Banner detail: Feline Recline, acrylic on masonite board, Betty Walke for MFA’s Spring Member Show 2026

On Display at Circle Gallery April 29 – May 23, 2026

Virtual Awards Ceremony will be May 3, 2026 from 4 – 5 PM via Zoom

View Web Gallery View Participating Artists   View the Awards   View the Virtual Awards Ceremony

Introducing the Spring 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 Spring Member Show 2026. Any original 2D or 3D work will be considered and works selected by the juror will be exhibited in MFA’s Circle Gallery from April 29 – May 23, 2026.

Click this icon to view and print the downloadable prospectus.

Juror: Katie Lee: Exhibition Manager at the Forman Arts Initiative

Katie Lee is a Philadelphia-based curator whose research focuses on local and international artistic production, with a focus on time-based media and interdisciplinary practices. She is currently the Exhibition Manager at the Forman Arts Initiative. Previously, she served as Assistant Curator of Contemporary Art at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Her professional experience also includes roles at Transformer, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, MoMA PS1, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, and the Barnes Foundation. She holds degrees from Georgetown University and Villanova University.

Juror’s Statement

This exhibition brings together artists exploring introspection, community, and the natural world across a diverse range of materials and approaches. Moving between interior reflection and shared experience, the selected works trace connections between human figures, animals, and landscapes, each shaped by a distinct sensibility. Scenes of the outdoors, animals, and gatherings reveal the inspirations shaping these practices, offering a quiet prelude to the approaching spring. A sense of reverence and quiet joy runs throughout the exhibition—through stillness, humor, and moments of pause, these works form a collective meditation on connections among individuals, species, and place.
It was a pleasure serving as this year’s juror for the Spring Member Show and learning about the sensibilities of the many talented artists at the Maryland Federation of Art. The exhibition remains intentionally porous, embracing varied experiences and influences while highlighting works that invite shared meaning. Together, they illuminate how meaning is shaped through gathering, care, and connection to the natural world.

-Katie Lee

Awards

  • First Place: A Spark of Dialogue, Nancy Keene Fishel
  • Second Place: Boy King, Robin Lazarus-Berlin
  • Third Place: Intermission, Al Neyman

 

  • Honorable Mention: Tea Party, Smita Parida
  • Honorable Mention: Sick Day, Merri Wood
  • Honorable Mention: Kiss, Mark Cameron

 

  • Conley Award for 3D work chosen by Susi and Rob Conley: Nostalgia, Lisa Battle
  • Friends of the Arts (FOTA) Award chosen by Wil Scott: Hawk Eye, Mitzi Bernard

Information for Accepted Artists

Exhibition Schedule

Exhibition Schedule

  • Jan 6 Online Entry Opens for Submissions
  • Mar 11 Entry Deadline EXTENDED
  • Apr 2 Notification @ 5 PM
  • Apr 22 – 26 Accepted and Shipped Work Must Arrive at MFA Circle Gallery 11 AM – 4 PM
  • Apr 29 Exhibition Opens
  • May 3 Virtual Awards Ceremony @ 4 PM
  • May 23 Last Day of Exhibition; In-Person Reception at MFA Circle Gallery 4 – 6 PM
  • May 24 – 25 Pick Up Hand-Delivered Work 11 AM – 4 PM
  • May 28 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 will be handled with all possible care, but pieces submitted for the exhibition are at the artist’s risk. In the event of damage or theft, MFA will not be held liable. If insurance is desired, the artist must carry it.

Sales

Sales

  • Artist members will retain 75% from sales. MFA will retain 25% commission on any work sold through MFA.
  • Work must be for sale. Work may be set to Price on Request (POR).
  • The sale of artwork is taxable and all sales tax processing will be handled by MFA.
  • 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.