Southern Watercolor Society Small Works Watermedia Exhibition

Exhibition Dates: February 20 to April 25, 2026

Panama City Center for the Arts

19th E 4th St

Panama City, FL 32401

  ELIGIBILITY

Artists participating in the juried competition must reside in the United States. Participants can pay a Member Application Fee of $35 or a Non-Member Application Fee of $50. New Members & Renewing Members must pay the $30 membership fee prior to entering into your application. Go to www.southernwatercolorsociety.org.

__1. Paintings must be original in composition / design and not copies of other artists’ work, including photographs by people other than the artist. No AI assisted images. Paintings started or completed under supervision in a workshop or class are not eligible to enter.

 __2. Paintings are limited to water-based media that can be diluted and manipulated with water, such as; acrylic, gouache, casein, egg tempera, watercolor paints, water based metallics, water-soluble ink, watercolor pencil, watercolor crayons. (No water-soluble oil, pastel products, textured OR thickly layered mediums).

 __3. Substrates can be watercolor papers of any tint, illustration board, watercolor board, canvas, Claybord/ Aquabord, Yupo or other synthetic paper.

__ 4. Collage is acceptable if it consists only of paper painted by the artist to include White tissue paper/rice paper/ handmade paper/mineral paper. (no newsprint, photos, digital images, giclée, 3-D objects, gold leaf or metal).

 __ 5. Maximum image size 100 square inches and maximum 12 inches on one side.

 __ 6. All works must have been completed in the last 5 years (2021).

ONLINE ENTRIES:

All entries will be submitted online through www.callforentry.org CAFÉ (Call for Entry). A link to the application is also found at www.southernwatercolorsociety.org. For assistance you may call 303-629-1166 speak to CAFÉ Technical - Monday thru Friday, 8:30—5:30 MT. Submissions will close at NOON EST on the last day of submissions.

ENTRY PROCEDURES

__  Pay Membership before entering if you are a new member, or renewing member on SW Website.

__  First, prepare your images for uploading.

__  Set up or log into your account with CAFÉ.

__  Go to My Profile to verify your contact information is correct.

__  Go to My Portfolio and upload your images.

__  Go to Apply to Calls and type in on the blank entry line under Call Listings: Southern Watercolor Society Small Works Watermedia Exhibition.

__  Read the Prospectus, then select Apply Now to complete the application.

___ Preview your application before paying the application fee.

 IMAGE SUBMISSION

Artists may submit up to four (4) images. The application fee covers 1 image and each additional image, up to 4 total, is $10 each. There is no limitation on the number of accepted paintings per artist. Member artists accepted into this exhibition will not earn a point towards signature membership and/ or life membership.

JPEG IMAGE SPECIFICATIONS:

__File Type: JPEG or JPG

_File Dimensions: 1200 pixels or greater on the longest side. File Size: Under 5MB

__File Name: Artwork Title (Blowing Bubbles) Crop out all matting.

__Correctly orient the image as viewed, vertically or horizontally

__SW reserves the right to reject any juried painting that is noticeably different from the JPEG image or does not comply with entry specifications.

 PRESENTATION CHECKLIST

Failure to follow these guidelines will result in return and/or disqualification. SW reserves the right to refuse any work for unacceptable quality. For example: improper framing, damage caused by shipment, matting with fingerprints, pet hair, or smudges, and plexiglass is overly filthy, such as, splatters of something all over it and obvious nicking that affect the viewing of the artwork.

IMAGE

__Painting image Maximum of 100 sq. in. and a maximum of 12 inches on one side. Example: 10x10 = 100sqin.

FRAMING

___ Artwork must be ready to hang, which includes d-straps with wire. No sawtooth hangers, screw eyes, string, fishing line, or other wire substitutes. MUST tape the ends of hanging wire.

MOLDING

___Molding maximum width of 2”.

___Simple, smooth, flat profile in undecorated metal or wood.
___Color must be Black, White, Gold, Silver, or Natural Wood.

CANVAS/AQUABORD

___Canvas must be gallery wrapped with no staples on the side and either painted on the side or framed.

___Claybord/Aquabord with no cradle (wood side) must be framed. With a cradle, it must not remain as raw wood.

GLAZING

___If required for your work, it must be protected with Plexiglas or an acrylic glazing sheet. Glass Allowed with Hand Carried Delivery.

___Paintings that are varnished or waxed do not require Plexiglas or acrylic glazing sheet.

MAT BOARD

___If required for your work, White or Off-White matting.

ARTIST BIO & PHOTO

___Provide a 1-page biography/artist statement. Photos allowed. These will be available to the public to view.

ARTIST’S AGREEMENT: (IMPORTANT)

Submission of the entry shall serve as an agreement by the artist that all conditions in this prospectus have been met. SW reserves the right to refuse, upon arrival, any painting of unacceptable quality or damaged in shipment. A painting that does not match the submitted digital image or doesn’t meet the presentation guidelines of this prospectus will be returned. Any SW member who attempts to influence, intimidate and/or harass a judge, exhibitor, Board member, or exhibition committee member can be banned from the current show and from future entry into SW exhibitions by a vote of the Board. The jurors’ decision will be final for the accepted paintings and the cash awards. The Southern Watercolor Society (SW) and its officers and the Panama City Center for the Arts (PCCA) and its representatives and employees are released and discharged of any and all claims made by damage or loss of the painting while in the possession of SW or PCCA. Each artist must carry his/her own insurance for shipping and/or damage during the exhibit. Images of selected art will be used for publicity, for educational purposes and on the organizations’ websites at the discretion of the SW Board. No work accepted for the SW Small Works Exhibition may be withdrawn prior to the closure of the exhibit. Suspension of membership privileges for one year will be enforced for the following:

1. Failure to submit an accepted painting.

2. Painting is not an original.

3. Submission of artwork other than the one that was juried into the SW Exhibition. 

4. Submission of a painting already accepted in a previous SW show.

ACCEPT/DECLINE

It is your responsibility to check CAFÉ whether you receive an email or not. Go to your My Entries page, then go to the Accept/Decline Status and select “Accept” for the Southern Watercolor Society’s Small Works Watermedia Exhibition. If you decline, you will receive a 1-year suspension.  Once you accept, look further at the right and select payments to pay the Handling Fee of $30.

SALES

30% of sale price goes to Panama City Center for the Arts.

SHIPPING CHECKLIST:

___1. Accepted paintings must be shipped in a reusable fine art shipping box via UPS or FedEx including PREPAID return shipping labels. Return labels must include a bar code. NO Will Call Return Labels.

___ 2. Shipping – Pack artwork in a manner that is easily unpacked and repacked. Pack multiple works together if possible. All materials around the artwork must be easily reusable. No taped-up packing material around the artwork. NO wooden boxes. NO screws or nails. NO peanuts. (Imagine if you had to unpack and repack your painting/s 100 times in a short amount of time.)

___3. Print your name boldly on the outer flap for easy recognition for packing.

___4. Place a copy of your accepted image(s) on the inside lid of your shipping box.

___5. Ship to: Panama City Center for the Arts, C/O Natalie Earnest,19 E 4th Street, Panama City, FL 32401

SMALL WORKS WATERMEDIA EXHIBITION CALENDAR 2026:

This exhibition will hang at Panama City Center for the Arts (PCCA) June 5 – July 25, 2026

Entries Open                                          February 1, 2026

Entries Closed                                        April 17, 2026

Jury Selection                                         April 20, 2026 Acceptance/Declined Notice                  April 25, 2026 via CAFÉ Acceptance Complete thru Café            April 27, 2026

Handling Fee Complete Thru Café        April 27, 2026

Shipped Artwork      MUST ARRIVE BETWEEN May 20-30, 2026

Hand Delivered Artwork      May 29 - 30, between 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Jurors’ Award Selection                         June 3, 2026

Preview Purchase Award      June 4, 2026 (Invitation Only, 5-7pm)

EXHIBITION DATES                             June 5 – July 25, 2026

Reception and Awards                        June 5, 2026 (5-7 p.m.)

Pick-up Hand Delivered Work    July 28 & 29, 2026 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Works packed for shipping                     June 30, 2026

 AWARDS

1st Place - $800, $2nd Place -$600, 3rd Place - $400, Three Honorable Mention at $200 each, Peoples’ Choice Award - $200, and Purchase Award(s).

CONTACTS

Prospectus Questions : MicheleTaborKimbrough@gmail.com or 850-557-0655

Panama City Center for the Arts: Natalie Earnest programming@bayarts.org 850-640-3670

COMMITTEE OF JURORS

Suzanne Accetta SW - Suzanne Accetta is an internationally renowned artist an Transparent Watercolor Society (TWSA) Signature member. Her award-winning paintings are exhibited regionally, nationally and internationally. Her work has been seen in public, private and corporate collections as well as juried exhibitions. Suzanne has illustrated children’s books for Seedlings Publications.  She was featured in WOMEN IN WATERCOLOR, INAUGURAL NEWSLETTER, AMERICAN ARTIST MAGAZINE,  WATERCOLORPAINTING.COM and in the book THE COMPLETE COLORED PENCIL BOOK. Suzanne is a busy lecturer, demonstrator, juror, and teacher.  She taught drawing and painting at Otterbein University in the Department of Theatre and Dance as well as watercolor at the Columbus Cultural Arts Center. She also taught at the Greenville Center for Creative Arts and for Mary Whyte’s Patriot Art Foundation (PAF).  She is presently a mentor for the PAF Arts Muster Program. http://www.suzanneaccetta.com/, suzacc@aol.com, suzacc@icloud.com, suzanneaccetta@gmail.com

Kathy Durdin SW - is an artist, arts leader and retired management consultant. Kathy’s award-winning watercolor paintings have been exhibited across the US.  Her work is in permanent collections in Florida at Tampa General and the President’s Collection at the College of William and Mary.  She is a signature member of Florida, Southern, Texas, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, Watercolor West, Tallahassee and Florida Suncoast Watercolor Societies. She was featured in the 2013 Watercolor Artists’ “Ones to Watch.” She also teaches watercolor on a weekly basis.  She was also the 2012 President of Florida Watercolor Society, was its Director of Operations for 12 years, and is its current Acting Treasurer. She is also Secretary/Treasurer of Tampa Arts Alliance, on the Board of Tampa Bay Businesses for Culture and the Arts, and President of Tampa Regional Artists. Professionally, Kathy spent over 35 years as a management consultant, focusing on litigation support, bankruptcy and business process analysis. In addition, she lead internal leadership development activities. In her current "day job", she is a coach and leadership develop consultant -- see her work website, http://www.kdurdinconsulting.com.  Her artist website is http://www.kathydurdin.com

Don Taylor SW - A native of St. Augustine FL, Don graduated with a DVM degree from Auburn University.  Before veterinary school, he was a USMC officer and veteran of Viet Nam.  Around 1990, he practiced part time and pursued his love of watercolor.  He is a signature member of 17 watercolor societies, including TWSA, WW, SW WFWS, FWS as well as a signature member of Allied Artists and American Artists Professional League. He served as president of Southern Watercolor Society for 5 years and has been on that board since 2006.  Don has published a book entitled “Plein Air Journaling in Watercolor & Pen and Ink”.  He has won over 60 awards in national competitions and specializes in plein air journaling workshops. http://www.dontaylorart.com.

 SOUTHERN WATERCOLOR SOCIETY SMALL WORKS WATERMEDIA EXHIBITION

2026 COMPLIANCE & PRESENTATION CHECKLIST

*REQUIRED: Complete this form with your signature. Separate the form and attach it to the back of the Painting(s). Ship to the Panama City Center for the Arts.

Title of the Painting:__________________________________ 

Artist’s Name: ______________________________________

Phone: ___________________________________________

Email:_____________________________________________

Price: $ ____________

VALUE for insurance amount for NFS $ __________

I understand that my shipped painting(s) will be rejected prior to installment if it does not comply with the prospectus. Thank You, Southern Watercolor Society Board of Directors

Your Signature:                                                                              ___________________________________________________                                                                          

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