Luminosity

Overview

Southeastern Pastel Society invites pastel artists to participate in their 2026 Juried Virtual International Open Exhibition, with work juried by Bill Schneider. Up to 5 paintings can be submitted per artist; a maximum of 2 paintings per artist can be accepted. Paintings do not have to be for sale.

Key Dates

• Submissions Open: Monday, August 31, 2026
• Entry Deadline: Monday, October 19, 2026
• Acceptance Notification: Tuesday, October 27, 2026
• Opening/Award Ceremony (Zoom): Sunday, November 1, 2026, 3–4pm EST
• Exhibition Dates: November 1 – December 31, 2026
• Workshop (Zoom): November 13 and/or 14, 2026

Entry Fees

• Members: $35 for up to 2 images, $10 for each additional image up to 5 images
• Non-Members: $45 for up to 2 images, $10 for each additional image up to 5 images
• Members must be current with SPS 2026 dues at time of submission; new members must join prior to submitting
• Entry fees are non-refundable

Awards

• Best in Show: $1,000
• First Place: $750
• Second Place: $500
• Third Place: $350
• Six Honorable Mentions: $75 each
• Category Awards (4 each): $150 for Exceptional Merit, $100 for Merit in Portrait/Figure, Still Life/Floral, Animal/Wildlife, Abstract/Non-Objective
• Landscape Category Awards (4 total): 2 Awards of $150 for Exceptional Merit, 2 Awards of $100 for Merit

Categories

• Landscape (includes traditional outdoor settings, marine, skycapes, cityscapes and architecture)
• Portrait/Figure
• Still Life/Floral
• Animal/Wildlife
• Abstract/Non-Objective

Artwork Eligibility

• Only original paintings created entirely by hand by the artist are eligible
• Surface must be at least 80% soft pastel
• Paintings cannot have appeared in any previous SPS Members' or SPS International Exhibitions
• Paintings must be 3 years old or less, not painted under supervision of an instructor or in a class, and not copied from published photos
• Submitted artworks must be created with the pastel medium itself, not digital creation or AI-generated
• Artwork must not be created on top of any photographic image
• Your own references must be used unless express permission is given from another photographer
• Artwork must not violate Public Domain images and/or Copyright laws

Sales

Paintings submitted do not have to be for sale. Any sales enquiries will be directed to the artist to arrange the sale and shipping. No commission will be required; however a 10% donation will be gratefully appreciated if your work sells during this exhibition.

Image Specifications

• Submit original, high-quality JPEG image files; other formats (PNG, TIFF) are not accepted
• Crop your image so only the artwork itself is visible; do not show matting, frames, or background distractions
• Ensure your image is oriented correctly (right side up)
• No need to resize image files before uploading; the system will automatically resize

Workshop

Bill Schneider will present a two-day workshop (November 13 and/or 14, 9:00–4:00 EST) covering painting still life from life and master copy portraiture. You may sign up for one or both days. SPS Members: $150 for one day, $275 for both days. Non-Members: $200 for one day, $350 for both days. Minimum 10 students per day; workshop will be cancelled if minimum is not met.

Contact

• Terry Metzler: [email protected]
• Brenda Pinnick: [email protected]
• SPS Website: southeasternpastel.com