The University of Southern Mississippi Museum of Art is pleased to announce the 2021 National Juried Painting Exhibition, a juried exhibition of paintings made by artists from across the country. Artists are invited to submit entries of original works created withing the past 5 years. Works in any painting medium (oil, acrylic, watercolor, gouache, etc.), and all forms of representational and non-representational painting are eligible. 

AWARDS: First Prize: $500   Second Prize: $300   Third Prize: $200
ENTRY FEE: $20 for up to five entries  
ENTRY DEADLINE: August 1, 2021 
SHOW DATES: September 9 - October 1, 2021                      

JUROR:  Susan Palmisano
Susan Palmisano's paintings have also been shown in more than seventy national and international exhibitions. Her work was recently exhibited at the Limner Gallery, NY, University of Southern Mississippi, Manifest 9th International Paint Annual Exhibition-in-Print, Women's Caucus for the Arts in Washington DC, Gallery 263 in Cambridge, MA, Cooley Gallery in Leesburg, VA, and Westmoreland Museum of Art in Greensburg, PA.

Other notable exhibits include those at The Mercado Velho Gallery in Tondela, Portugal (solo); Hegyvidek Gallery in Budapest, Hungary; Can Serrat in Barcelona (Le Bruc), Spain (solo); Mallin Gallery in Kansas City, MO (solo); Gallery 402, New York City, N.Y. (solo) and Art Academy, University of Zagreb, Croatia (solo); LH Horton Gallery, Stockton, Calif. (solo); The Contemporary Art Gallery, Opole, Poland (solo); Arlington Arts Center, Va.; and Louis Bernal Gallery, Tucson, Ariz.

In addition to her exhibits, Palmisano has been invited as visiting professor at Ganesha University in Singaraja, Bali, Petra Christian University in Surabaya, Java, Wenzhou University in China, University of Opole, Poland, and the Institute of Art of Zagreb, Croatia. Palmisano served as Professor of Painting at Indiana University of Pennsylvania 1994-2020, where she also coordinated the MA and MFA programs in Art. Palmisano earned her M.F.A. in Painting from the University of Cincinnati and her B.F.A. in Painting from the University of Dayton, where she graduated summa cum laude.

ELIGIBILITY: This national juried exhibition is open to all US residents,18 years of age or older. Entries must have been completed within the last 5 years. Works in any painting medium (oil, acrylic, watercolor, gouache, etc.) and all forms of representational and non-representational painting are eligible. Entries must not exceed 60x72 inches and should weigh no more than 30 lbs. Current USM students, faculty and staff are not eligible to apply.  

SPECIFICATIONS: Entries must be the original work and available for the duration of the exhibit. Accepted works cannot be substituted. No Giclée prints or reproductions will be accepted. Works received must be in good condition. Paintings should be professionally presented, framed or gallery wrapped with clean finished edges. Entries must not exceed 60x72 inches and should weigh no more than 30 lbs. Accepted works must be wired and ready for hanging or may be hung from stretcher bars. Wires must be in good condition and substantial enough to hold the weight of the work. No saw-tooth hangers or breakable glass allowed. Works not gallery-ready, differing significantly from the entry images, or lacking in presentation or craftsmanship may be omitted from the show. 

GUIDELINES FOR ENTRY AND IMAGE SIZE: All entries will require the following: Artists Name, Title of entry, medium, size, insurance value, year completed, and a brief artist statement. Please use correct capitalization, punctuation and spelling for all entry fields.

Up to 5 entries may be submitted. Each entry will require the upload of 1 digital JPG/JPEG image, 72 dpi, no more than 5 MB for each image and no smaller than 1920 pixels on the longest side. More information on how to enter works can be found here.

IMPORTANT DATES

• Entry Deadline:                                        August 1, 2021
• Notification of acceptance by email:        by August 13
• Receipt of works window:                        August 23-28
• Deadline for to receive paintings:            August 28
• Show Opens                                            September 9
• Juror/Visiting Artist Lecture:                     September 30, 5:30 p.m.
• Gallery Reception:                                   September 30, 7:00 p.m.
• Show closes:                                           October 1
• Return shipping or pick-up of works:       October 1-16

SHIPPING AND DELIVERY: Artists are responsible for all shipping and delivery costs. Works should be shipped to arrive only during the “Receipt of Works” window unless otherwise arranged. Unless hand-delivered, works must be carefully packed and shipped in a reusable box, container or crate, including packing materials. All paintings will be returned in original packing materials. Works need to be received no later than August 28, 2021. All hand-deliveries must be picked up in person at the close of the show. 

INSURANCE: The University of Southern Mississippi will provide insurance coverage for all artworks while on the USM campus and gallery premises. Insurance of artworks while in transit to and from USM is the responsibility of the artist. USM is not liable for any damage or loss occurring during transit.

QUESTIONS OR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Museum Director, Mark Rigsby, mark.rigsby@usm.edu, (601) 266-5200.

ABOUT THE MUSEUM: The University of Southern Mississippi Museum of Art was established in 1997 by the Mississippi Institute of Higher Learning Board of Trustees as an expansion of the C.W. Wood Gallery founded in 1977. Recently completed in 2014, the Gallery of Art and Design, a 2000 sq.ft. contemporary art gallery, is now the primary exhibition space for all USM Museum of Art exhibitions and events. 

LEGAL TERMS: Entry into this show is a commitment to participate and signifies full acceptance by the artist of the rules and guidelines of this exhibition. Works selected cannot be substituted and must be available for the duration of the show. Participating artists are responsible for all costs related to shipping, delivery, and return of works. Unless hand-delivered, works must be carefully packed and shipped in a reusable box, container or crate, including packing materials. The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) will provide insurance coverage for all artworks while on the USM campus and gallery premises. Insurance for artworks while in transit to and from USM is the responsibility of the artist. USM, its faculty, staff, and volunteers, will not be held liable for any damage or loss that occurs during transit. USM reserves the right to photograph works in the show and use these photographs and any images provided by the artists for promotional purposes. The University of Southern Mississippi cannot be held responsible for the effects of COVID-19 or any other pandemic or natural disaster. In the event of a pandemic or natural disaster resulting in the temporary closing of the USM museum/gallery, or disruption of its events, all efforts will be made to move this show to a fully online exhibition. 

Application Requirements

Eligibility Criteria