Prospectus & Rules
ABOUT THE EVENT
Plein Air Southwest is a juried plein air competition presented by the Outdoor Painters Society and hosted by Galveston Historical Foundation. Selected artists paint en plein air throughout Galveston Island during the official painting period.
SCHEDULE:
• Entry deadline: January 4, 2027, at 5:00 p.m. Central Time.
• Orientation and Welcome: May 2, 2027, at Ashton Villa at noon. Attendance at orientation is required.
• Official Paint Out Period: May 2 (following orientation) – May 7, 2027, at noon.
• Painting Turn-in: 9 a.m.–noon, May 7, 2027. Paintings must be delivered, inventoried, and hung by artist before noon.
• VIP Exhibition Preview & Reception: 7:00 p.m., May 7, 2027 (artist attendance required).
• Exhibition open to public: May 8, 2027.
• Saturday Wet Paint: May 8, 2027 Participating artists are encouraged, but not required, to paint on the grounds during the public exhibition. Saturday paintings are not part of the competition and will not be judged. There are no size or minimum-price requirements for Saturday paintings, and they may be offered for sale at the event.
• Exhibition ends: May 8 – artists must remove unsold work: between 6:00 and 7:00 p.m., May 8, 2027.
OPS is not responsible for storage or transport of any work not picked up before 7:00 p.m. Schedule is subject to minor adjustment at orientation if circumstances require.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:
ENTRY FOR JURYING IS OPEN TO ALL
• OPS membership is not required to submit an application for jurying.
• Artists selected to participate in Plein Air Southwest 2027 must be current 2027 members of the Outdoor Painters Society. Accepted artists who are not current OPS members at the time of notification will be provided instructions for joining OPS and must complete their membership within 48 hours of receiving their acceptance notification in order to confirm their place in the event.
• If an accepted artist does not complete the membership requirement within the specified deadline, the position may be offered to an artist on the waitlist.
• OPS membership may be obtained at www.outdoorpainterssociety.com.
JURY ENTRY PROCESS:
Jurying will be handled through OnlineJuriedShows. Log in and click Enter This Show above to begin. The jury fee of $75 is non-refundable. Artists must submit three representative plein air works and complete the entry form provided by OnlineJuriedShows. Jurying will be based on submitted work. Links to artist websites will not be utilized.
JURY PANEL
A three-person jury panel will evaluate applications based solely on the three submitted plein air works. Applicants will be designated Accepted, Waitlisted, or Not Accepted. Waitlisted artists will be ranked by the jury and may be invited to participate as openings become available. Jury decisions are final.
NOTIFICATION OF ACCEPTANCE:
Artists will receive notification of the jury’s decision at the e-mail address provided with their entry. Results will be available in your OnlineJuriedShows artist profile. Please do not contact OPS regarding the status of jurying prior to notification. Accepted artists will receive instructions for confirming their participation, including completion of OPS membership within 48 hours if they are not already current 2027 members. Additional event information and instructions will be provided to confirmed participants prior to orientation. Submission of an application and jury fee constitutes agreement with all conditions set forth in this prospectus.
ABOUT GALVESTON HISTORICAL FOUNDATION
Founded in 1871, Galveston Historical Foundation (GHF) is one of the nation’s oldest historic preservation organizations. GHF works to preserve and share Galveston Island’s rich architectural, cultural, and maritime heritage through stewardship of historic properties, preservation advocacy, education, and community programs.
As host of Plein Air Southwest 2027, GHF provides artists and visitors a unique connection to Galveston’s historic architecture, neighborhoods, waterfront, and coastal landscape. Learn more at www.galvestonhistory.org.
JUDGE OF AWARDS
Suzie Baker
OPA - Oil Painters of America, Past President, Signature Member
PSA - Portrait Society of America
AIS - American Impressionist Society - Signature Member
NOAPS - National Oil and Acrylic Painters Society - Signature Member
LPAPA - Laguna Plein Air Painters Association - Signature Member
OPS - Outdoor Painters Society - Signature Member
AWA - American Women Artists - Signature Member
CAC - California Art Club - Associate Member
View résumé at suziebaker.com
PASW 2027 PARTICIPATION RULES (apply to all artists and work submitted):
1. Participants must be present (no agent) at orientation and participate in the Friday evening VIP show and any other required events listed in event itinerary (distributed at orientation).
2. Paintings must have received an event stamp on the panel or support prior to painting, and all work must be created entirely during the official painting period and within the designated painting area to be eligible for awards.
3. Competition paintings may not be sold directly from the easel during the official competition painting period. Interested buyers should be invited to attend the exhibition and purchase through the official event sales process. This restriction does not apply to paintings created for the Saturday Wet Paint.
4. Paintings must be for sale with a $400 minimum price.
5. Sales split: 35% to Galveston Historical Foundation and 65% to the artist.
6. Minimum size: No side smaller than eight inches, excluding frame. Maximum size: No side may exceed twenty inches, excluding frame. All work must be in gallery quality frames, “wired” (no saw-tooth hangers) and ready for hanging. “Gallery wrap” canvases will not be accepted.
7. Artists must remove unsold work between 6:00 and 7:00 p.m. on May 8, 2027. OPS is not responsible for storage or transport of any work not picked up before 7:00 p.m. Work cannot be removed from exhibition panels until end of show, unless sold.
8. Artists must report any sale completed within 30 days following the close of the exhibition that results from contact with a buyer made through the event. Such sales will be considered event sales and are subject to the same 35% GHF / 65% artist sales split.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE ARTIST
By entering the event, artists agree that they have read and will abide by all rules set out in the prospectus, the orientation materials, and other requirements of the OPS Event Managers or GHF governing the event or use of the exhibition venue. Removal of unsold work submitted during the event prior to the end of the show without permission of the OPS Event Managers will result in disqualification of the artist and revocation of any awards. Should a situation or emergency occur that makes it necessary that a participant must leave before the end of the event, the artist must immediately notify an OPS Event Manager.
LIABILITY AND SAFETY
Finally, each participating artist agrees by entering the event that they are solely responsible for the safety of their property and person during the event. Suggestions regarding locations to paint are subject to the individual artist’s discretion and are not intended to endorse or guarantee the accessibility or safety of the location. The Outdoor Painters Society, Plein Air Southwest 2027 and Galveston Historical Foundation (the “released parties”) are not responsible for loss, injury or damage to any artist (or guests of artists), any property of artist, or artwork produced by artist, for any reason, no matter what the cause, including negligence by any of the released parties.