Post 611: PWAS Member Art Show Coming This Summer at the ARTfactory

PWAS Member Art Show Coming This Summer at the ARTfactory

An email went out to the Prince William Art Society (PWAS) members about a Call for Art for the July 18 - August 9, 2026 juried art show at the ARTfactory in Manassas, Virginia. The submission deadline is Thursday, April 30, 2026 and the theme is Nostalgia. Mark those calendars, quickly rejoin or join PWAS, but let's get ready for this show!

https://www.princewilliamartsociety.com/membership 

Nostalgia Ideas

I love this idea for an art show! Just think of all the art gallery visitors that will wander the gallery "oooing" and "awwwwing" all the wonderfully clever art works on display and thinking, "Oh, I remember those!" Let's see if we can jog a memory to find or to create artwork for this show, themed as Nostalgia (although the list is endless)! Alrighty, let's shake up the brain cells.

Do be careful of any copyrights but do get creative.

 

Nostalgia according to Wikipedia: 

"Nostalgia is a sentimental view of the past, typically for a period or place with happy personal associations. It is often described as a sort of sad pleasure, in which a person longs for a past, whether real or romanticized, that cannot be recovered. It can also refer to a type of homesickness."

• What reminds you of grandma? Or your mom? Of 'Home'? The "good old days"?
• What fond memories do you have of your childhood? 
• Did you have a favorite toy or game you played? 
• How about the music, your favorite band or music artist?
• Where did you used to go that has since disappeared or has changed so much you don't recognize it any more? 
• How about your younger self or when your kids were little?
• A perfect vacation. One for the books. The Vacay of a lifetime. Keep it G-rated, kids!
• Speaking of books...a favorite book from way back when. Pride and Prejudice! 
• How did you celebrate special holidays when you were knee-high to a toad-frog? 
• What old car did you have, what was your first set of wheels? Big Wheel! 
• Pets of long ago.
• A huge banana split you wanted...maybe your eyes were bigger than your stomach! 
• Reminder the days of flip phones, cassette tapes, albums and album covers, VHS players. Oh my gosh, disco? I dare someone to paint a disco ball. Please include Donna Summer singing, "I Feel Love".
• Baby's first bowl of spaghetti with more on baby's head than in his/her mouth. 
• Now don't you get why your mom always said, "Go clean up your room!"? What a mess that room was!
• The early days of TV, cartoons, Barbie and Ken, Cabbage Patch Kids?
• Classic movies - so many old great movies!
• Candy! Paint those Gummy Bears, Jelly Bellies, Rock Candy.
• Cereal. 'Nuff said. 
• Old dishes that have a history behind them. 
• Riding bikes, snow sledding, how about the play ground you romped around in.
• Think about that old "Tech" that really isn't that long ago. A Walkman? A girl waiting by the dial up phone hoping and waiting for that special boy to call?
• Did you go to the movie theater, the drive-in theater. An arcade?
• A first kiss? A first date? 
• School days...so many stories  

Did the list jiggle a memory of something you may have already painted in your art inventory? Did you get an idea for something you could get on the easel? Let me know!

Remember, the ARTfactory wants artwork that has NOT appeared at their gallery before. And you have to do a write up about the piece and why its nostalgia for you!

As always, and especially if you are new to PWAS and/or are new to showing your art, here are some VERY important links to help you be successful as this is a juried art show.

Here Come the Judge - know what goes into the jurying process

Displaying Your Artwork - how PWAS artists are required to display art. A BIG reminder here is that at the ARTfactory, they hang artwork from the DRing, not from the actual wire! The artwork should still be wired though.

Call for Art - some very important reminders about Calls for Art.

Artwork Rejection - because as per usual, not all artwork can or should be accepted to show for many reasons. Read this to help offset your artwork from not getting in the show.

Do You Have Ideas to Share?

Drop a comment below and share any ideas about nostalgia themed artwork that may help other artists.

ALWAYS READ the Call for Art and know the minimum and maximum sizes and any other pertinent rules. There is contact info on the email for who to contact for more info...and it isn't me! 

Get to painting folks! 

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Author: Donna Liguria is the Blogmaster for the PWAS Artistry Spin Blog and Donna's Cave Paintings Blog, and an artist member of the Prince William Art Society (PWAS) in Woodbridge, Virginia. And she takes on the PWAS social media duties as well (help me!) Donna specializes in acrylic painting of landscapes, seascapes, historic locations, animals and many subjects. Visit her Website at DonnaLiguriaArt.com and her Donna's Esty site to shop her art. 

Local Art: The Prince William Art Society is a 50+-year-old non-profit art group in PWC for the appreciation of fine art throughout the county and Northern Virginia. Visit us at any of our local art shows or join us for our monthly meetings - held on the 4th Monday of the month at the Tall Oaks Community Center at 12298 Cotton Mill Dr, Woodbridge, VA at 7:30pm (typically, but check the website in case of any changes).

Want to join PWAS? Go to https://www.princewilliamartsociety.com/membership

Have an idea for a blog post? Are you a writer and want to help with the blog? Let me know! Thank you for visiting, and remember to Share, Follow, and Comment (below)! ...Remember, comments are monitored so they will not show up immediately.

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