EXHIBITION TITLE

In the Open Air

EXHIBITION DATES

December 4, 2026, through March 1, 2027

LOCATION

CAC Virtual Gallery

Californiaartclub.org

QUALIFICATIONS

Open to current members of the California Art Club including Associate Artists, Student Artists, Artists, Out-of-State Artists, Mentorship Program Artists, Student Artists and Signature Artists.

SUBJECT

In the Open Air explores the rich tradition of plein air painting and captures the fleeting beauty of the natural world directly from observation. From sweeping coastlines to remote wilderness, the exhibition will celebrate light, atmosphere and the immediacy of working outdoors.

The mission of this competition is to encourage artists to develop and refine their classical art skills and spotlight their mastery by providing a new platform for showcasing contemporary-traditional works of art.

We ask artists to represent In the Open Air via contemporary-traditional methods. Any genre of work will be eligible for consideration. Artwork submitted should be created in the last three years.

Note: NFS works are now eligible for consideration. Review updated competition guidelines here.

GUEST JUDGE

The guest judge for this exhibition is TBD, and will be announced at a later date.

MEDIUM AND DIMENSIONS

Oil, watercolor, pastel, gouache, or acrylic.

Drawings in charcoal, color pencil or graphite.

Sculptures in permanent materials such as bronze, marble, terra cotta, fiberglass, resin or wood. Clay is acceptable, however would need to be cast if listed for sale. Otherwise NFS is fine.

Since this is an entirely virtual exhibition, there is no limit on dimensions.

Please note that no giclees, prints, photography, digital works or digitally altered works will be accepted. This will automatically disqualify artwork from the competition.

COMMISSION

60% Artist; 40% CAC

DEADLINE

Wednesday, August 12, 2026

SUBMISSION INFORMATION

Upload artwork through Online Juried Shows to submit artwork In the Open Air

There is no entry limit to this submission. The entry fee is $35 for 1, with $8 per additional entry.

Images must be jpg and under 4 mb. For best results, images should be at least 1920 pixels on the longest side @ 72 dpi. For help with your entries, contact onlinejuriedshows@gmail.com or 888-666-1351

NOTIFICATIONS

Artists will be notified via email on or around Monday, August 24, 2026. Results will be available in your OnlineJuriedShows artist profile.

ARTWORK DROP-OFF/PICK-UP

This exhibition is entirely virtual, so there is no need to deliver your work to any location.

SHIPPING and SALES

If a work sells, the collector will assume shipping costs. There is an expectation that sold works are framed. The artist will be responsible for preparing and packaging the work for shipment. The CAC will handle the sale of the artwork, itself, and any associated tax.

Artwork cannot be removed for the duration of the exhibition.

AWARDS

First Place: $1,000

Second Place: $500

Third Place: $250

Honorable Mention/s: $100

Special Recognition Awards will also be additionally and exclusively available for Student Artist, Mentorship Program, and Associate Artist Members. Recipients of the Special Recognition Awards will receive $50.

The judge for this installment of the Excellence in Traditional Fine Art Competition is TBD.

Multiple opportunities for visibility will be provided for approximately 30-40 works of exceptional artistic merit from each competition. This visibility will include:

· Exhibition on the CAC website

· Featured posts on social media channels

· Winners will be featured in the California Art Club Newsletter

CONSIDERATIONS

Please note the following:

· All artwork submitted will be considered for the showcase regardless of its availability for acquisition.

· Artwork can only be sold through the CAC upon acceptance and through the end of the exhibition.

· Giclees, prints, photography, digital works or digitally altered works will not be accepted. This will automatically disqualify artwork from the competition.

· Please kindly submit artwork that clearly showcases the theme.

· We encourage artists to submit an artwork statement with their submissions as this can sometimes be the tipping point for acceptance.

QUESTIONS

Contact California Art Club's Exhibitions Manager, Eire Hoke at 626/583-9009 or eire@californiaartclub.org.