such issues will be notified and asked to make it right by the take-in deadline, otherwise, it will be disqualified. 

FWS will have a local framer on-call for emergency repairs. Should you choose to have your work repaired, you will be responsible for the costs and will pay the framer directly. Artists who cannot be reached for a decision will be deemed non-compliant and will be withdrawn from the Exhibition; this decision is final. If it is determined by the Compliance Committee that the issue was probably caused during shipping and you choose not to go through the expense of having it corrected, there will be no reprimand but your work will not be hung.

COMPLIANCE WITH PROSPECTUS

Selection of artwork by the juror does not guarantee artwork will appear in the Exhibition. Upon receipt of the accepted work at the take-in venue, a review by a Compliance Committee consisting of the current President and two other Signature Members verifies that artwork meets execution and framing specifications of the Prospectus and is of the same quality and unaltered from the digital image. Artwork determined at any time before, during, or after the Exhibition to not meet specifications will be disqualified. The decision of the Compliance Committee is final.

FWS attempts to ascertain and address any problems before artwork goes to the judge in an effort to prevent a spot be taken from another artist who followed the rules. Infractions resulting in a Reprimand are dealt with by the Board on a case-by-case basis and decisions are final. FWS issues Reprimands in increasing harshness depending on the severity of the infraction. For some infractions, such as copyright infringement or misrepresentation, the artist and all entries for that show are disqualified, and may incur Reprimands even though the judge will never see the work. A chart of Reprimands will be available on the FWS Website.

There are no refunds of entry fees, no matter the reason. Ineligible paintings may not be exchanged for other work.

CONFIRMATION OF OPTIONS 

All entrants are required to check the appropriate boxes confirming details and participation options at check-out. If someone else fills out your entries, you must communicate your choices and answers. "I didn't read it" or "I didn't fill out my own entry" excuses are not acceptable. Artists are responsible for making sure all of their entry information is accurate.

ELIGIBILITY 

By entering the FWS 53rd Annual Exhibition, you verify that you are an eligible FWS Member in good standing, whose dues are current. Those found in violation after the fact will have their work removed from the Exhibition.

RIGHT TO USE ACCEPTED IMAGES 

By entering the FWS 53rd Annual Exhibition, you understand that FWS reserves the right to respectfully and safely use any and all images of accepted work, artists’ information including likeness, name, and hometown, and other information pertinent to the Exhibition in advertising, on Facebook, on the FWS website, etc., without first contacting the artist. Artists are also encouraged to post Exhibition photos on the FWS Facebook page and to their own social media platforms.

FORCE MAJEURE

FWS selects locations and contracts with venues for the Annual Exhibition, Convention & Trade Show Hotel, Workshops, and related festivities up to four years in advance, so there’s no way to anticipate whether or not the stated events may be disrupted.  We reserve the right to activate a Force Majeure to change dates, venues, switch to virtual (online) events, cancel, or otherwise alter this schedule for any number of reasons, including but not limited to hurricanes, tropical storms, local or global pandemics, war, civil unrest, etc., with or without advance notice.  If FWS cancels the event(s), refunds will be offered for paid registered events.