32nd Annual International Exhibition
Download a printable prospectus
The San Diego Watercolor Society was established in 1964 and is one of the largest and most active in the United States. Its International Exhibition is widely recognized for its high standard of excellence in watermedia art.
Eligibility and Requirements
Entries must be original work in water-soluble media on paper, paper based board, or synthetic paper and painted within the last two years. All work must be at least 80% water-based media. Collage is acceptable only if treated with watermedia. No digital art, work produced under instruction, work derived from another’s intellectual property or from copyrighted references will be accepted. Entries must not have won awards in other national or international shows. No painting exhibited in a previous SDWS International Exhibition is eligible. Only one painting per artist will be accepted. The juror’s decision is final. Paintings must be for sale and available for the duration of the exhibit. No price changes are allowed. A 30% commission to SDWS will be taken on any sale. Failure to provide an accepted painting will result in the artist being ineligible to enter the SDWS International Exhibition for two years.
Minimum Image: 140 square inches, with no side less than 10 inches. Maximum Frame, outside dimensions: 46” in either direction Maximum Weight: 40lbs.
One to three paintings per artist may be entered. One entry: Members-$30, Non-Members-$40. Add $5 for each additional entry up to a maximum of 3 entries. Entry fees are non-refundable. All entrants receive a full color catalog with reproductions of the accepted paintings.
Digital Image Entries
To enter, go to www.sdws.org, click on “Log In” and, if you have not already done so, register a user name (your email address) and password. You will then be allowed to log in, go to the International Exhibition page and receive instructions for entering your images. Only digital images will be accepted. One to three images may be entered. Your digital image should be of your work without a mat or frame. Digital files should be submitted as RGB, jpeg format, and 1200 pixels in the longest dimension. Image file name should include the painting title. When you complete the information on the International Exhibition Entries page, you will be given further instruction for sending your images.
Juror Nicholas Simmons
Nicholas Simmons was born in Iowa and began painting in Sarasota Florida under many watercolor instructors, most notably Valfred Thelin and Barbara Nechis. His work met with immediate success, but a music career took over until 2003, when he returned to visual art. He quickly became a renowned name of the contemporary watercolor scene, winning major awards and gaining media exposure. Mr. Simmons ‘art is characterized by its diversity and power. His paintings have been featured in a variety of publications and on Maryland Public Television. Awards include top prize at the 2007 National Watercolor Society Exhibition, consecutive gold medals at the Pennsylvania Watercolor Society, 2008, 2009, and the gold medal at the Texas Watercolor Society in 2012. He exhibits internationally with major watermedia stars, is sponsored by Escoda brushes and Da Vinci Paint, and was in, 2010, the only judge representing the Americas at the Shanghai Zhujiajiao International Watercolour Biennial Exhibition, the world’s largest watercolor exhibition. He is one of six painters in the newly-formed North American Watercolor Artists group, which is representing the United States in various International exhibitions. Nicholas Simmons is sought after as a workshop instructor, lecturer, and judge, known for his fresh, unorthodox, and often irreverent approach. He lives in the Washington D.C. area with his wife Olga Ivanovna and daughter Larissa.