1. Students, Employees, Retirees and Alumni from all campus locations are eligible to enter the show and must bring their entries to the J.W. Martin Library where you will be directed to the room to leave your pieces. If you live out of town, you may mail the pieces (at your own risk) to Thomas Cornell, NWOSU, JD326, 709 Oklahoma Blvd., Alva, OK 73717. You must provide the postage to return the piece to you, or come by the office to pick it up. Students/employees at the Enid and Woodward campuses may be able to make arrangements for transport with the campus courier. 

2. Entrants who cannot drop off or pick up their artwork as scheduled must make special arrangements before Feb. 26. If you have any questions or need to make special arrangements, please contact Tom Cornell by email at tacornell@nwosu.edu. Only those with permission will be allowed to bring artwork after Feb. 26.

3. For installation and identification purposes, all pieces must include the title of the work, category entered and your name in the upper right hand corner on the back side. Wherever possible 3-D should have this information in the same fashion, but if this is not possible they stillmust have this information attached.

4. No previously submitted material will be allowed.

5. All Fine Arts entries should be framed or matted and ready to hang, or they will be fitted with hook and loop tape to hang. (Caution: hangable art work can fall with only hook and loop tape to hold it.) It is the Art Society's decision on what will be placed on easels. Note: Special attention should always be paid to the presentation of your art work.

6. All photographs and coloring pieces must be 5"x7" minimum in size and must be matted or mounted. No frames will be allowed. No exceptions. Canvas prints are not encouraged.

7. No kits, prints or photocopies are allowed - all work must be original including cartoon/comic characters, etc. 

8. No obscene language or references

9. Two items maximum may be entered in each category.

10. Video work- Entrants should print a QR code linked to a video-sharing website (YouTube, Vimeo, etc.) and be on a piece of paper that is 5"x7" and matted or mounted. Videos should be under two minutes in length. 

11. Artwork entered that does not fit any of the listed categories will be placed into a the Miscellaneous Artwork category and will be judged together – regardless of the medium.

The NWOSU Art Society, and the J.W. Martin Library are not responsible for loss or damage of any artwork. Any work deemed inappropriate by NAS and school standards will not be displayed.

Contact Thomas Cornell, JD 326, tacornell@nwosu.edu for more information.

~ Before entering artwork, entrants need to read and understand contest rules. ~

Winners' Show:

If your entry wins any Award, it is eligible and will be taken to the Winner’s Show in downtown Alva. Entrants must specify if entries should not be taken to this show. The show is scheduled during the First Friday Art Walk on Friday, April 4, 2025. 

A reception will be held celebrating the winners and show on this day from 5 - 8 p.m. Please plan to attend. The public is encouraged to attend.

You may enter TWO items in each of the categories below: 

1. Artisan Crafts – things that are made or created by hand that may be functional or strictly decorative, for example decorative arts, 3-dimensional/sculptures, jewelry, pottery, etc.
2. Cartoon/Comics - All concepts and work must be the artist's own. No copies of other characters. If created digitally, artwork should be submitted in a high resolution, print quality form. All should be mounted or matted for display.
3. Coloring - art pieces created using the traditional mediums for ‘coloring.’ Pieces may use pre-made coloring pages or original coloring pages. Emphasis should be placed on creativity, originality, color combinations and overall presentation. Both students and non-students (alumni and current/retired employees) will compete in one category.
4. Digital Art- artworks created entirely using computer hardware and software, or for digital photographs or scanned images that have been profoundly manipulated and/or combined using computer software.
5. Fiber Art – a style of fine art that uses textiles such as fabric, yarn, and natural and synthetic fibers and encompasses countless techniques. The techniques range from quilting, embroidery, collage, weaving, spinning, knitting, crocheting, macramé, distressing fabrics to achieve specific textures and recycling fabrics, etc.
6. Quilting - A quilt is a multi-layered textile, traditionally composed of three layers of fiber: a woven cloth top, a layer of batting or wadding, and a woven back, combined using the technique of quilting, the process of sewing the three layers together. In many cases the top is pieced from a patchwork of smaller fabric pieces; the whole process of creating a quilt or quilted wall hanging involves several steps such as designing, piecing, appliqué, and binding. Quilts are frequently displayed as non-utilitarian works of art.
7. Mixed Media/Collage - involving the use of two or more artistic media. / Collage: an artistic composition made of a combination of various materials (such as paper, cloth, or wood) glued on a surface. Example: cut pictures from magazines to make a collage. 
8. Printmaking - an artistic process based on the principle of transferring images from a matrix (likely wood, metal or glass) onto another surface, most often paper or fabric. Printmaking techniques can include woodcut, etching, engraving, lithography and screenprinting.
9. Video - Time-based works displayed on a screen that involves sound and motion. Video works will be displayed as a QR code linked to an online video platform (such as youtube, vimeo, etc.).  and be on a piece of paper that is 5"x7" and matted or mounted. Videos should be under two minutes in length. 

In Painting:

10. Watercolor on Paper - Paintings done in watercolors featuring any subject. Paint must be water-based (retains transparency/lets the white of the paper show through) media on paper. Lighter, more transparent colors are made by adding water instead of white paint.
11. Painting – Animals/Creature - any paintings done in acrylics or oils featuring animals, insects, living creatures other than people.
12. Paintings – Architecture - any paintings done in acrylics or oils featuring architecture.
13. Painting – Elements of Design - any paintings done in acrylics or oils featuring artistic images that make good use of elements of design. These must emphasize the use of line, shape, pattern, form, texture, perspective, etc. It can be any subject matter. Creativity is encouraged.
14. Paintings -- The Figure/Portraiture - any paintings done in acrylics or oils featuring the human figure, including portraiture.
15. Paintings -- Landscapes/Nature - any paintings done in acrylics or oils featuring landscapes/nature. Showcases beauty of outdoors. Can be a full landscape, scenes of trees, clouds, plants, countryside, etc.  Can include buildings/people, but the main emphasis/focus must be the natural elements.  
16. Paintings -- Still Life -- any paintings done in acrylics or oils featuring still life. A still life is a painting that focuses on purposely/artistically placed still objects (not just found objects). The subject matter is inanimate and never moves, typically with a focus on household objects, flowers, or fruit but is not limited to these items.

In Works on Paper:

17. Works on Paper -- Animals/Creature - any works on paper of any animal, insects, and living creatures other than people.
18. Works on Paper -- Architecture - any works done on paper with pencil, charcoal, ink, pastels, etc., featuring architecture.
19. Works on Paper – Elements of Design – any works done on paper with pencil, charcoal, ink, pastels, etc., featuring artistic images that make good use of elements of design. These must emphasize the use of line, shape, pattern, form, texture, perspective, etc. It can be any subject matter. Creativity is encouraged.
20. Works on Paper – The Figure/Portraiture – any works done on paper with pencil, charcoal, ink, pastels, etc., featuring the human figure, including portraiture
21. Works on Paper -- Landscapes/Nature – any works done on paper with pencil, charcoal, ink, pastels, etc., featuring landscapes/nature. Showcases beauty of outdoors. Can be a full landscape, scenes of trees, clouds, plants, countryside, etc.  Can include buildings/people, but the main emphasis/focus must be the natural elements.  
22. Works on Paper -- Still Life -- any works done on paper with pencil, charcoal, ink, pastels, etc., featuring still life. A still life is a drawing that focuses on purposely/artistically placed still objects (not just found objects). The subject matter is inanimate and never moves, typically with a focus on household objects, flowers, or fruit but is not limited to these items.

In Photography:

23. Animals/Creature - For all photos of any animal, insects, living creatures other than people.
24. Architecture - can be a cityscape or other forms of architecture. Can be anything from skyscrapers to shacks, old or new, modern or traditional, in daylight or shot at night. Be aware of how light and shadows can help or hurt the architecture. It’s not just about buildings either – can be bridges, towers, windmills, monuments, lamp posts, etc.
25. Black and White - For all photos black and white only.
26. Elements of Design - Artistic images that make good use of elements of design. These photos must emphasize the use of line, shape, pattern, form, texture, perspective, etc. It can be any subject matter as long as it is a photograph; no graphic illustrations made in a program like Adobe Illustrator or digital creations for this category. Creativity is encouraged.
27. Landscapes - Showcases the beauty of the outdoors. Must incorporate a full scene, not an individual plant. Scenery is definitely the subject of landscape.  Can include buildings/people, but the main emphasis/focus must be the natural elements.  
28. Light - Something that contains an element of light. Light is the main subject of the photo. Can show how light plays with shadows. Can include (but not limited to) light provided by bulbs, fire, sun, etc. 
29. Macro - Very extreme close up photography usually of small subjects in which the size of the subject in the photograph is greater than life size.
30. Nature - For photos mostly pertaining to some type of plant life. Can be things found in nature but NOT emphasizing on animals, insects, living creatures in nature. Primarily outdoor images displaying natural elements including closeups of natural scenes and textures. Puts a stronger emphasis on the aesthetic value of the photo.
31. Portraiture- Portraits of people should say something. These are photos featuring the human figure. Photos may include everyday life, and may be formal or informal, etc. 
32. Sports / Photojournalism - Photographs in this category should illustrate or directly depict a narrative. These photographs are usually somewhat dynamic in nature and often depict individuals performing actions that are noteworthy or newsmaking.

If artwork is entered that does not fit any of the categories we have listed, it will be entered into:

33. Miscellaneous Artwork -- artwork submitted into the show that does not fit any of the listed categories available

If, in the opinion of the judges, none of the entries in a category meet the standards of excellence, no award will be given. Judge may award any place to an entry based on merit.

NWOSU Student* Awards:

1. One Best of Show: $50 and ribbon - (chosen from all first place category student winners)

2. Category Winners: 1st-$10 and first through third place ribbons (all placings may not be awarded pending judge's discretion)

3. One People's Choice: $25 and ribbon (selected by patrons visiting show from among all entries submitted by students, alumni, employees, retirees)

NWOSU Employees/Alumni/Retirees Awards:

Same as above for all categories; however, no prize money available. Ribbons only.
Everyone is eligible in the People's Choice voting for the $25 prize.

*The term student refers to individuals who are currently enrolled at any campus as a student of  Northwestern Oklahoma State University 

Were you unable to see the 2024 NAS Art Show in person? No worries. We took a photo of each piece for you: 2024 NAS Art Show in Photos.  Photos from 2024 NAS Winners Show

In the process of moving past Art Show photos into a Flickr account showing several of our past entries.

Lists of past winners:

• 2024 Art Show Winners List

• 2023 Art Show Winners List

• 2022 Art Show Winners List

• 2021 Art Show Winners List

• 2020 Art Show Winners List

• 2019 Art Show Winners List

• 2018 Art Show Winners List

• 2017 Art Show Winners List

• 2016 Art Show Winners List

• 2015 Art Show Winners List

• 2014 Art Show Winners List

• 2013 Art Show Winners List

• 2012 Art Show Winners List

• 2011 Art Show Winners List 

• 2010 Art Show Winners List

• 2009 Art Show Winners List

• 2008 Art Show Winners List

• 2007 Art Show Winners List

• 2006 Art Show Winners List

• 2005 Art Show Winners List

• 2004 Art Show Winners List