Smalls Exhibition 2027

Click here for the submission form

Watercolor painting of a pink peony and a white peony in a glass vase on a table with a tablecloth covered in blue butterflies, in front of a window with white grid frames.

Aki Kano "Peonies and Bees"
12" x 9" Watercolor on paper 2022

WMOCA 2027 Smalls Exhibition

A juried open call for artwork no larger than 12 inches in any direction.

Large artworks invite us to step back and take in the whole scene. Small ones ask us to step in. Up close, a small piece can hold a surprising amount of feeling, and when one speaks to you, you connect with the artist as well as the art.

Smalls is our first exhibition built around the intimate scale. Juried by David Shevlino. Send us your application and artwork for review.

Oil painting of a young man with black hair, glasses, and a light-colored t-shirt, looking down with focus, against a dark background.

Patricia Schappler "A Boy and His Cat"
12" x 12" Oil on cradled board 2024

Smalls 2027 Juror

David Shevlino

An art studio with an easel and painting supplies. A man in a green shirt stands beside the workspace with various bottles, brushes, and a colorful abstract painting on the easel.

David Shevlino was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, and graduated from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and the University of Pennsylvania. He also studied at the Art Students’ League in New York. His paintings balance representation and abstraction through broad brushwork, sensuous paint handling and tonal harmony.

His work has been shown in solo and group exhibitions across the country, including a solo exhibition at WMOCA in 2018, and has been featured in publications such as Fine Art Connoisseur, American Art Collector and Artists Magazine. He teaches painting workshops throughout the United States and Europe, and lives and works in North Carolina.

A painting of a woman with blonde hair kneeling in front of a mirror or window, with a duck on the right side.

David Shevlino “Amber Kneeling” Oil on panel 2016

Two sumo wrestlers engaged in a match, grabbing each other while wearing traditional mawashi sashes.

David Shevlino “Two Wrestlers” Oil on canvas 2020

Painting of a woman with blonde hair in a braid, wearing a red long-sleeve top, standing outside near a window with a fish tank.

David Shevlino “Diane” Oil on canvas 2026

Calendar

Call for Art Opens

September 28, 2026

Deadline to Submit

November 20, 2026, 11:59 pm CST

Notification of Acceptance

November 27, 2026

Deadline for Artwork to Arrive at Museum

December 23, 2026

Exhibition Dates

January 5 through February 20, 2027

Entry fee

Artists may enter up to four (4) works for a non-refundable entry fee of $35.00, due at the time of submission.

This single fee covers jury review of all four pieces, whether or not the artwork is selected for the exhibition.

A painting of a man and woman embracing. The man has dark skin, a beard, and is wearing a cap and dark shirt. The woman has lighter skin, short dark hair, and is wearing a white jacket and a fur-lined hood. They sit close together against a reddish-brown background.

Deborah Scott- "Lean on Me" 12" x 12" Oil on Panel

Qualifying entries

Notification of accepted artworks will be made by November 27, 2026. All entries must meet the following criteria:

  • Open worldwide to all artists 18 or older

  • All submissions must be the artist’s own original design and concept

  • All submissions must have been created independently after February 2023

  • For all submissions, the longest side should not exceed 12 inches (not including the frame)

  • All submissions must be in final material and ready to display

  • Artwork must not have been shown previously in WMOCA

  • WMOCA does not accept A.I. either as a reference or the creation of any artwork.  Additionally, no computer-generated art, or art done in a class, workshop, or under supervision.  Digital apps and programs may be used only for cropping/color tweaking your own reference photos.

A painting of a woman with brown hair, wearing a white hat with a black ribbon, standing against a red brick wall background with patches of blue paint.
A painting of a woman with brown hair, wearing a white hat with a black ribbon, standing against a red brick wall background with patches of blue paint.

Kara Lasiewicz “Evolution of Franziska #1”
12” x 12” Oil on Canvas

Submission guidelines

STEP 1: Format images

Prepare up to four (4) unique artworks for entry:

  • Only digital entries will be accepted.

  • Images should only feature the artwork. Do not include matting, frame, etc. in the image unless it is integral to the piece.

  • Save each file as a JPG, no larger than 10 megabytes (in-between 5mb and 10mb would be perfect)

  • Each file MUST be labeled in the following format: artist’s last name, artist’s first name, title of artwork, dimensions, medium, year, and price; all separated by an underscore
    (example: Smith_Joe_Evening-Light_2026_Oil_10x12_$400.jpg).

    NOTE: These JPGs must be emailed to WMOCA curators at beauandkara@wmoca.org after you submit the online form

Close-up of a woman's face with painted blue hair and a soft expression, with her eyes partially closed.

Anna Toberman "Refuge"
10" x 10" Oil on Panel

STEP 2: On the submission form, enter your contact information

STEP 3: Enter all required information for each artwork submission

  • For each artwork, enter the title, year, medium, dimensions, and price

Step 4: Agree to Terms of Competition

  • Read and agree to the terms of the competition

Step 5: Submit your entry & payment

Step 6: Email JPGs to our curators

A portrait painting of a woman with short, bright blue hair and a nose ring, wearing large earrings and a black top with a blue collar. The background is dark, and there is a signature in the bottom left corner.

Chantal Sulkow "Teal" 9" x 12" Oil on Panel

Smalls Exhibition 2027 Smalls Exhibition 2027
Smalls Exhibition 2027
$35.00
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