ConneCTing with CPS

Overview

ConneCTing with CPS is the 1st Annual Online Exhibition presented by the Connecticut Pastel Society. This juried show is open to artists residing in the United States working in the soft pastel medium.

Key dates

• Submissions Open: Monday, May 25, 2026
• Entry Deadline: Friday, July 17, 2026
• Acceptance Notification: Monday, August 3, 2026
• Show Open: Friday, August 7, 2026
• Last Day of Show: Saturday, September 12, 2026

Eligibility

Open to all artists residing in the United States and working in soft pastel medium. Work must be at least 80% soft pastel (not oil pastels), completed within the past three years, and original. Work cannot be copied from others or done in classroom/workshop settings. Work is ineligible if it won an award at IAPS, PSA, or any other national/international open juried Pastel Society Exhibit, or if it was accepted into a concurrent national/international open juried Pastel Society Exhibit. Work cannot have been exhibited in former Connecticut Pastel Society Exhibits.

Media & specifications

• At least 80% soft pastel
• No oil pastels
• Must not use varnish or finish except traditional pastel fixative
• Cannot be painted over AI-created or mechanical reproduction
• Submit high-quality JPEG images (no PNG or TIFF)
• Crop image to show only the artwork
• Ensure correct orientation
• Maximum file size: 30MB
• Images will be automatically resized; provide high-resolution originals

Fees

• Non-Members: $55 for up to 3 digital images
• Members: $45 for up to 3 digital images (2026 dues must be paid)
• Entry fees must be paid online by credit card at time of submission
• Fees are non-refundable

Submission & entries

All entries must be submitted through ShowSubmit.com. Each artist may submit up to three images, but only one may be accepted. You may edit artist information and substitute images until the entry deadline (July 17, 2026). Incorrectly labeled or incorrectly sized work will be disqualified.

Awards

• First Place: $300
• Second Place: $200
• Third Place: $100
• Honorable Mention: $50

Juror

Robert Carsten, PSA-MP; IAPS MC. Graduate of Rhode Island School of Design and scholar to the Academia di Belle Arti in Carrara, Italy. Signature, Master Pastelist and Honorary Board Member in the Pastel Society of America; Master Circle pastelist in the International Association of Pastel Societies. Contributing writer to Pastel Journal, Artist's Magazine, and Watercolor Magazine.

Contact

For information, contact: Karen Suponski, [email protected]; Christine Ivers, [email protected]; Leslie Stewart, [email protected]; Don Arsenault, [email protected]