Banner detail: Lemon on Napkin, oil on linen, JP Leous for MFA’s Fall Member Show 2026

On Display in Circle Gallery September 30 – October 24, 2026

Virtual Awards Ceremony will be September 30 at 5:30 PM via Zoom

View Web Gallery   View Participating Artists   Watch the Virtual Awards Ceremony

Introducing the Fall Member Show

Maryland Federation of Art (MFA) invites all MFA Members residing in any of the states or territories of the US, Canada, and Mexico to enter our Fall Member Show 2026. Any original 2D or 3D work will be considered. Works selected by the juror will be exhibited in MFA’s Circle Gallery from September 30 – October 24, 2026.

Click this icon to view and print the downloadable prospectus.

Juror: Janine Yorimoto Boldt, Curator of American Art at the Palmer Museum of Art at Penn State

Janine Yorimoto Boldt is the curator of American art at the Palmer Museum of Art at Penn State. She previously held curatorial positions at the Chazen Museum of Art at the University of Wisconsin—Madison and the American Philosophical Society. Curatorial projects include re:mancipation, Resource & Ruin: Wisconsin’s Enduring Landscape, Dr. Franklin, Citizen Scientist, and contributing to the comprehensive permanent collection reinstallation at the Chazen. Boldt earned her PhD in American Studies from William & Mary and specializes in early American art. Her scholarship has been published in American Art, Winterthur Portfolio, Panorama, and in collected volumes. She is also the researcher behind Colonial Virginia Portraits, a database produced in collaboration with the Omohundro Institute of Early American History & Culture.

Juror’s Statement

It was an honor to serve as juror for this year’s Fall Member Show and a privilege to view so many wonderful works of art. It was incredibly difficult to finalize selections, and I want to sincerely thank every artist who submitted. The range of techniques, processes, and subject matter astounded me, and I attempted to choose a range of styles, media, and perspectives.

Jurying this exhibition was a wonderful reminder of the power of art. These days I often feel overwhelmed by current events, helpless in the face of change and destruction, and worried about the future—concerns that I believe many of us share. As a result, many of the most emotionally powerful works selected evoked feelings of nostalgia or isolation and reminded me of our shared humanity. Other artworks immersed me in fields of color, unusual forms, and compelling compositions, offering an invitation to slow down and breathe. I invite everyone to join me in slowing down, looking closely, and getting lost in art.

-Janine Yorimoto Boldt

Awards

Juror’s Choice

  • Sweet Dreams Till Sunbeams Find You by Linda Popp
  • The Creek by Georgi
  • Parked in Amsterdam by Gloria Tseng Fischer
  • Riders by Richard Niewerth
  • The Window by Judy Guenther

Honorable Mention

  • Batman by Alexandra Treadaway-Hoare
  • Blackwater Creek by Robin Lazarus-Berlin
  • Thirst for Knowledge by Marcia Babler

Conley Award: Which Way by Neal Kaske

Friends of the Arts: seafarer by Sandy Cohen

Awards designated by the juror total $700.

  • $500 is designated by the juror.
  • $100 Conley Award for 3D work chosen by Susi and Rob Conley.
  • $100 Friends of the Arts (FOTA) Award.

Information for Accepted Artists

Exhibition Schedule

Exhibition Schedule:

  • Jun 2 Online Entry Opens for Submissions
  • Aug 5 Entry Deadline
  • Sep 3 Notification @ 5 PM
  • Sep 23 – 27 Accepted and Shipped Work Must Arrive at MFA Circle Gallery 11 AM – 4 PM
  • Sep 30 Exhibition Opens
  • Sep 30 Virtual Awards Ceremony @ 5:30 PM
  • Oct 24 Last Day of Exhibition; In-Person Reception at MFA Circle Gallery 4 – 6 PM
  • Oct 25 – 26 Pick Up Hand-Delivered Work 11 AM – 4 PM
  • Oct 29 Shipped Work Will Be Sent

NOTE: Should Circle Gallery or any other exhibition space be closed for reasons beyond our control, MFA reserves the right to move a planned physical exhibit to our online gallery.

Delivery and Shipping

Delivery

  • All work delivered to the gallery must have the following information affixed to the non-viewing side of the artwork:
    • Artist Name
    • Address, phone number, and email
    • Title of the work, medium, and price. Be specific with medium descriptions (e.g., oil on hardboard or canvas, not oil; chromogenic print or archival inkjet print, not photography or digital print; oil pastel on paper, not pastel; etc.)
  • Work must arrive on scheduled dates.
  • Paintings must be dry.
  • Measure to ensure work meets size limitations before delivery, include outer edges of frames. Work not in compliance with the exhibition guidelines and MFA’s General Guidelines will not be exhibited. No exceptions. Work delivered must correspond with the images submitted to the juror.
  • All shipped work must include a bar-coded shipping label. Do not send by United States Postal Service (USPS). We prefer UPS but accept FedEx. No shipping peanuts allowed.
  • Please affix packing/repacking instructions to OUTSIDE of the shipping box.
  • Tips on shipping can be viewed on the RedDotBlog

Pickup and Storage

Pickup and Storage

  • Work may not be removed from the exhibition early for any reason. Artists may pick up their work on the specified dates, or at 6 PM after the Closing Reception.
  • Unless previous arrangements have been made, work placed in storage after announced pickup dates will be subject to a fine of $10 per piece, per week. Work left in storage longer than two (2) weeks shall become MFA property and may be disposed of, or used for fundraising purposes. There are no exceptions.

Liability

Liability

  • All work is blind juried. Artists’ name and identifying information is hidden from the juror. Watermarks are discouraged to ensure blind jurying.
  • All work will be handled with all possible care, but pieces submitted for exhibition are at the artist’s risk. In the event of damage or theft, the MFA will not be held liable. If insurance is desired, the artist must carry it.
  • Should Circle Gallery or any other exhibition space be closed for reasons beyond our control, MFA reserves the right to move a planned physical exhibit to our online gallery.

Sales

Sales

  • All work entered into any exhibition must be for sale unless prior agreements are made, and marked either with a price or POR for Price On Request.
  • Artists will retain 70% from sales (75% for MFA Members). MFA will retain 30% commission (25% for MFA Members) on any work sold through MFA.
  • The sale of artwork is taxable and all sales tax processing will be handled by MFA.
  • MFA processes all sales, no exceptions. Payment from sold work will be mailed to the artist 30 days after the close of the exhibition.
  • Sold artwork requiring shipment will be handled by MFA with costs collected from the buyer. Buyers will be asked if the work may be retained until the exhibit ends. If the buyer disagrees, the Gallery will let the work go, and the artist will be informed.
  • MFA asks that artists donate 20% from any sale made through a direct referral from MFA within three months. All donations are used to help defray operating costs of the Maryland Federation of Art and are tax-deductible by the artists to the full extent of the law.

Notification

All entrants will receive notification by email. Accepted artists will also be posted on MFA’s website. Artists who have unsubscribed from MFA emails will not receive notification. The notice to accepted artists will include specific details and could vary from the prospectus. Please set your email account to recognize eleanor@mdfedart.org and info@mdfedart.org. Contact Circle Gallery if you do not receive notice by 6 PM on the day of notification.