WINTER EXHIBITION 2027
January 9 - February 9, 2027
Best of Show Award $1000
Entry Deadline November 22, 2026
Tad Retz, Juror of Awards
ABOUT THE EXHIBITION:
Plein Air Washington Artists (PAWA) is sponsoring a juried exhibit themed: Plein Air to Studio for our Annual Winter Exhibition.
We are excited to announce that our Annual Winter Exhibition will be hosted by Cole Gallery; the premier representational gallery in the Seattle metro zone. This year’s show will feature 65 paintings shown in both the physical gallery and on Cole Gallery’s website. Cole Gallery is recognized across the nation as a top tier gallery with quality representation and robust sales.
Cole Gallery
107 5th Ave. S
Edmonds, WA 98020
https://colegallery.net
With a focus on beautifully rendered studio paintings, the show features the intersection between plein air painting and studio pieces derived from the on-location painting experience. This juried showcase includes combinations of plein air paintings and studio paintings as well as stand-alone studio paintings.
CALENDAR FOR THE EXHIBITION:
Entry Open Date: Now Open
Entry Deadline: midnight PST, November 22
Acceptance Notice: December 3
Delivery of Artwork: January 4 – January 5, 10 – 5 pm. If shipping, work must arrive no later than January 5
Show Dates: January 9 – February 9, 2026
Opening Reception and Awards Presentation: January 9, 5 - 7 pm. Awards at 6:00 pm, Artists may park at Artworks, if needed.
People’s Choice Award: will be awarded on February 9 on social media and the painting will be held and exhibited at the gallery as a featured piece, if unsold.
Pick-up Unsold Art: February 9 – 10, 10 am – 6 pm, or call to make arrangements.
ENTRIES:
A total of six (6) paintings may be entered. Either in combination of a set of three (3) plein air and their respective three (3) studio paintings derived from the plein air works, or six (6) individual studio paintings. A maximum of four (4) paintings total per artist will be exhibited.
This year, a few paintings beyond the featured 65 accepted paintings may be included as Alternates. These paintings will be included in the gallery’s online exhibition of the show and may be invited to the exhibition by gallery staff. The maximum of four (4) paintings accepted will include Alternates.
COMBINATION ART SUBMISSIONS-
•Each artist may submit up to three sets of plein air and studio paintings. Up to two combo sets will be accepted.
•As part of the combination, up to three plein air paintings may be submitted with a minimum size of 6x8” (48 sq in) and maximum of 11x14” (154sq in).
•As part of the combination, up to three studio paintings may be submitted with a minimum size of “16x20” (320 sq in) and maximum of 30x30” (900 sq in.) with a maximum frame size of 35”x35” (1225 sq. in.). No art larger than 30” in height or width will be accepted.
•Each studio painting should be derived from the plein air piece or the plein air experience and be entered with the corresponding plein air painting. Studio paintings should demonstrate a higher level of resolve than their accompanying study. Photos may also be used for reference.
• You must use the same title for your combinations followed by “Plein Air” or “Studio” For example:
“Rushing River” Plein Air
“Rushing River” Studio
STAND-ALONE STUDIO SUBMISSIONS
Up to six stand-alone studio pieces may be submitted with a minimum of 12x16” (192 sq in) and a maximum of 30x30”, framed no larger than 35”x35”. Again, the maximum number of pieces
submitted should not exceed six total. Up to four stand-alone studio paintings can be accepted and featured.
Artwork must be for sale.
All works submitted for jurying into the show must be available for the show and sale. Once you are accepted into the show, entered work must be sold through the gallery.
ENTRY FEES AND SUBMISSION:
All entries are to be made on OnlineJuriedShows using digital images of the paintings. Each image should be 72 dpi, 1920 pixels on the longest side of the image, and max image file size needs to be 500kb - 1.5mb. Images should be in sRGB colorspace. For help with your entries, contact onlinejuriedshows@gmail.com or 888-666-1351.
Artists may submit up to 6 images. The fee is $40 for the initial entry and $5 for each additional entry, for a maximum total of $65. All entry fees will be paid through OnlineJuriedShows when entering the exhibition.
Entries can not be edited/corrected after the submission deadline.
EXHIBITION RULES:
• This is a scenic show. Landscapes, cityscapes, skyscapes, waterscapes, and also interiors will be accepted. Figures and animals are allowed in the scene. No portraits or still-lifes will be accepted.
• Paintings in oil, oil and cold wax, pastel, acrylic, watercolor, or gouache will be accepted. No mixed media or drawings will be accepted.
• No work done in a workshop or under the supervision of an instructor shall be entered.
• Paintings must have been created within the past two years.
• Paintings must not have been exhibited in any other PAWA show.
• There will be no exceptions for deadlines, specifications or rules.
• Open to all artists 18 years and older who are a current member of Plein Air Washington Artists. The $30 membership fee must be paid in advance of entering the show. Visit www.pleinairwashingtonartists.com/join to pay the fee.
• Only original art painted en plein air (on location) and studio paintings derived from the plein air paintings or experience will be accepted.
• Digital images are assumed to be accurate representations of the entrant’s original art works.
• Paintings must be for sale and priced at $350 (retail) minimum. Any artwork priced below the show minimum will automatically have its price increased.
• All artwork must be suitably framed, ready to hang; properly wired with strong wire and flat metal hangers. 1.5” cradled panels or 1.5” gallery-wrapped canvases with painted edges will be accepted.
• A 50% commission is retained by the gallery for all accepted art sold. Please note: the Cole Gallery retains its right to offer 10% off to returning collectors so please keep this in mind when pricing your works, as it will be deducted from the overall price.
• Accepted artists will receive an email with more detailed information about delivery of artwork and reminders of pertinent dates of the event.
• All 65 accepted entries will be displayed, and available for purchase on Cole’s online gallery.
• Submission of entries grants PAWA and the Cole Gallery permission to include images in marketing and advertising, which include postcards, catalogs, web-sites, and all forms of social media..
• Submission of entries and entry fee constitute agreement with all conditions set forth in this prospectus.
JURYING PROCESS:
A preliminary jurying committee consisting of two selected PAWA members and three non-members will jury the entries. The decision of the jury is final. There is no refund of entry fees for unaccepted entries.
AWARDS:
Awarded by Tad Retz
$1,000 …. Best of Show
$750…......First Place
$500.........Second Place
$300……..Best Plein Air/Third Place
$250 …….2 Honorable Mentions
$200……..People’s Choice
Additional Merchandise Awards will be presented at the Awards Ceremony.
RESPONSIBILITIES/LIABILITIES:
• All reasonable care will be taken with paintings and submissions. PAWA, its officers, volunteers and the Cole Gallery shall not be held responsible for the loss or damage to paintings, frames or digital entries.
• Insurance for any loss or damage to artwork is the sole responsibility of the participating artist.
• Entry into this exhibition constitutes agreement with all conditions set forth in this prospectus and is your commitment to participate.
• By entering the show, you agree that you have read and will abide by all rules outlined in this prospectus; you understand and agree with this statement. There are no refunds. Covid policy and liability - PAWA or Cole Gallery bear no-liability for sickness or personal injury. Masks at all PAWA events are optional.
CONTACT US:
For problems using the website or getting your entries in online, contact
OnlineJuriedShows.com at 888-666-1351 or email info@onlinejuriedshows.com. For general information about Plein Air Washington Artists please visit our website at www.pleinairwashingtonartists.com. For specific questions about Plein Air Washington Artists or this prospectus, please contact Winter Show Chair Yulia Balenko, email: yulia.balenko@gmail.com
The prospectus and application will be removed from the website after the entry deadline has passed.
Please print this prospectus for your records.
Awards Juror and Workshop Instructor
Tad Retz
Tad Retz resides in Syracuse NY. His artistic career launched right out of high school and has continued upwards since. Tad is represented across the U.S. by a large variety of well respected galleries and consistently wins awards and teaches workshops. For more information about our juror of awards visit https://www.tadretz.com/
Retz is an avid traveler, painting alongside artists he admires. His most recent body of work is a result of his desire to experiment with paint manipulation and to see what different tools can do to the surface quality. He attempts to capture the timeless atmosphere of old American, Russian and European masters of impressionism, of which he devoutly studies.
Reflects Retz, “The feeling of being surprised at the end of each painting session is invigorating. Through using new tools, thicker paint, and fast drying mediums, I am discovering new ways to suggest reality in my paintings. Through the act of scraping paint off, applying unmixed paint with palette knives, calligraphic brush marks, dragging tissues through the thick wet paint, and so on; I am able to achieve the look that I have been striving for – a look that is timeless and poetic and more in line with who I am as an artist.”
PAWA PRESENTS A THREE DAY WORKSHOP WITH TAD RETZ:
DESCRIPTION:
In this 3-day indoor workshop Tad and students will discuss the importance of painting from life and how we as artists can take that knowledge into the studio utilizing other tools, like our memory and photos to make the most impactful painting possible. We will focus on snow scenes and seascapes. There will be a heavy emphasis on values, design, and color relationships.
Registration and more information including the supply will be made available to PAWA Members. Sign ups will take place on Eventbrite. When registration opens, announcements will be made. Open to 15 students.
WHEN: January 10-12, 2027
TIME: 9:30am open daily for set-up. 10 AM to 4:00 PM workshop
COST: TBA
WHERE: Courtyard Studios, 1932 Ptarmigan Lane NW, Poulsbo, WA 98370 NO REFUNDS
For questions or issues with Eventbrite registration, please contact PAWA’s Eventbrite Coordinator at pleinairwashingtonartists@gmail.com