California Art Club’s Excellence in Traditional Fine Art Competition

California Art Club's Excellence in Traditional Fine Art Competition: Turning Tides is open to current members of the California Art Club, including Associate Artists, Student Artists, Artists, Out-of-State Artists, Mentorship Program Artists, and Signature Artists. The exhibition runs September 25 through December 1, 2026, in the CAC Virtual Gallery.

This exhibition captures the quiet beauty of nature's transition, with landscapes shifting in color and tone as the season changes. Artists are encouraged to explore subtler hues and rich textures of the natural world as it moves towards rebirth, with soft, muted tones and moody skies. Artwork should be created in the last three years and submitted using contemporary-traditional methods. Any genre is eligible, including figures, landscapes, still lifes, seascapes, and sculptures. NFS (not for sale) works are now eligible for consideration.

Accepted mediums include paintings in oil, watercolor, gouache, pastel or acrylic; drawings in charcoal, color pencil or graphite; and sculptures in permanent materials such as bronze, marble, terra cotta, fiberglass, resin or wood. Clay is acceptable if cast or listed NFS. Giclees, prints, photography, digital works, and digitally altered works will not be accepted. Since this is a virtual exhibition, there is no limit on dimensions.

Entry deadline is Wednesday, June 24, 2026. Submit artwork through Online Juried Shows with a $35 fee for the first image and $8 for each additional image. Images must be jpg and under 4 mb, at least 1920 pixels on the longest side at 72 dpi. There is no limit to submissions. Notifications will be sent via email on or around Monday, July 6, 2026.

Awards include First Place: $1,000; Second Place: $500; Third Place: $250; Honorable Mention: $100; and Special Recognition Awards of $50 for Student Artist, Mentorship Program, and Associate Artist Members. Approximately 30-40 works of exceptional artistic merit will receive visibility through exhibition on the CAC website, featured social media posts, and inclusion in the California Art Club Newsletter. If a work sells, the collector assumes shipping costs and works must be framed. The artist is responsible for preparing and packaging sold work for shipment. The CAC handles the sale and associated tax. Artwork cannot be removed during the exhibition. Commission is 60% Artist; 40% CAC.

For questions, contact California Art Club's Exhibitions Manager, Eire Hoke at 626/583-9009 or [email protected].