Desert Plein Air Prospectus

California Desert Plein Air Festival

Headquarters: Artists Center

72-567 Highway 111

Palm Desert, California

Sponsored by:

City of Palm Desert

Palm Springs Life Magazine

Prospectus ($15,000 in Prize Money)

You are invited to participate in our 4th Annual Palm Desert, California Desert Plein Air Festival at the Artists Center in Palm Desert, California. There are three separate thematic categories and opportunities to be selected for inclusion in the overall exhibitions – therefore, you have the potential to exhibit one artwork in Category 2 and Category 3. The categories are:

Category 1. Featured VIP Artists: Studio paintings… invited artists only:

Geoffrey Allen Mark Kerckhoff Thomas E. Smith

Robert Arnett Elaine Mathews Otto Sturcke

John Budicin Lisa McDill Durre Waseem

Saim Caglayan Kami Mendlik Toni Williams

Steven Hill Junn Roca Jim Wodark

Peggy Immel Aaron Schuerr Rose Irelan

Jeff Sewell

Category 2. Desert Landscape/Desert Cityscape Exhibition: Juried exhibition of studio paintings (approximately 75 paintings to be selected) with awards. This is a traditional 2D painting competition that allows mixed media. Photography, digital, AI-generated or 3D art is NOT eligible.

Category 3. California Desert Plein Air Festival Competition. Not Juried. (Maximum entries accepted: 50):

You must be a member of the Artists Council to apply for any of these categories.

(This requirement applies if you live within 60 miles of Artists Center.)

You can join Artists Council as you apply for any of these categories.

FESTIVAL CHAIRPERSON: Diane Moore, Founder & Board President, Desert Plein Air Association

CURATOR: Daniel Foster: Past Art Museum Director of Oceanside Museum of Art and Riverside Art Museum; Co-Founder of Desert Plein Air Association

THE JURORS:

Rick Delanty, national award-winning landscape painter
Drew Oberjuerge, Executive Director of Riverside Art Museum
Michael Obermeyer, President of California Art Club

See juror resumes HERE.

TO ENTER

Category 1: Featured VIP Artists:

Nationally recognized landscape artists by invitation only. Invited artists will receive the application link via a separate email.

Category 2. Desert Landscape/Desert Cityscape Exhibition:

A juried category open to DPAA members, Artists Council members, and artists living over 60 miles away from Palm Desert. All artists living within 60 miles of Palm Desert must be an Artists Council member to enter. Paintings reflecting the desert landscape or desert cityscape created in studio are eligible. All styles considered including realistic, impressionism, and abstraction.

To apply, READ THE REQUIREMENTS BELOW, then click HERE.

Category 3: California Desert Plein Air Festival: DPAA’s 4th Annual Plein Air Festival and Exhibition of paintings created locally over a 4-day period, painted en plein air capturing the diverse landscape of the desert. Artwork to be created on artists choice of substrate (canvas, paper, board, at least 1.5” deep if unframed), stamped on the back with DPAA stamp, framed ready to hang, and submitted at Artists Center Wednesday, January 15th, from 9am -11am for judging, exhibition, and sale.

To register for the competition, READ THE REQUIREMENTS BELOW, then click HERE.

California Desert Plein Air Festival

Entry Fees

(Note: Artists Council membership is also required

if Primary Residence is within 60 miles.)

Category 1. Featured VIP Artists, by invitation only.

Entry fee (1 painting to be entered) $45 for each painting.

Category 2. Desert Landscape/Desert Cityscape Exhibition:

Entry fee (may submit 1 or 2 paintings for consideration): $45 for each painting.

This is a juried event.

Category 3. California Desert Plein Air Festival Competition. Non-juried.

(A maximum of 50 entries to be accepted).

DPAA Member--early signup: $50*

November 1st-30th $65*

December 1st – January 8th $75*

DPAA Non-member--early signup: $65*

November 1st – 30th $85*

December 1st – January 8th $105*

* No refunds after entry.

California Desert Plein Air Festival

SUBMISSION DEADLINES:

Category 1: Featured VIP Artists: Friday, December 27, at 4pm.

Category 2: Desert Landscape/Cityscape Exhibition: Friday, December 27, at 4pm.

Artists will be notified of acceptance: Wednesday, January 8, 2025

Category 3: California Desert Plein Air Competition: First 50 entries,
or by Monday, Jan 6 2025, at Noon

California Desert Plein Air Festival

IMPORTANT DATES

Friday, December 27 at 4pm PST Category 1:

Featured VIP Artist Submissions

Category 2:

Last day of Desert Landscape/Cityscape Submissions

Monday, January 6 at Noon Category 3: California Desert Plein Air Competition –

Last day of Registration

Wednesday, January 8 Artist notification of acceptance in
Desert Landscape/Cityscape Exhibition

Saturday, January 11-Tuesday, Jan. 14 California Desert Plein Air Competition artists check-in

and substrate stamped. Artists painting on location.

Wednesday, January 15, 9-11 am Delivery of all Paintings (All 3 categories)

Thursday, January 16 Exhibition opens 10am – 4pm

Thursday, January 16, 5pm-7pm Reception/Awards 5pm-7pm

Sunday, February 2, 2 pm Exhibition closes

Sunday, February, 2pm-4 pm Art pickup

California Desert Plein Air Festival

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

1. Artwork pricing: All entries must be for sale. Proceeds from the sale will be split 50-50 between the artist, and the AC/DPAA.

2. A description of the work will be required for each piece you submit. Describe your artwork carefully. (Max. 600 characters).

3. Artwork

Size: All three Categories: No limitation on size.

Artwork on paper must be protected by glass or Plexiglass.

Artwork on canvas wrap or board must be finished on the edges.

Unframed artwork must be at least 1.5” deep.

Artwork must be ready for installation, securely wired for hanging.

No saw-tooth hangers, ceiling mounts, or moving parts may be used.

4. Artwork must be original in concept, design, and execution and submitted by the artist/maker; created independently (i.e., not under direct supervision of an instructor); not commercially manufactured or reproduced or incorporating any item that uses commercially available molds or patterns; not previously exhibited at any Artists Council exhibition.

5. California Desert Plein Air Competition: Paintings must be on visible stamped substrate. Paintings to be entered into the competition to be framed where stamp is not visible, please get approval before framing.

6. Artwork must remain at the Artists Center, during the entire exhibition, Thursday, January 16, 2025, through Sunday, February 2, 2025. Once accepted into the exhibition, artwork may not be withdrawn or substituted. If artwork is sold, and buyer requests taking painting before February 2, 2025, this will be allowed (artwork’s name tag remains with red dot).

7. Accepted artwork must be reserved by the artist and not physically shown elsewhere; the price for artwork shown by the artist on-line must match the exhibition sale price.

8. Artists Council members accepted to the show will be responsible for one 3-hour volunteer Gallery Host shift, if residing within 60 miles, at the Artists Center during the run of the exhibition. Gallery Host sign-up Schedule will be available in the Volunteer Portal area of the Artists Council’s website.

9. All selections are final. Selections for the Juried Exhibition are final and at the jurors’ discretion.

California Desert Plein Air Festival

PRIZES FOR EACH CATEGORY

(Total Prizes Awarded: $15,000.)

Featured VIP Artists:

Best of Show. $3,500

First Place. $2,000

Second Place. $1,250

Third Place. $750

Desert Landscape/Desert Cityscape (Studio paintings):

Best of Show. $1,500

First Place. $1,000

Second Place. $750

Third Place. $500

California Desert Plein Air Competition:

Best of Show. $1,500

First Place. $1,000

Second Place. $750

Third Place. $500

ARTWORK DELIVERY AND PICK UP

Deliver accepted art: Wednesday, January 15, 9-11 am, to the Artists Center, 72567 Highway 111, Palm Desert, CA 92260. Artwork must be delivered by the artist or his/her agent (you may ask a friend or family member). Artwork shipped to the Artists Center will not be accepted.
Sold and unsold art must be picked up at the Artists Center on Sunday, February 2, 2025 2-4 pm, by the buyer, the artist, or his/her agent.

LIABILITY

By submitting artwork to the California Desert Plein Air Exhibition, the individual artist acknowledges and agrees that he/she:

Has read and agrees to all conditions of entry.

Releases the rights for use of images of his/her artwork in any Artists Council or Desert Plein Air Association’s promotional and marketing materials.
Is responsible for insurance for his/her artwork. Neither the Artists Council nor its officers, directors, staff, or volunteers, nor anyone connected with the Artists Council, Desert Plein Air Association or this exhibition will be responsible for theft of, loss of, or damage to artwork, however caused.

TECHNICAL HELP FOR ARTISTS

For any artists who feel they may have difficulty submitting on their computer, please contact us for technical help at info@artistscouncil.com.

If you have any concerns about your ability to complete the online entry form, we encourage

you to enter before December 15th to allow time for you to get technical help. We cannot extend the deadline for anyone who waits until the last days to enter and then runs into technical problems.

QUESTIONS?

If you have Artists Council membership or exhibition questions, please contact the Artists Council at info@artistscouncil.com.

If you have any questions about entering the California Desert Plein Air Competition, please contact Diane Moore at desertpleinair@gmail.com

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