37th Annual Wild Life in Art exhibition & Open Call

Get ready to experience the raw beauty of nature through the eyes of talented creators at the Foothills Art Association’s upcoming 37th annual Wildlife in Art exhibition. Running from October 27 through December 2, 2026, at the Foothills Fine Art Gallery in La Mesa, California, this highly anticipated juried show transforms the gallery space into a vibrant celebration of the natural world. This year’s prestigious juror is Chelsea Paulus, a San Diego-based wildlife artist who brings her keen eye for dramatic lighting and intricate scratchboard detail to the selection process. Art enthusiasts and community members are warmly invited to mark their calendars for the public reception and awards presentation on Saturday, November 7, 2026, from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM, where approximately $2,500 in cash and merchandise prizes will be awarded to standout works.

For local artists looking to showcase their own talents, the official call for entries is open from August 3 until October 15, 2026, at 12:00 PM PDT. The exhibition accepts a diverse range of original mediums—including oil, acrylic, watercolor, scratchboard, and non-functional sculpture—provided that wild creatures remain the absolute focal point of the piece. To maintain the show’s focus, photography, digital reprints, and depictions of domestic or farm animals are strictly excluded. Hopeful participants can submit up to four entries online starting at $45 for the first piece, with the ultimate goal of having their work displayed and sold in the gallery. Be sure to head over to the Foothills Art Association website to review the specific framing and wire guidelines to ensure your submissions are ready for the judges.