Spirit of Pastel

This is a juried pastel painting competition open to all artists over the age of 18. Cash awards totaling $5,200 are available in each category (Emerging and Established), including Best of Show ($900), First Place ($700), Second Place ($500), Third Place ($300), Lora Block Award ($200), and Honorable Mention awards.

Eligibility requirements: All paintings must be original works developed from the artist's original reference and composition, with a minimum of 80% dry pastel (no oil pastel). Photo-based paintings must be from photos taken by the artists themselves. Paintings of nudes will be considered for acceptance. Work previously accepted in any previous PAO exhibition or that has won an award in any other pastel-only exhibition is not eligible. Work must not be shown concurrently in any online or virtual exhibition.

Entry fees are $40 for 2 entries for PAO members ($10 each additional entry, up to 4 images total) and $50 for 2 entries for non-members ($10 each additional entry, up to 4 images total). Payment is through ShowSubmit.com only. Submissions must include high-quality JPEG files at least 1500 pixels on the longest edge with a maximum file size of 30 MB. Images should be cropped to show only the artwork with no mats, frames, or background. The entry deadline is April 24, 2024. For questions, contact Cheryl Lockhart or Peggy Breautigam.