Melancholy Echoes of Fado
by Betsy Cook
Pikes Peak Pastel Society presents
Luminosity
A National Pastel Exhibit
The 2026 Annual National Juried Show
to be held at Library 21c
October 3– 29, 2026
We invite all artists who reside in the US or Canada, and who create original fine art in soft (dry) pastel to submit their artwork to our juried Luminosity show, a Pikes Peak Pastel Society National Pastel Exhibition. The exhibit begins on October 2, 2026 and ends on October 29, 2026. Library 21C in Colorado Springs, Colorado will host the exhibit.
Online Juried Show Opens for Submission: 7/15/26
Online Juried Show Closes for Submission: 9/10/26
Artist Notifications Sent: 9/16/26
Results will be available in your OnlineJuriedShows artist profile.
Due Date for Shipped Artwork: 9/30/26
Address to be communicated to accepted entrants. Additional fees may apply (see below).
Art Intake: 10/2/26 from 10 – 11am
Library 21C, 1175 Chapel Hills Dr., Colorado Springs, CO 80920. Hand-delivered artwork is preferred.
DO NOT SHIP PAINTINGS DIRECTLY TO THE LIBRARY. They will dispose of any paintings sent to them.
Luminosity Exhibition Opens: 10/3/26
Artist Reception and Awards Presentation: 10/10/26 from 4 – 5:30pm
Exhibit Closes: 10/29/26
Art Pick Up: 10/30/26 from 10 – 12pm
Fees:
PPPS members: $40 for up to 3 paintings.
For non-members: $55 for up to 3 paintings.
Additional paintings (above the initial 3) may be submitted for $15 each.
Download the Prospectus Here.
ELIGIBILITY & GUIDELINES
Open to all artists who paint using soft (dry) pastel (80% of the piece entered must be soft (dry) pastel; no oil pastels).
The size of each painting is limited to 36 inches wide by 48 inches high (including frame). No nudes, giclée prints, or digital artwork; no works created under supervision (workshop or class) are eligible. No diptychs and triptychs are allowed. Paintings that have won an award at any national level exhibition are not eligible. Artwork displayed in any previous PPPS juried exhibition is not eligible.
Artwork may have neutral mats; no colored mats allowed. All work must have been created in the last two years. Artwork must be original – no work copied from published work, copyrighted images, or photos taken by anyone other than the artist is allowed.
Any reference photos used to produce submitted artworks must have been physically taken by the artist. By submitting paintings to the show, each artist certifies that they took any applicable reference photographs from which the work was produced, either in whole or in part. Each artist agrees that upon request from PPPS, they will provide a digital copy of the reference photo(s) used and any other information related to the photo(s) that PPPS requests in order to prove source of origination.
Artwork must be framed and ready to hang. All work accepted for display must meet the following criteria: Framed art must have wire to hang. Sawtooth hangers will not be accepted. Wire must be attached to hangers on the frame. Eye screws are acceptable for small pieces with little weight. Two- or four-hole hangers with wire are preferred.
All accepted artwork must be securely labeled on the back (top) with:
· Artist’s name
· Artwork Title
· Price
· Artist’s Phone
· Size (including frame)
Selection is not guaranteed. The juror has the final decision and reserves the right to reject any piece. Paintings that have been juried into the show must remain on display in the exhibit until pick-up on October 30, 2026. Works juried into the show and not delivered for the exhibit will prohibit the artist’s entry in future PPPS sponsored exhibits for two years.
ENTERING LUMINOSITY
Submit all entries through OnlineJuriedShows. Log in and click Enter This Show above to begin. The entry form must be filled out in its entirety, including unframed dimensions (or size), framed dimensions (if not known, estimate), medium, and price. List sizes up to the nearest half inch. Submitted images must not include matting or frame. Crop the photos to include only the artwork. Be sure your images are right side up.
Images should be in JPEG format, sRGB color space. For best results, images should be at least 1920 pixels on the longest side @ 72 dpi. Help with photographing your work and properly sizing your images can be found at: www.OnlineJuriedShows.com/help. If you need help entering your images or are unable to, please email onlinejuriedshows@gmail.com or call 888-666-1351.
AWARDS
Total cash and sponsor prizes will equal at least $3,500 in value.
Cash Awards
· Best in Show $750
· First Place – $500
· Second Place – $250
Sponsored Awards
· Academy Art & Frame Award
· Terry Ludwig Award
· Clairefontaine/PastelMat Award
· Earthberry Award
· Jack Richeson & Co Award
· FrameTek/Art Spacers Award
· UART Pastel Paper Award
Honorable Mention Awards
Upon review of the entries, a number of Honorable Mention Awards may also be recognized.
Additional sponsor awards may be added later.
SHIPPING
Artists shipping entries will be charged a $25 handling fee. Shipped art must be packed in a sturdy box meant to ship artwork, such as a U-Line or Airfloat. Art shipped any other way will result in the artist being charged an additional fee. All shipped entries must include a pre-paid return shipping label. Please pack work carefully and ship it with adequate insurance. If a painting is sold during the show, the shipping box will be returned to the artist.
ARTWORK SALES
All entered artworks must be for sale. Payments will be made directly by the buyers to the artists. Each artist is responsible for collecting applicable taxes and arranging for delivery to the buyer.
JUROR/JUDGE
by Lisa Ober
We are excited to have Lisa Ober as our juror and judge of awards.
Lisa Ober is a professional portrait and still life artist, workshop instructor, gallery curator, and arts advocate whose career has been devoted entirely to the creation of fine art. After studying Illustration and Graphic Design at Washington University in St. Louis, she built a successful full-time career as a commissioned portrait artist, creating thousands of portraits in pastel and oil for families, corporations, institutions, and collectors throughout the United States.
In addition to portraiture, Lisa is recognized for her imaginative still life paintings, which combine meticulous realism with clever concepts and visual storytelling. Her work has received honors in Pastel 100 and PastelWorld, has appeared in national publications and books, and she is a Signature Member of the Pastel Society of America, a Signature Member of Heartland Art Club, and a Master’s Circle member of the International Association of Pastel Societies.
An experienced instructor and frequent juror, Lisa enjoys sharing both the artistic and practical lessons she has learned throughout her career. She has mentored artists at every stage of their journey and believes that careful observation, craftsmanship, and continual learning are the foundation of artistic growth. Having spent her career evaluating artwork not only as an artist, but also as a gallery owner, curator, educator, and juror, Lisa brings a thoughtful perspective that values both technical excellence and meaningful artistic expression.
Lisa is also a co-founder of OA Gallery and Heartland Art Club, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing representational art through education, exhibitions, mentorship, and professional development. She continues to serve as an executive board member as well as Curation Coordinator for The Galleries of Heartland Art Club, helping support and promote artists throughout the Midwest and beyond.
DISCLAIMER/LEGAL
Pikes Peak Pastel Society reserves the right to use images of entries for publicity with credits to the artist. Care will be taken to protect all artwork, but please note that the artist assumes the risk of loss or damage to the artwork while the it is in the custody of the Pikes Peak Pastel Society or the Pikes Peak Library District. The artist is responsible for making appropriate insurance arrangements.