Prospectus

Presents the

2021 Western Regional Juried Exhibition Of Traditional Oils

Application Dates: April 19, 2021 - July 9, 2021 ♦ Application Fee: $30.00 for 1 painting;
$45 for 2 paintings; $60 for 3 paintings ♦ Notification Date: August 13, 2021 

0000000OPA’s 2021 Western Regional Exhibition is being hosted by the Marks Arts, located in Wichita, Kansas, October 15 through November 27, 2021. The Opening Reception will be held on Friday, October 15 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. with the awards presentation in person at 7:00 p.m.

The thriving city of Wichita is known as the “Air Capital of the World” because of its great abundance of aviation and aeronautical corporations. For those interested in food trivia, it is also the birthplace of Pizza Hut and White Castle. Visitors will find lots to view, such as the Museum of World Treasures (with dinosaurs, Egyptian mummies and a section of the Berlin wall), the Sedgewick County Zoo (with over 2,500 animals), Botanica, The Wichita Gardens (with 24 themed gardens), and the Great Plains Transportation Museum (which tells of the unique history of railroading in the Great Plains) to name just a few.

Our goal is to assemble approximately 100 of the finest display of representational oil paintings. The focus in the jurying process will be to select paintings that show the highest quality in draftsmanship, color, and composition, emphasizing a diversity in representational style and subject matter.

The total awards will be approximately $11,500 in cash and merchandise, including a $4,000 Best In Show.

The awarding juror will be OPA Signature member Jeremy Goodding.

Artists eligible to compete are citizens of the United States, Canada and Mexico who reside in Alaska, Alberta, Arizona, British Columbia, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Manitoba, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, North Dakota, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Oklahoma, Oregon, Saskatchewan, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, Yukon Territories, and all of Mexico, who are 2021 OPA members.

Members that are citizens, both natural born or otherwise, of the United States, Canada, or Mexico are eligible to participate regardless of where they live.  For sake of convenience, citizens who reside elsewhere will compete in the region that corresponds with their last place of residence within North America.

Nonresident aliens who currently live in the above states of the United States, Canada or Mexico, are eligible to participate provided that they have been physically present at the address provided to OPA for eight of the last twelve months and that the residency is considered to be their permanent domicile and that they are 2021 OPA members.  Nonresident aliens whose North American residency is in question will be asked to provide proof of residency including, but not limited to, employment history, references, and utility bills in the individual’s name.  The decision of the Board is final.

Liabilities and Responsibilities

Oil Painters of America and Marks Arts will not be responsible for loss or damage of any artwork, no matter what the cause.  By submitting artwork to this exhibition, each artist will be deemed to have concurred with this agreement. Artists pay for shipping both ways. We suggest that you provide insurance to cover the full value of the artwork while in transit.
 

Entry Guidelines

SUBMISSIONS DUE: 
Friday, July 9, 2021

• Canvas size: Maximum size not to exceed 1,200 square inches (unframed).  Example: 30 height x 40” width = 1,200 sq. in.
   
• Maximum entries three (3).  However only one (1) painting may be accepted.
   
• Paintings must be created on one singular flat substrate and framed and wired for hanging.  Multiples are unacceptable – i.e., diptychs, triptychs.
   
• The substrate must not exceed the maximum size set forth in the prospectus.  Be sure to read each prospectus carefully, as the acceptable size of the substrate changes depending on the gallery/museum.
   
• Copyright infringement of any kind is unacceptable. It is unethical and against OPA policy for artists to submit work created from another person’s drawing/painting/photo or other artwork that is not solely the artist’s copyright.
   
• Digital apps and programs may be used for cropping your reference photos, etc., but no digital, mechanical, photo, or other transferring to the substrate of any kind is acceptable. You must draw and/or paint the image on your substrate yourself.
   
• Your submission must be originally conceived: your own reference, your own drawing, your own concept and must have been self-painted.
   
• No direct copies of stock images, historic photos, or of any reference to which you do not hold total copyright are allowed. You must be able to provide signed documentation of total copyright should OPA request.
   
• Paintings created in an instructional setting, including but not limited to workshops and art classes are not considered original artwork. A painting created from a group photo shoot set-up by another artist is not considered original artwork. Paintings created in an open studio where artists share the model are acceptable provided there was no instruction being given of any kind.
   
• Painting must have been created within the last 3 years.
   
• An artist may not submit a painting for a Regional Exhibition that has previously been accepted into a Regional Exhibition,  Salon Show or an OPA National Exhibition.
   
• The artist retains copyright to his/her image(s). However, accepted images do become part of OPA archives and may be used for future OPA event promotion.
   
• All work must be for sale.  No NFS.   Paintings that do not reflect the artist’s current pricing structure may be disqualified from the competition.
   
• An artist who withdraws an entry after acceptance into the exhibition shall not be eligible to enter any OPA exhibitions for the next two years.
   

Substrate and Framing Guidelines

ACCEPTABLE SUBSTRATES: Any primed, smooth, flat substrates including: primed canvas or linen, stretched or on a panel, wood, gesso board, acrylic gessoed dibond, aluminum, aluminum composite panel. Acrylic primer is acceptable. Oil primed paper is acceptable if adhered with archival adhesive to a proper archival substrate. Paintings should NOT require being placed under glass.

UNACCEPTABLE SUBSTRATES: Any textured surface including decorative copper, tooled aluminum, natural stone, barn wood or three-dimensional objects. A substrate containing any printed image or photograph is prohibited regardless of whether it is your own or someone else's image/photograph. Paintings should NOT require being placed under glass.

ACCEPTABLE FRAMING: All paintings must be framed and wired for hanging.  When framing deep-edged paintings (museum/gallery wrap canvas or deep board), the frame must be of adequate depth that the substrate does not extend more than half an inch beyond the back of the frame.  Floater frames are acceptable for paintings on museum/gallery wrap canvas or deep board panels.

FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF ACCEPTABLE AND UNACCEPTABLE
PAINTING CRITERIA, PLEASE VISIT THE OPA WEBSITE: https://www.oilpaintersofamerica.com/about/rules.cfm

Questions should be emailed to:
mail@oilpaintersofamerica.com, or call 815-356-5987.

Entry Information

Online Submissions — Deadline: Friday, July 9, 2021

Electronic applications will be accepted beginning Monday, April 19, 2021.  Maximum canvas size may not exceed 1,200 square inches (unframed).  Images should be between 1400 and 4000 pixels at the largest dimension. 

Jurying Fees

The jurying fee for electronic entries is as follows: $30.00 for one painting, $45.00 for two paintings and $60.00 for three paintings.   Only one painting can be accepted.  Electronic payment may be made by credit card or through PayPal.  No e-checks will be accepted.  Jurying fees for online submissions may also be paid by check mailed to OPA if received by Friday, July 2, 2021.

Membership

You must be a paid member through December 31, 2021 at a cost of $70.00.  If you are currently not a member or have not paid your 2021 membership dues, OPA will accept your entry provided that 1) an electronic membership fee is paid by Friday, July 9, 2021 or 2) a mailed membership application and your annual dues are postmarked no later than Friday, June 25, 2021. More membership information may be found on the OPA website, under the Member Services tab.

Sales Commission

Sales commission of 35% will be paid to Marks Arts with 10% being paid to OPA and the artist receiving 55% of the sale price. Take this into consideration when setting your price.  All work that is submitted must be for sale.   No NFS.  Paintings must be priced in accordance with the artist’s current pricing structure.

Delivery and Return of Accepted Work

Delivery for Local Artists:  Deliver uncrated paintings to Marks Arts, 1307 N. Rock Rd., Wichita, Kansas from Tuesday, September 21 to Saturday, September 25, 2021. Hand delivered work must be picked up Tuesday, November 30 through Friday, December 3, 2021.

Out of Town Artists: ship to Marks Arts, 1307 N. Rock Rd., Wichita, KS 67206 to arrive September 21 through September 25.

Handling Fee:  Out of Town Artists must pay a $25.00 fee online prior to their painting being hung. This fee covers the expense of uncrating, storage of crates, re-crating and contacting your shipper for return.  Artist may elect to include a return shipping label with their painting OR may email the label directly to Marks Arts.  OPA will waive the uncrating fee for artists who use a commercially manufactured artist’s/strong box such as a StrongBox™ by Airfloat Systems, or similar brands, like Masterpak, Uline, or a FedEx Premium Art Box (not a FedEx Large Frame Box).  NOTE: Home Depot boxes are NOT included in the list of boxes for which the fee will be waived.  Artists who do not use one of these special boxes are required to remit the $25 prior to hanging of the painting.  Strong boxes will be returned to the artists at the conclusion of the show at the artist’s expense.

Shipments from OUTSIDE the US must be shipped
“FREE DOMICILE” or will not be accepted.

Notification will be posted on the OPA website Friday, August 13.
 

Good Luck and Good Painting
 

July 9
Deadline for submissions

August 13
Acceptance notification posted on the OPA website

Sept. 21 - 25
Shipped artwork to arrive at Marks Arts

Sept. 21 - 25
Hand delivered artwork to arrive at Marks Arts

Oct. 15
Opening Reception: for collectors, press, exhibiting artists and the public from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
 
Awards Presentation: announcement of winners will take place at 7:00 p.m.

Oct. 15 - Nov. 27
Show will be open for viewing. See below for gallery hours

Nov. 30  -  Dec. 4
Local Artists: paintings removed during this period. If not removed a storage fee will be charged.

Gallery Hours
Monday
Closed. 

Tuesday through Sunday
1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.