DWS Juried Shows

The following exhibition guidelines are intended to assist and inform all artists who submit their work in Delaware Watercolor Society juried shows.  We want to promote the highest professional standards for showing members artwork.

Media

In most instances, artists are encouraged to submit work in transparent watercolor, acrylic, gouache, tempera, watercolor ink, or watercolor pencil.  Multi-media works and collage are welcome as well, as long as a majority of the work is in watermedia. Occasionally, a specific juried show may deal only with transparent water and/or works on paper.  Limits on medium, paper, yupo, canvas, clayboard, and size are stated in each show prospectus and must be adhered to by the artists.

Eligibility

DWS fine art exhibitions are open to current members who have paid their annual dues, unless otherwise stated in the show prospectus.  Members who have allowed their membership to lapse through non-payment of dues must pay dues plus entry fees prior to participation into DWS shows.  Non-members may enter DWS juried shows based on individual entry fees specified in each show prospectus.

Paintings selected for a DWS juried show may not be entered into any other DWS juried show.

Presentation

The use of white or off-white matboard is considered standard for watercolor exhibitions.  This helps give a show coherent look and presentation.  Similarly, artists are encouraged to use relatively simple frames.  Paintings framed using dark-colored matboard and/or dark or heavily ornate frames often are difficult to incorporate into an exhibition and risk rejection.   Use of thin, colored liners or inner mats with white or off-white matboard is acceptable and up to the discretion of the artist.  

Before submitting a piece for a juried show, please check the condition of the frame, mat, and hanging equipment, and dust the top of the frame.  If a piece comes in adorned with long hairs, squashed insects, extraneous matboard shavings, pet fur, or other debris under the glazing, the work will be considered unprofessional and automatically rejected from selection   Please verify that any glass is fully intact, that plexiglass is not all scratched up, and that the frame is in good condition with fixed screw eyes and wired for hanging.

Please make sure that your glazing fits appropriately within the frame.  If it is cut just slightly too small, it will slip out of the frame.  The artist is responsible for adhering to the standards and specifications stated in each show prospectus.

Insurance

DWS volunteers attempt to take every possible care in handling the artwork during hanging and takedown. DWS also considers security issues in choosing venues for shows. Artists should be aware, however, that many places do not carry insurance for artworks and specify in their contracts that they are not responsible for loss or damage from any cause. For this reason, artists may wish to consider their own insurance, as DWS cannot assume responsibility for any damage or loss.  The DWS show prospectus will include a statement about insurance when the exhibiting organization offers it; otherwise artists bear the usual responsibility for their work

Registration Deadline

The registration deadline is set in advance of the hanging of the show to allow for proper preparation of invitations and publicity materials.  Please make sure to bring artwork for exhibition on the appointed day at the appointed hour, or arrange for someone else to do so.  In addition, please ensure that your painting is picked up on time at the end of the show.  DWS cannot be responsible for work left after the closing of a show, and in many cases, the gallery in which the show has taken place imposes a fine on artists who do not pick up their work promptly.  Please adhere to all delivery and pickup deadlines.

We are confident that, if we all do our best to meet these basic professional standards, our exhibitions will run more smoothly and show off our work to the very best advantage