Monday, September 8th - Sunday, September 14th
Artist Showcase: You are invited to arrive with one finished painting to display in your space for sale. This painting should follow size and framing requirements listed below under the heading of “Artwork Size.” Please bring this painting with you when you check in so we can identify this artwork as an “Artist Showcase” entry with a special-colored wall label. The purpose of this classification is to share your skills within this year’s MOPO community as soon as you arrive, as well as offering you an additional sale opportunity.
Canvas Stamping: Stamping of canvases or other substrate will be available during check-in as well as inside the gallery all week. During the first few hours of check-in on Monday, we will have a table set up outside on our Avery deck, off of our Studio Courtyard, which will be dedicated to stamping to help move the process along. Canvases should be blank when brought in for stamping. Adding substrate or toning prior to stamping is acceptable. Artists are welcome to stamp as many canvases as they wish. Gallery will be available for stamping during all open hours. Stamping and registration will begin at 8am on Monday.
MOPO 2025 Schedule and Information:
On Site Framing Space: We will provide a self-service framing space in one of our studios off of our Studio Courtyard. This space will be equipped with basic framing tools, framing wire, and work tables. This studio will be unlocked matching the gallery store hours. All supplies have been generously donated by Prentice Gallery. Artists are responsible for bringing or arranging their own picture frames.
Please contact Prentice Gallery for additional framing assistance.
Prentice Gallery, 45050 Main Street, Mendocino (707) 937-5205. Open Tuesday-Saturday, 11am-5pm, and Sunday-Monday, 11am-4pm.
Standard frame sizes generally available:
5”x7” / 6”x8” / 8”x10” / 9”x12” / 11”x14” / 12”x16” / 14”x18” / 16”x20”
Gallery Wall Space Assignment: Your gallery wall space will be determined by lottery and assigned during check-in on the first day.
Hanging Artwork: We encourage you to hang your first days work daily, as buyers will be in the gallery store each day. Have your work up by 7pm Monday to be included in our “Early Bird” competition with a $TBA prize for best overall painting that was completed and hung on our opening day.
Artwork Size: Artwork must not exceed 30” in width including the frame and must be “gallery ready,” which means artwork should be framed, or have 1.5” gallery wrap canvas, and ready to hang with a wire. Participants must add each artwork to their inventory sheet that will be on file in our gallery store, which includes the title and retail price. Participants may hang their artwork from floor to ceiling but are required to stay within their allotted space. Gallery spaces are a minimum of 40” wide and 7’ high.
Painting Locations: You are welcome to paint anywhere and any subject you like. A good guideline for a boundary area is along the coastline from Westport to Gualala and east to Boonville. At check-in, we will provide a list of popular locations and of our featured artists Paul Rickard will be leading groups to various locations each day, for those who want to participate.
Award Categories: (Prize’s TBA)
Best in Show
Best Collection Award
Founders Award $150
Quick Draw Award
Early Bird Award
Best in Acrylic & Mixed Media
Best of Show (Oil)
Best of Show Pastel
Best of Show Watercolor
Honorable Mention(s)
Artists Showcase Award $
Best Waterscape $250
Best Forestscape $250
Quick Draw Competition: Join us for a Quick Draw Competition on Saturday, 11am-1pm. Quick Draw stamping will be available in the gallery beginning at 10 am. The painting location will be announced at 10:30 am in front of the Gallery Store's front doors, with enough time for all artists to arrive at the location. (Please note: to be included in the Quick Draw competition the artwork must include the subject area or elements within the subject area that has been selected for this year’s Quick Draw competition. Art that is produced by the artist standing in the subject area but the painting is of something outside the boundaries of the subject area will not be accepted into the Quick Draw competition)
Artwork Sales: Mendocino Art Center staff will conduct all sales. Artists will receive a 60% commission on their sales within 30 days following the sale. An artwork sale contract will be sent to you via DocuSign, along with a request for a W9, prior to your arrival.
Artwork Removal: On Sunday, artists are encouraged to check out their paintings as close to Gallery Store closing as possible to encourage sales. Our Gallery Manager may ask to consign some of their artwork.
Bulletin Board Updates: A bulletin board located in our Nichols Gallery, near the Studio Courtyard, will be updated regularly, with daily postings of Featured Artist demonstrations, activities and other information.
MOPO 2024 Schedule
Monday, September 8th, 2025
8:00 am - Registration and canvas (or other substrate) stamping begins. Please enter through the gallery store front doors for registration. Canvas stamping will be on our Avery deck off of our Studio Courtyard. Galleries open for participants to locate their wall section and familiarize themselves with the galleries. Hang artist showcase piece.
8:00 am - 10:00 am - Café MOPO Artist Meet & Greet— muffins, pastries, Thanksgiving coffee, fruit served outside the Main Gallery's side doors.
10:00 am - 7:00 pm - Gallery and Gallery Store open to the public.
4:30 pm - Welcome Reception with Featured Artists and MAC Staff in the Studio Courtyard. Hors d'oeuvres by Nettles for Mona (Leu Leung). Beer, wine and nonalcoholic beverages will be available for sale.
6:00 pm - Deadline to hang a painting to be eligible for the “Early Bird” award. The “Early Bird” award is for the best artwork that was completed on the very first day of the event. The award will be announced at 7pm to give the public an opportunity to vote and purchase the selected winner. The artist will receive a ribbon award along with a cash prize. Galleries close promptly at 8:00 pm.
Tuesday, September 9th, 2025
8:00 am - Galleries open for participants to hang completed artworks and continue stamping canvases.
8:00 am - 10:00 am - Café MOPO— Happy Hermit Bakery, Thanksgiving coffee, served outside the Main Gallery's side doors.
10:00 am - Galleries open to the public.
4:30 pm - MOPO Happy Hour
5:30 pm - 7:00 pm - Maeve Croghan demonstration in the Stevenson Studio. (Galleries close)
Wednesday, September 10th, 2025
*Mendocino Coast Botanical Garden, Complimentary admission day!
Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens is excited to welcome you into our 47-acre botanical wonderland. Please RSVP to Sarah at administration@gardenbythesea.org for one of two days – Wednesday, September 10th. Please carpool if possible. You may arrive and check in at the main entry any time between 9AM and 3:30PM (Gardens closes at 5PM)
8:00 am - Galleries open for participants to hang completed artworks and continue stamping canvases.
8:00 am - 10:00 am - Café MOPO— muffins, pastries, Thanksgiving coffee, fruit served outside the Main Gallery's side doors.
10:00 am - Galleries open to the public.
4:30 pm - MOPO Happy Hour
5:30 pm - Buy a ceramic bowl dinner party.
7:00 pm - Cathy Xu demonstration in the Stevenson Studio. (Galleries close)
Thursday, September 11th, 2025
8:00 am - Galleries open for participants to hang completed artworks and continue stamping canvases.
8:00 am - 10:00 am - Café MOPO— Happy Hermit Bakery, Thanksgiving coffee, fruit served outside the Main Gallery's side doors.
10:00 am - Galleries open to the public.
4:30 pm - MOPO Happy Hour
5:30 pm - Wood Fire Pizza Party with Miles McCreary
7:00 pm - Jennifer Wang demonstration in the Stevenson Studio (Galleries close)
Friday, September 12th, 2025
8:00 am - Galleries open for participants to hang completed artworks and continue stamping canvases.
8:00 am - 10:00 am - Café MOPO— muffins, pastries, Thanksgiving coffee, fruit served outside the Main Gallery's side doors.
10:00 am - 3:00 pm - Galleries open to the public.
3:00 pm - MOPO Awards Ceremony (All paintings must be hung by 3:00 pm on Friday in order to be eligible for an award.)
3:00 pm - 5:00 pm - Judging of artwork for all awards.
6:30 pm - Announcement of Awards will take place in the Studio Courtyard.
Saturday, September 13th, 2025
8:00 am - 10:00 am - Café MOPO— Happy Hermit Bakery,Thanksgiving coffee, served outside the Main Gallery's side doors.
10:00 am - Galleries open to the participants and the public.
10:00 am - Quick Draw stamping will begin in the Main Gallery and courtyard.
10:30 am - MOPO Quick Draw location announced.
11:00 am-1:00 pm - Quick Draw competition at designated location.
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm - Framing and hanging of Quick Draw artwork in the Studio Courtyard.
2:00 pm - 4:00 pm - Voting for Quick Draw by in-person attendees
4:00 pm - Happy Hour in our Studio Courtyard including live music and hors d'oeuvres by Leu Leung. Beer, wine and nonalcoholic beverages will be available for sale.
5:00 pm - Quick Draw Awards announced
7:00 pm - The galleries close.
Sunday, September 14th, 2025
10:00 am - Galleries open to participants and the public.
10:00 am - 4:00 pm - Remove unsold paintings with MAC staff. We encourage you to check out paintings as close to closing as possible to encourage sales.
4:00 pm - End of the event and galleries close.
Thank you for attending!