PWAS and Other Art Frequently Asked Questions
Published: August 28, 2021 Updated: May 5, 2024
Photo by Emily Morter on Unsplash
Prince William Art Society Questions
1. What is PWAS?
PWAS is the Prince William Art Society based in Prince William County, Virginia. PWAS is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization made up of local area artists: painters in oil, acrylic, and more, sketchers and doodlers, photographers and mixed media artists, with most living in the county or nearby. PWAS members work in all art mediums, styles and come from all backgrounds. Love art? PWAS does too!
Read more about the history of PWAS here.
Being a part of the Prince William Art Society means being a part of an artistic community who share knowledge, development, art appreciation, and opportunity within the group and extends outward, toward the county in many ways as well.
PWAS Membership includes eligibility to exhibit their art in various shows and activities including participation in regional shows. There may be a fee to participate for some of these shows and activities and percentage of sales to PWAS (15%) if they choose to participate in them. (See the PWAS Art Display Requirements)
Member meetings include many opportunities to learn more and learn from other members and presenters. Other opportunities include PWAS sponsored group trips to art shows, museums, and galleries. Artist members also offers involvement in Community Outreach Programs for more exposure.
See below for a few questions about Open Space Arts (OSA) - the gallery space at 15000 #140 Potomac Town Center, Woodbridge, VA. Note: After October 1, 2023, PWAS will no longer manage the art gallery shows at OSA.
Membership for PWAS can now be paid online at https://www.princewilliamartsociety.com/membership
PWAS Membership runs for one calendar year, January through December, are due by January 31st of each year and are prorated.
There are occasional extra costs when participating in some shows or workshops at very affordable rates.
The PWAS Scholarship Program is actually called, "The Jewell Pratt Burns Scholarship Program" who is a PWAS member from the original art group that began in 1971. The program works with Prince William County high school staff and art teachers that identify those graduating students that are continuing an education in art after graduation. It is a lengthy process and specific information is found on the Prince William Art Society website Scholarship page.
Yes. Monthly meetings are held on the 4th Monday every month except December and (occasionally) January. All members are encouraged to attend. Zoom options may be available if you are on the PWAS member mailing list. Involvement in the operations of the organization, meeting the other artists, refreshments, and special interest programs are often featured. Or a "guest" or member artist may be demonstrating a specific skill or technique. Occasionally meetings have "Show and Tell" of our artwork too.
Meeting Months: February, March April, May,
and June, July, August, September, October, and November. The December meeting is for members and their spouses only (holiday party). Check the website or this blog for updates.
Meetings start at 7:30pm and guests are welcome to attend. They are held at the Tall Oaks Community Center, located at: 12298 Cotton Mill Dr, Woodbridge, VA 22192
Yes, the minimum age is 18 years old.
There are no other requirements when joining PWAS, but we do have requirements when displaying your art. This would be true in most of art galleries as well so please read our "Display" page that describes what you need to do.
It should also be noted that "family appropriate" will apply as well when displaying at any of our art shows, and on the website.
The website fee is $25 each year, and any active PWAS Member can be included on the PWAS Artist Gallery. Again, the fee is not prorated. To see the current Members participating in the Artist Gallery and to see samples of their work, go to https://www.princewilliamartsociety.com/artist-gallery
After the PWAS member has paid the website fee (via the PO Box), the artist can be included on the site. Send the webmaster (ask PWAS) your bio information and about 9 up to 12 good quality images (YOU can add a watermark if you like) of your artwork via email attachment. Please view the other artist pages to get an idea of how your page will be formatted and set up with the info you provide.
Include your sidebar info: Email, Website URL(s), Social links names and links, Mediums, Accept Commissions?, Subjects, then your short bio. The artwork includes the Name, Size (ex. 16x20), Medium and can include the price.
Review the PWAS website and the upcoming PWAS shows. If you have joined PWAS, you are now on our mailing list to receive Calls for Art/Shows when they are sent out.
For upcoming PWAS art shows or popup shows, the membership is contacted if he or she wants to be included in a show. Often these events have a limited capacity so, first come first served (or first paid...). Usually these types of shows are NOT juried but you do need to have your artwork Displayed correctly because of the gridwall display system we use.
10. What are the fees and what do they go to?
The
PWAS fees go toward the monthly and annual costs to run a non-profit
business including the operational costs, scholarship program and much
more.
- The Member dues as listed on #3 above, annual: $20 Seniors, $30 Adults, $35 Family, with Sponsor and Patron members also.
- If
you choose to hang artwork at any of our PWAS art events, the commission is 15%.
- If
you choose to participate in an art show with a fee, it is typically
about $20-$25 per for each show. Depending on circumstances,
occasionally some may be free to enter too.
- Some
shows may be "juried", which means that a third party judge selects the
artwork that will be displayed at that particular event. Other
requirements and/or fees may be applied in these cases.
- If you choose to be on the Artist Gallery page of the PWAS website, the cost is $25.00 for the year.
- There are occasional costs for PWAS member parties and receptions, including the Christmas party, so of course there are food, drink and perhaps other costs for having that party.
- Other
Non-Profit costs are the general business costs including Incorporation
fees, post office fee, office supplies, gallery supplies including PWAS
brochures, business cards, bubblewrap, and more.
You can now pay online! Go to the PWAS site at https://www.princewilliamartsociety.com/membership We hope to see you at a meeting soon!
Photo Credits: Donna Liguria
12. What happened at Stonebridge Open Space Arts?
NOTE: JULY 2023 - The OSA Gallery will have NEW gallery management implemented. PWAS will no longer manage the desk, volunteers, art shows, events, scheduling, hanging, promotion, social media, etc. The official changeover will be October 1, 2023.
Note also that hours of operation, Calls for Art, Volunteering schedules, any new art gallery rules and regulations are at the discretion of the new management team.
To be a juried art show means that there is an art group OR third party person(s) that selects from the art submitted, which pieces he, she or they want (or perhaps "judge") to display in the gallery or art show in question. The criteria for the selections probably vary but to be selected is an honor. Remember and do not be downhearted if not selected, it could be any number of variables that one piece was selected over another. Must read: Artwork Rejection
14. When did OSA start?
Quick
History of Open Space Arts - OSA was first opened as an art gallery on
Friday, November 26, 2021 through Sunday, November 28, 2021. The
community loved it so much, the Prince William Art Society (PWAS), that
had their art on display, was asked to stretch the show until mid
December 2021.
Then in early 2022, PWCAC - the Prince William County Arts Council approached PWAS again and asked if we would manage the gallery with the idea of promoting the art of ALL Prince William County artists. The idea would include all artists, over the age of 18. All of the art would be juried in to show. The artists needed to be a resident of PWC OR they could be a member of a PWC art group.
Thus, Open Space Arts began showing the art of local artists in April 2022 until another management team took over the gallery on October 1, 2023.
15. What is Roberts Rules of Order?
From Wikipedia: "Robert's Rules of Order, often simply referred to as Robert's Rules, is a manual of parliamentary procedure by U.S. Army officer Henry Martyn Robert. "The object of Rules of Order is to assist an assembly to accomplish the work for which it was designed ... Where there is no law ..." The Prince William Art Society uses Robert's Rules in our meetings, much like any other non-profit organization in case you don't know what it is.
Please see: https://assembly.cornell.edu/sites/default/files/roberts_rules_simplified.pdf
16. How can I help to cut back on PWAS email?
It is well understood that not all creative people are well versed in internet etiquette or social media. This question can be answered by the simple email rules of answering an email with Reply (single left curving arrow) or Reply All (double left curving arrows) and knowing the difference. When an email goes out to the art group, you need to be aware that clicking REPLY will only send the new message to the original sender. If you click on REPLY ALL, the new message will go out to the original sender and every single other recipient on the To and Cc lines. Consider if your response is important enough for every single person to receive that message or not, before you click one or the other.
Depending on the Browser you are using, perhaps the Email application, review your options.
17. I posted a blog comment, why can't I see it?
Blog comments are monitored, so allow time for the Blog Admin to approve it. See the Comment Page for more info.
18. Didn't PWAS have art at the GoWell locations?
The Prince William Art Society did display art at the Stonebridge and Warrenton locations but discontinued in March/April 2024.
19. What is the PWAS Online Art Gallery Store?
The Store on the website is found at https://www.princewilliamartsociety.com/category/all-products
The artwork in the store has been for specific art shows we have displayed or it could be a specified time for the PWAS members to show the Best of PWAS. An email is typically sent to the membership on the requirements to show. Purchases can be made directly on the website and the Artist is contacted to make arrangements with the Buyer to hand over art. Pictures are taken to show the new owner of the artwork! We are always happy when art goes to a new home to be enjoyed.
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This page will be updated as FAQs are needed / or as anything changes.
Author: Donna Liguria
An artist member of PWAS in Woodbridge, VA and Artistry Spin Blog Admin, specializing in acrylic
painting. She paints landscapes, seascapes, animals and many subjects.
Visit her Website at DonnaLiguriaArt.com, Donna's Etsy site and her Blog at Donna’s Cave Paintings.
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