Prospectus

“AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL”

Celebrating 250 Years of Our Nation’s Beauty

Annual Membership & Benefit Show

March 6 – March 29, 2026
Showing at Pillar Arts (812) 369-4147
Located in the College Mall
2894 E 3rd, Suite L-10D
Bloomington, IN 47401
(Free Parking)

Gallery Hours:

Monday, Tuesday, & Wednesday: Closed
Thursday, Friday, & Saturday: 12pm – 8pm
Sunday: 12pm – 6pm

KEY DATES

Monday, January 5, 2026 Deadline to Submit Images for Publicity
Sunday, January 25, 2026 Deadline to Submit Images, Label Information, & $10 Entry Fee
Tuesday, March 3, 2026 Delivery to Pillar Arts (10 am – Noon)
Saturday, March 7, 2026 Opening Reception (2-4 pm)
Sunday, March 29, 2026 Last Day of Show
Tuesday, March 31, 2026 Pick-up at Pillar Arts (10am – Noon)

Note to Members: Special arrangements have been made for Tuesday Delivery and Pick-up of artwork. Email will be sent to you with details.

GUIDELINES: READ CAREFULLY — FOR ACCEPTANCE, ALL GUIDELINES MUST BE FOLLOWED.

ENTRY FEE: A $10 entry fee per painting will be collected from all exhibiting members, except from Signature Members, who are exempt from this. In consideration of some members’ concerns with general rising prices, commission this year will be lowered to 10%. This should allow our members to designate a lower price point on paintings and, paradoxically, stimulate sales to increase the BWS donation to Teachers’ Warehouse, which also includes 100% of all entry fees received.
DELIVERY & PICK-UP: Paintings must be delivered and picked up during the time frames shown above. If an artist is personally unable to deliver or pick up, arrangements must be made for someone else to take care of it within the two-hour window.
DUES MUST BE PAID: BWS membership dues must be currently paid in order to exhibit.
ONE FRAMED PAINTING INITIALLY ALLOWED PER MEMBER: Each exhibiting member is allowed one framed watercolor but may replace it, if desired, if the painting is sold. In addition, members may exhibit a “Reserve Painting” if space allows. Completed label information for each painting should be texted or emailed separately to the show chair. Be sure to indicate “RESERVE PAINTING” for your second painting. Receipt of all texts and email will be acknowledged. According to BWS By-Laws, “The definition of watercolor is “aqua media on two-dimensional substrate.” The term “watercolor” shall be deemed to exclude encaustic or oil. Watercolor paintings can include … collage, pastel, ink, etc. if the total does not exceed 50% of the painting.” 2D only.
ONLY NEW WORK or work not previously displayed in the Bloomington area is eligible.
MAXIMUM SIZE: 32” in either direction, including frame.
HANGING REQUIREMENTS: D-hooks and wire are required. Sawtooth hooks and screw eyes are NOT allowed.
“RELEASE AND HOLD HARMLESS”: Exhibiting members must submit this form at time of delivery. BWS does not assume any liability for exhibited artwork.
LABELS: Text or email label info (Title, Medium, Framed Size, Artist, Contact Info, and Price) to the show chair. (Labels to be printed are at bottom of page.) When paintings are delivered, both labels should be visible from the front of the frame: (1) one label should be taped to the top left of the frame and (2) one label should be taped to the top right of the frame.
GLASS OR PLEXIGLASS: Either is acceptable. A “sealing method” is a third alternative. If interested in using, please contact the Show Chair.
ALL ART MUST BE FOR SALE.
MAXIMUM PRICE: $500

Other information

AWARDS: A prize of $100 will be awarded to the artist who receives the greatest number of “People’s Choice” votes. The winner will be announced and awarded the prize at our BWS meeting in April.
COMMISSION: A ten percent (10%) commission will be collected from any artist who sells a painting. In contrast to a 50% commission, this may allow you to reduce the price of your paintings to increase the probability of a sale and increase our donation to Teachers’ Warehouse.
INSURANCE: Insurance, if desired, is the responsibility of the individual artist.
PUBLICITY: Each exhibiting artist gives an implied consent to have artwork published for publicity or to be photographed and/or filmed for catalog or archive purposes.
SALES: Artists are responsible for completion of their sales. Red dots will be used on both labels of paintings to indicate a sale. “Contact Info” must be provided on labels for interested buyers. Artists who sell pay 10% commission of listed price and may replace painting if desired.

COMPLETE TWO LABELS: For “Framed Size,” please list Height x Width, in that order.

For best results copy the words below and paste into your favorite editor and then print.

Title
Medium
Framed Size
Artist
Contact Info
Price

Page updated

Report abuse