The Pastel Society of NJ hosts three major exhibitions each year. There are three levels of membership: General Member, Signature and Distinguished. We offer one juried and non-juried exhibition annually for all members. Guidelines for entering each show are below.

• Distinguished, Signature, and Board Members Exhibition (April/May)
  This exhibition is open to current Distinguished, Signature and Board Members. It takes place each spring in April or May. On alternate years, this is a juried show with a Juror of Selection and an Awards Judge. When it is not juried, it’s an open invitational show for Distinguished, Signature and Board Members and features a People’s Choice Award.
• Annual Members Juried Exhibition (June)
  This annual juried show is open to all PSNJ members in good standing. The exhibition takes place each June with a notable Juror of Selection and Awards Judge. The Juror of Selection uses his/her own criteria for the works which are accepted provided that work meets the criteria for PSNJ’s juried exhibitions.
• Annual Members Open Exhibition (October or November)
  Offered each fall, this show is open to all members in good standing. Members may enter one painting of choice. There is no jurying process for this open show and each work submitted is accepted, provided it meets the requirements for a non-juried show. A prestigious Awards Judge selects several awards among the entries.

All entries submitted into any PSNJ exhibition (whether non-juried or juried) must be executed predominately (at least 80%) in dry pastels (no oil pastels). Only original works, created by the artist, executed within the past three years and not previously exhibited in a PSNJ show, will be eligible. Entries cannot be based on published photography or composition.

• Eligible Work: Work must be from the artist’s own original reference materials or setup. Exhibited paintings juried from images must match exactly as depicted in the image submitted. Work created in an “open studio” setting or in plein air, where no instructor is present, is considered independent work and is eligible. Minor supporting details may be researched or gleaned from other sources, but work may not be based on or directly derived from reference materials created by others. This includes photography, videos, artwork or designs, even if permission is granted or the work is royalty-free or not copyrighted.
• Ineligible Work: Work done in a classroom setting or workshop, under the guidance of an instructor or in an instructor’s presence, even if the artist did not ask for feedback or guidance from the instructor is not eligible for a juried show. Work critiqued in a classroom or workshop setting, even if created independently, is not eligible. Work may not be based on live setups arranged or designed by others.
• Misrepresentation: PSNJ reserves the right to refuse any work misrepresented or unsuitably presented. If there is a question about eligible work, you should contact the exhibition chairs prior to registration. False representation of art submitted to PSNJ’s juried exhibitions and/or a violation of these guidelines may result in art removal and suspension of exhibition privileges for a period up to two years.

Work must be properly framed and ready for hanging, with secure brackets and sturdy, taut wire. Sawtooth hangers are not allowed. Size must conform to specifications laid out in the prospectus. Oversized and undersized work will not be hung.