What are the Members’ Encouragement Awards [MEAs]

Our MEAs are presented monthly in most months of the year (except January, November & December) and serve as an opportunity for members to submit artworks for voting, by their peers in the Society.

We encourage all our members to enter – we really want to acknowledge your artwork and be part of your art journey.  Even if you think yours is not as good as everyone else’s – it doesn’t matter. We are all here to learn and be encouraged by our fellow artists. This is what our Society is all about – to give advice and encouragement to artists to develop their pastel painting skills and hopefully the opportunity to learn from seeing others’ work and, of course, from the demonstrations and talks given at the meetings.

You can find the web link for our MEAs Competition under the Events heading in our menu at the top of the website.

All feedback, questions and suggestions are welcome at mea@vicpastel.com.au. 

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Which Category am I in?

There are four sections for entering and voting by financial members : Emerging. Intermediate, Advanced and Professional.

The first section is Emerging, (for those artists who have never won any award anywhere and/or who are new to the medium). If an artist wins this section two years in a row, they automatically advance to the Intermediate Section.

The second section is Intermediate,  (for those artists who have won minor awards – internally or in external shows, such as ‘commended’ or ‘highly commended’, but have never won a major prize). If an artist wins this section two years in a row, they automatically advance to the Advanced Section.

The third section is Advanced, in which the members have won the Intermediate Section two years in a row; or are winners of categories in the PSVA Exhibitions; or are proficient artists on entry to the Pastel Society and have won prizes in external shows, but are new to the medum.

The Professional Section is for Professional/Career artists who have won the Advanced section two years in a row.

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How do I vote in the MEAs

After the date that the entries for paintings closes and before the next monthly meeting an email from mea@vicpastel.com.au entitled Time to Vote in the [month] [year] MEAs displaying all paintings entered will prompt you to vote in the MEAs.

You are allowed only one vote per category per month per member.

Around the end of the month voting entries close.

The exact dates for each month are provided in the Time to Vote email.

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How are the awards decided?

Points are accumulated every month for each entry.  Every painting entered is automatically awarded one point.

The painting that has the most votes for each category for the month is awarded an additional two points for the month for a total of three points.

The painting that has the second most votes for each category for the month is awards an additional point for the month for a total of two points.

These points are tallied over the year with first and second awarded in each category.

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How do I know if I have won?

Monthly winners of the first and second place in each Category will be announced:

• at the next monthly meeting
• in the PSVA Facebook Group and on our official Facebook Page
• in our VicPastel News magazine
• in the next month’s Enter the MEAs |  [month] [year] | Members email

Certificates will be emailed to the winners of first and second place.

Yearly first and second place winners in each category will be presented at the final PSVA meeting for the year in December. We also list our annual winners on this webpage.

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Guidelines for submitting paintings

1. Each member is allowed to enter one painting only per month.
2. Members are asked to submit via email to mea@vicpastel.com.au
3. Two photos :
   1. a hi-resolution image of your painting (preferably prior to framing)
   2. an image of you next to your painting (your painting can be framed for this 2nd image).
      Email both to mea@vicpastel.com.au when you receive the “Enter the MEAs |  [month] [year] | Members” for the month.

3. For the second photograph we suggest you asking a member of your household to take the photo for you, or use the ‘time-lapse’ function on your camera, tablet or smartphone, or take a ‘selfie’.  If you find this too onerous, just email us the image of your painting.

4. Please submit your photographs in jpeg format if possible.

5. Each photograph should be no more than 2MB in size. 

6. If your painting has been signed by the time you take your photo, please stick a bit of paper over the signature or digitally manipulate the photo so that the signature is obscured.  We send out all paintings for voting anonymously.

7. If you need help with any of this please don’t hesitate to contact mea@vicpastel.com.au. We’d rather you ask for help than not submit.

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