2025 Spring Judged Show: All Things Bright & Beautiful

CALL FOR ENTRY

The Visual Art Society of B-CS invites submissions to “All Things Bright & Beautiful”, our spring judged show. It will be on display at Degallery April 18 – May 16, 2025, and is open to all artists. We accept works from emerging, mid-career, and/or professional artists.

“All Things Bright & Beautiful,” celebrates the interplay of color, light, and form. This prompt is very open and subject to many different interpretations. Each professional and non-professional artist can submit up to 6 pieces; high school students can submit up to 3 pieces.

Acceptable mediums include Acrylic, Charcoal, Collage, Color Pencil, Computer Art, Digital Art, Digital Photography, Drawings, Fiber Arts, Glass Art, Graphite, Gouache, Illustration, Mixed Media, New Media, Oil, Pastel, Pen and Ink, Printmaking, Sculpture, Studio Fine Crafts, Traditional Photography, or Watercolor and others. We are introducing a new category: AI Mediated Art. For this category, generative AI must be only a portion of the imagery. Submissions must be original and not plagiarized from existing AI-generated models, datasets, or other artists’ work. Artists should provide a brief description of their creative process, including how the AI was utilized to produce the final piece. For entry into our exhibitions please note your process in the textbox that will be provided. This will allow the jurors to determine if your work fits within our specifications. If you have questions, contact Jaimie Ladysh at dwc@visualartsociety.org.

All submissions must be family-friendly and meet the general theme of the show. Entries cannot have been exhibited in a previous Visual Art Society or Brazos Valley Art League show.

• Members: 1-3 pieces: $35, $10 for each additional piece up to 6 total.
• Non-members: 1-3 pieces: $50, $10 for each additional piece up to 6 total.
• HS students: 1-3 pieces: $5 each.
• Example: If a member wanted to submit 1 piece or 3 pieces, the cost would be $35 either way. If she wanted to submit 4 pieces, the total cost would be $45. If she wanted to submit 6 pieces, the cost would be $65.
• Due to the popularity of this show, we will have a panel of VAS members who will jury the show (choose the pieces that will be accepted). We want to include everyone’s work, but that may not be possible. We won’t know until the deadline. Like most juried shows, your entry fees will not be refunded if some of your your art is not chosen.

IMPORTANT DATES

• Online Submissions open now
• Entry Deadline: Monday, April 7, 2025
• Notification of acceptance: by April 14, 2025. If you need to know sooner, contact shows@visualartsociety.org.
• Show intake: Wednesday, April 16, 2025 10-5pm, 930 N Rosemary Dr., Bryan TX 77802. Please do not drop them off outside of the this time frame. Degallery has limited storage space. If you cannot make this time for drop off, please email shows@visualartsociety.org. Items may be shipped to Degallery C/O Visual Art Society and must arrive with prepaid return shipping label, properly labeled for show and ready to hang, by April 17.
• Show opening and Reception: Friday, April 18, 6-8pm. All are encouraged to come.
• People’s Choice Award Party: Friday, May 16 6-8pm. From April 18 to May 15, all visitors to Degallery will have the opportunity to vote one time only for the three artworks they like the most. The votes will be tallied and the winners announced at the party. There will be wine involved and lots of fun!
• Unsold Art pickup: Friday, May 16 after the reception, Saturday, May 17, 9am-3pm, or Monday, May 18, 9am-5pm.

Divisions & Categories

Each Artist entering will make their own division choice based on their level of experience with creating art. Explanations of each division can be found below and on the Explanation of Divisions and Categories page.

Divisions:

Each Artist entering will make their own division choice based on their level of experience as follows. If you have any questions, please contact our show chair, Dary Dega at shows@visualartsociety.org

• Professional – We will consider you a professional artist if you meet any one or more of the following criteria: (1) you have an art degree (BA, BFA, MFA, MA), (2) you have experience as an art instructor, art teacher, professor of art, or any fine art workshops instructor, or (3) you have artwork available for sale in galleries, on your personal website, on online platforms, or in your art studio.  If you do not meet any of these criteria, you will be considered as a non-professional artist. 
• Non-Professional – We will consider you a non-professional artist if you are not a professional artist.  Therefore, all of the following statements must be true. (1) You do not have an art degree (BA, BFA, MFA, MA), (2) you have no experience as an art instructor, art teacher, professor of art, or any fine art workshops instructor, AND (3) you have little or no  artwork available for sale in galleries, on your personal website, on online platforms, or in your art studio. 
• High School Student – This division is for students in grades 9 – 12.

Categories

There are 11 categories of awards in each of the Artist Divisions divided into two groups. Please read carefully, because changes have been made. Artists may enter pieces in one category, or several categories which can be in different groups.  The categories are divided by “types of art”. We have two judges, one for each Group. They may award honorable mention awards at their discretion. The judges are not obligated to award place ribbons and may withhold ribbons if entries in a particular category do not merit them. Each artist will decide into which category to place their work.  Note that the Show Chair may decide to combine similar categories if there are not enough entries in a category to warrant a separate category.

Group 1:

• Abstract/Experimental/Non-Objective – Any art form that does not objectively nor accurately represent visual reality
• Drawing – Drawing with soft pastel, oil pastel, etching, pencil, colored pencil, pen and ink, charcoal and scratchboard
• Mixed Media – Artwork displaying two or more types of media, including but not limited to collage, encaustic painting and other mixed media
• Painting – Acrylic (representational)
• Painting – Oil (representational)
• Painting – Watercolor (representational)
• Sculpture – 3-dimensional art done in any medium.
• Studio Fine Crafts – Original fine crafts created in a studio environment including glass blowing, stained glass, printmaking, pottery, porcelain, woodwork, jewelry, mosaic, weaving, fiber art, metal work, or other finely crafted items.

Group 2:

• AI-Mediated Art – Generative AI must be only a portion of the imagery. Submissions must be original and not plagiarized from existing AI-generated models, datasets, or other artists’ work. Artists should provide a brief description of their creative process, including how the AI was utilized to produce the final piece.For entry into our exhibitions please note your process in the text box on the form. This will allow the jurors to determine if your work fits within our specifications. If you have questions, contact Jaimie Ladysh at dwc@visualartsociety.org.
• Digital Art – All forms of digital art including photography that has been greatly manipulated or altered using technology.
• Photography – Includes traditional film photography, alternative photography, hand colored images, emulsion transfers, and digital photography that has not been manipulated to achieve results beyond what could be done in a traditional darkroom. HDR, photo stacking and multiple exposure are accepted in this category.

Ribbons

This year we have two judges – one for each group.

First, second, & third place ribbons may be awarded in each category for each of the Award Divisions (Professional, Non-Professional, HS Student) Three special ribbons will be presented to the First Place in each division (Professional, Non-Professions, High School Student). The judge is not obligated to award place ribbons and may withhold ribbons if entries in a particular category do not merit them. Each artist will choose the category in which to place their work. Note: while the judge is making her/his decisions, all artists’ names will be hidden from view, including the artist signature on the art piece.

Cash Awards

• Judge’s Awards – presented at the opening reception, as decided by our two judges
  • Group 1
    • $150 each to the best overall professional artist and the best overall non-professional artist
    • $50 to the best overall high school student
  • Group 2
    • $150 each to the best overall professional artist and the best overall non-professional artist
    • $50 to the best overall high school student

• People’s Choice Awards
  • From April 18 to May 15, all visitors to Degallery will have the opportunity to vote one time only for the three artworks they like the most. The votes will be tallied before the final People’s Choice Award Party. There will be wine involved and lots of fun!
    • $150 to the #1 most popular artist
    • $100 to the #2 most popular artist
    • $50 to the #3 most popular artist

About the Judges – coming soon.

ENTRY FEES

Current Members: $35 for 1-3 entries, and $10 for each additional entry up to a total of 6.

Non-members: $50 for 1-3 entries, and $10 for each additional entry up to a total of 6.

High School Students: $5 per entry up to 3 total.

If you are not a current member, you may join or renew online.

WHAT IS MY FEE USED FOR?

The Brazos Valley Art League, dba Visual Art Society of Bryan-College Station, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization operated by volunteers who are artists and art appreciators, for artists, with no reserve or endowment. All proceeds from entry fees fund project-related expenses. Not unlike paying a fee to enter a marathon race, your entry fee democratically enables our organization’s projects to happen. For over 50 years the Visual Art Society of B-CS has earned a reputation for producing quality exhibits, benefitting the artists involved and the public. Our all volunteer board of directors and small dedicated team of members work hard to make involvement with VAS projects, including art student scholarships and the Aggieland Art Trail, well worth the effort and cost to do so.

Simply by participating in a VAS project or becoming a member you are helping this grass-roots organization to do its work and achieve its mission.

HOW TO ENTER

Preferably, all entries should be submitted online using the forms. It is best to fill out the form in one sitting, but you can save a draft and finish it by the deadline. However, you must open your draft before the deadline and submit your entry, or all data will be lost. You will have to reload your images and Captcha.

You may also enter by email by providing the following for each entry:

1. Artist Name
2. Division (Professional, Non-professional, High School)
3. Title of artwork
4. Category of artwork
5. Selling price or NFS if not for sale
6. Dimensions in inches: with frame and without frame: Height x width x depth (if needed for 3-D work)
7. Attach a jpg image file of the artwork
8. Send to webmaster@visualartsociety.org
9. Payment must be received prior to entry deadline. Submit a Paypal payment to treasurer@visualartsociety.org or mail a check to Visual Art Society B-CS, PO Box 9346, College Station TX 77842. We can also email you an invoice which you would pay online.

Assistance with Online Entry Submissions

If you need assistance photographing your work and/or submitting the registration form, we are glad to help. Email webmaster@visualartsociety.org for assistance.

CONDITIONS & REQUIREMENTS

The general theme for this show is “All Things Bright & Beautiful,” celebrating the interplay of color, light, and form.

Commissions from sales will be divided with 60% to the artist, 20% to VASBCS, 20% to DEGALLERY.

Degallery and VAS kindly request that any artwork displayed for sale in the upcoming VAS show be priced the same as if offered for sale through the artist’s studio, website, or art platform for the duration of the show, and for 30 days after the show closes. If a collector contacts you to purchase a piece on display in the show, please refer them to Degallery. Additionally, if a piece is sold within 30 days of the show closing, Degallery and VAS request that you collect and pay the commissions (20% for VAS + 20% for Degallery) as if the piece had been sold during the exhibition. This will go far to maintain a good faith relationship between artist and gallery.

All works sold and unsold must remain in the show until the closing date. Any works removed early without permission from the Show Chair will result in the artist being banned from any future shows. 

All art must be picked up during the allotted time unless special arrangements have been made ahead of time.

The gallery owner prefers that 2D pieces longer than 60” on any side (including frame) not be accepted. No more than two 60” work can be submitted from any entrant.

All works must be family-friendly. Entries cannot have been exhibited in a previous Visual Art Society or Brazos Valley Art League show

Images of the entry/entries must be submitted by jpg, jpeg files (SRGB or RGB profile, no larger than 4 MB) for jurying into the show. Uploading of images is part of the entry process and more information is provided on the entry form. Your images should be sharp & clear. Your images must not include matting or framing, only the piece of art itself. It is important that your work be well represented. Images of accepted works may be posted on the VAS website along with award winning artists from the show. By entering you grant permission to VAS reproduce the artwork in the marketing materials or on the VAS website, for promotional and educational purposes.

VAS reserves the right to refuse to show any entry not accurately represented by the images submitted during entry or not suitably presented for exhibition. 

Accepted entries for the show must be wired properly for hanging so the hanging committee does not have problems. If any of the pieces are extremely heavy or particularly fragile in framing, they will not be included in the exhibit without advanced special arrangements with the hanging committee. No saw tooth hangers or clip on frames will be accepted. All artwork must be completely dry and ready to hang or display when submitted during intake for the show/exhibit. VAS reserves the right to exclude works from the exhibition that are not gallery-ready and professional in presentation. Our Show Chair will be having a zoom call at 6pm, March 26th on this topic. Look HERE for more info. It will be recorded and the link will also be here.

All sculptures/pottery must have a stable base.

Drawings and pastels must be under glass or acrylic.

The following information must be attached to back of the art work: Artist Name, Mailing Address, Phone, Email, Selling Price, Title, & Medium for this show.  This label form may be downloaded and used but is not required.

Artists are responsible for all delivery, pick up and insurance for the works submitted.

Entry Process

Choose a form to complete. Then click SUBMIT and PLEASE WAIT approximately 30 seconds for all of your files to be uploaded. You will be able to save a draft, but the form must be completed and submitted by the deadline. Your entry will NOT submit automatically. Email webmaster@visualartsociety.org if you are having issues.

You will then be redirected to a payment form, on a new tab, where you can complete the payment process.