2026 CWS Casting Shadows

Overview

The Colorado Watercolor Society presents a juried exhibition themed 'Casting Shadows,' celebrating how shadows add depth and vibrancy to paintings. Paintings must be original watermedia work completed within the last two years.

Key dates

• Submission deadline: Monday, July 13, 2026, 11:59pm MST
• Notification of acceptance: Friday, July 24, 2026 via email
• Art delivery: Monday, August 31, 2026, 10am–noon to the Peoples Building, Aurora
• Exhibition opens to public: Tuesday, September 1, 2026
• Opening reception & award ceremony: Friday, September 4, 2026, 6–8pm (awards announced at 6:30pm)
• Exhibition closes: Monday, November 2, 2026
• Pick up unsold art: Monday, November 2, 2026, 10am–noon

Eligibility

• Artists must be 18 years of age or older
• Reside in Colorado, OR reside anywhere in the United States and are Colorado Watercolor Society members
• Each artist may enter up to 3 paintings; accepted artists will not have more than 1 painting in the exhibition

Media and substrate

Media must be predominantly watermedia: watercolor, acrylic, gouache, casein, water-based ink, or tempera. Paintings must be on paper, synthetic paper, yupo, canvas, watercolor paper attached to an aluminum or wood panel, or watermedia boards such as aquaboard.

Artwork requirements

Artwork must be the artist's original work completed between January 1, 2024 and present. No copies, AI-generated work, digital media, or photography. Reference photographs must be taken by the artist. No work created in a class or under anyone's direction is permitted. All collage material must be produced by the artist. Paintings must be signed on the front.

Size and presentation

• Maximum art size (not including frame): 22" x 30"
• Minimum image size: 80 square inches
• All paintings must be delivered framed with gallery-quality frames
• Frame moulding may not exceed 5 inches wide per side
• All frames must have hardware with picture wire; sawtooth hangers not permitted
• Artwork must be under plexiglass or sealed with acrylic-based varnish or waterproof wax (glass and mylar not permitted)
• Unvarnished artwork must be matted with white mats (minimum 3" width on narrowest side)
• Varnished/sealed paintings may not be matted and must be framed like an oil painting

Fees

• CWS members: $30 + $6 for each additional entry (up to 3 total)
• Non-CWS members: $40 + $8 for each additional entry (up to 3 total)
• Shipped work: additional $50 handling fee

Sales and commission

All entries must be for sale at a price that cannot be changed after the submission deadline. CWS retains a 15% commission; artists receive 85% of the sale price. Commission checks will be mailed within 45 days of exhibition close.

File format and submission

Submit JPEG files only at 300 dpi resolution. Files must be under 4mb with a minimum dimension of 540px and maximum of 1920px on the longest side.