PROSPECTUS: For the Love of the Sea, Inspired by Frank Cuprien
SUBMISSIONS:
• Submissions Open: November, 2025
• Submission Deadline: Monday, March 2, 2026 (before midnight)
• Notifications Sent On or Before: Monday, March 9, 2026
EXHIBITION OVERVIEW:
• Exhibition Title: “For the Love of the Sea” a LPAPA Juried Art Show inspired by Frank Cuprien presented in collaboration with the Laguna Art Museum’s exhibition titled “Frank Cuprien: For the Love of the Sea”.
• Online Art Catalog: March 30, 2026 (archived show and awards continue to be visible after show ends)
• Online Auction: Monday, March 30 (10AM PST) - Thursday, April 2 (8PM PST)
• Gallery Exhibition: Thursday, April 2 - Monday, May 4, 2026
• Art Walk Reception: Thursday, April 2, 2026 (6PM-9PM) (Awards announcement 7PM) • Gallery Location: The LPAPA Gallery, 414 N. Coast Hwy., Laguna Beach, CA 92651
• Plein Talk: Program and Date(s) to be scheduled for Museum and/or Gallery Talk(s)
ART ELIGIBILITY & SPECIFICATIONS:
• Qualifications: Open to all LPAPA Signature, Artist and Student Members in good standing. At time of acceptance, membership needs to be current through May, 2026.
• Subject Matter: Open to all subject matters inspired by Frank Cuprien’s love of the sea; all painting mediums, created in plein air or in studio, are eligible for submission.
• Artwork: Must be original, painted within the last year, and not previously shown in a LPAPA Gallery show. No digital artwork will be accepted. All accepted artwork needs to be signed by the artist.
• Sales: Accepted Finalist and Semi-Finalist artwork must be available for sale exclusively through LPAPA upon acceptance and for a minimum of 30 days after the show ends.
• Maximum Size: Unframed not more than 60 united inches (Length + Width), Example: 30” x 30” = 60 UI.
• Minimum Size: Unframed not less than 14 united inches (Length + Width), Example: 6” x 8” = 14 UI.
• Framing & Wiring: All accepted work must be professionally framed, wired, and ready to hang. Wires must provide a minimum 2-inch clearance between the wire and the top of the frame to prevent the hook from showing. Incorrectly wired Finalist work will require rewiring and may delay exhibition.
Framing Service Note: Unframed artwork may be delivered/shipped to Randy Higbee kingofframe for framing; they will deliver the framed work to the LPAPA Gallery and arrange return shipping if the painting is not sold. A percentage of the framing cost is donated to support nonprofit LPAPA’s art and education programs.
SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS:
• Entry Fee: $40.00 Entry Fee for up to 2 painting images; each additional painting image is $5.00. You may submit up to a maximum of 6 painting images. No more than 3 entries per individual artist will be accepted as Finalist and/or Semi-Finalist. Entry Fees are non-refundable and must be paid through OnlineJuriedShows.com.
• Images: JPEG images are uploaded through OnlineJuriedShows. Images must be under 4 mb and in sRGB colorspace. For best results, images should be at least 1920 pixels on the longest side @ 72 dpi. If you need help entering your images, please contact onlinejuriedshows@gmail.com or call 888-666-1351.
• Notification: Notifications to be sent to artists via email by Monday, March 9, 2026, or as soon as possible after jurying is completed. Results will be available in your OnlineJuriedShows artist profile.
ART DROPOFF & PICKUP:
• Drop-off Deadline: Tuesday, March 31st, no later than 1PM; the gallery will be open 10AM-1PM on this Tuesday for hand-carried artwork; enter through side courtyard door near fountain.
• Shipping: Shipped work should arrive on or before Friday, March 27th; do not ship for Tuesday or Wednesday delivery.
• Late Delivery: Please note that accepted finalist artwork delivered after the 1 PM, March 31st deadline may not be hung in time to be included in the awards judging.
• Pickup of Unsold Work: Tuesday, May 5, 2026; the gallery will be open 10AM-1PM on this Tuesday for artwork pick. As an alternative, Artists may pick up during regular gallery hours or arrange and pay for return shipping.
Unclaimed Artwork Policy: Unclaimed artwork remaining at the gallery 15 days after the show closing, without a scheduled pickup or paid return shipping, will be considered abandoned and becomes the property of LPAPA.
Online Exhibition: In addition to the physical gallery show and interactive online Art Catalog and online Silent Preview Auction, LPAPA will showcase the gallery finalists for sale through Artsy: https://www.artsy.net/ partner/laguna-plein-air-painters-association. Accepted Semi-Finalist work will be exhibited in the online Art Catalog and included in the Preview Auction; Semi-Finalist work is not eligible for awards.
AWARDS:
• 1st Place $500
• 2nd Place $300
• 3rd Place $200
• Honorable Mention $100
SALES COMMISSION:
• Commission: 50% to Artist, 50% to LPAPA (LPAPA’s commission percentage may be less for Auction sales).
• Payment: Sales proceeds are paid by ACH Direct Deposit, typically within 15 days of the show closing. LPAPA may require a W9 prior to payment processing.
• Liability: LPAPA, its staff, and volunteers will take the utmost care, however, artists are responsible for insuring their own artwork at their discretion and expense. LPAPA will not be responsible for any loss or damage for any reason.
GALLERY LOCATION & CONTACT:
The LPAPA Gallery
414 North Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, CA 92651
(949) 376-3635 | info@lpapa.org
Hours: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM, Thursday through Monday, and by appointment.
First Thursdays Gallery Hours: 1PM - 9PM; First Thursday Art Walk Reception 6PM - 9PM.
Show Coordinator: Bonnie Langner, LPAPA’s Executive Director
Direct: (925) 683-8374 | bonnie@lpapa.org
BY SUBMITTING TO THIS SHOW YOU ARE REPRESENTING THAT YOU HAVE READ AND AGREED TO THE TERMS SET OUT IN THIS PROSPECTUS.
Frank William Cuprien (August 23, 1871 – June 21, 1948) was an American plein air painter of the California impressionism movement, noted for marine scenes and opalescent seascapes.
Cuprien, born in Brooklyn, New York, studied both art and music. He trained at the Art Students League of New York and the Cooper Union Institute. He then studied landscape painting under Carl Philipp Weber in Philadelphia. During an 11-year residency in Europe, Cuprien studied art in Rome, in Munich with Karl Raupp, and in Paris at the Academie Julian.
Cuprien was also formally trained in voice and classical piano, attending the royal conservatory in Munich and graduating from the royal conservatory of Leipzig in 1905.
In 1912, he became enamored with the coastline of Southern California and briefly lived on Catalina Island before moving permanently to Laguna Beach, California. Cuprien moved into a rustic studio on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean and named it "The Viking.” He could often be seen outdoors at his easel painting ocean views.
Cuprien became an prominent member of the artist community in Laguna Beach where he helped establish the Laguna Beach Art Association (LBAA) and its art gallery in 1918. He served as LBAA president from 1921 to 1922. His home was a gathering place for fellow artists, and served as a site for exhibitions and Cuprien's piano recitals. Cuprien became known as the "Dean of Laguna artists.”
In 1948, Cuprien died after suffering a stroke. In his will, he requested that he be buried in his blue painter's smock. He bequeathed his entire estate to the LBAA, and the works of art are now part of the Laguna Art Museum’s permanent collection. The street Cuprien Way in Laguna Beach was later named in his honor.
The Museum’s exhibition “Frank Cuprien: For the Love of the Sea” will open in March 2026. LPAPA’s juried show, “For the Love of the Sea, Inspired by Frank Cuprien” is presented in collaboration with the Laguna Art Museum’s exhibition, showcasing juried works at the LPAPA Gallery by LPAPA Artists who are inspired by Frank Cuprien’s legacy and his love of the sea.
Additional details will be shared as they become available.