49th International Watermedia Exhibition

The Watercolor Art Society - Houston presents its 49th International Watermedia Exhibition, featuring $10,000 in cash awards including 1st Place ($2,500), 2nd Place ($2,000), 3rd Place ($1,500), ten Merit Awards of $150 each, and special memorial awards. The exhibition will be juried and judged by Don Andrews, a nationally known watercolor artist and workshop instructor who is a graduate of Ringling School of Art and active member of the American Watercolor Society. Artists may submit up to three works for $40 (first entry) plus $15 for each additional entry, with only one work per artist eligible for selection.

Eligible artwork must be at least 80% aqueous media (watercolor, acrylic, gouache, egg tempera, casein, ink, metallic and luminescent water-based paint) completed on or after January 1, 2024. Works must be original, created without instruction, and use only reference photos taken by the artist. Surface size must be between 9 and 44 inches on any side, with acceptable surfaces including watercolor paper, Yupo, Aquabord, and Claybord. Digital submissions require jpg files of 1200 pixels or greater on the longest side.

The exhibition runs March 1-29, 2026, with artist notification on January 30, 2026. Selected artists must pay handling fees ($25 for hand-delivered, $50 for shipped work) and ship artwork to arrive by February 26, 2026. WAS-H Signature and Elite Signature Status honors are available to members whose works have been selected for multiple IWE exhibitions.