OPEN CALL 2026
5th ANNUAL JURIED EXHIBITION & FUNDRAISER
OPEN CALL 2026
5th ANNUAL JURIED EXHIBITION AND FUNDRAISER
JULY 9 - AUGUST 12, 2026
Since its inception five years ago, the MEPAINTSME Annual Open Call has evolved into a premier platform for diverse creative voices and a powerful vehicle for social impact. Staying true to its core mission of bringing together emerging, self-taught, and established artists, this year's selection of 50 artworks stands as a vibrant testament to the success of that vision.
Beyond fostering deeper connections among artists, collectors, and the public, the Open Call allows our worldwide artistic community to come together in support of nonprofit initiatives that mirror our commitments to equity, accessibility, and cultural enrichment.
This year's proceeds from the 2026 MEPAINTSME Open Call Exhibition and Fundraiser will be donated to national and regional organizations working to provide legal aid and humanitarian support to immigrants and refugees in the United States. The response to this year's pledge was tremendous. We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who submitted their artwork for consideration and joined us in supporting our friends and neighbors at this critical time.
We are pleased to present this year’s selected works, and hope you enjoy the show!
Click on individual artworks for additional views and artist bios.
Jamie Steele Griffiths
Yawn, 2025
watercolor, colored pencil on wood relief
9 x 12 in.
22 x 30 cm
Saira McLaren
Two Figures (or a double), 2026
acrylic on raw canvas
32 x 36 in.
81 x 91 cm
Sophie Duez
Still life with the hand that feeds you, 2026
oil on wood panel
12 x 16 in.
30 x 40 cm
Andrzej Rafałowicz
Untitled, from the Star/Cross series, 2025-2026
acrylic on canvas
11¾ x 9⅞ in.
30 x 25 cm
Simone Pellegrini
"Conio donde", 2026
mixed media on paper
13 x 20 1/8 in.
33 x 51 cm
Patrick Kelly
send(ing) + help, 2026
color pencil and printed image on found paper
10 x 8 1/2 in.
25 x 21 cm
Julia Bollinger
Henbit, 2025
acrylic and oil on canvas
10 x 8 inches
25 x 20 cm
Robert Sherratt
Staging a Threadbare Dream, 2025
acrylic and canvas on wooden panel
18⅛ x 24 in.
46 x 61 cm
Alfonso Barrera
Eternal battle, 2025
sanguine on paper
11 x 8⅝ in.
28 x 22 cm
Jack McRaven
A Light Along the Coast, 2026
colored pencil
6 x 6 inches
15 x 15 cm
Sarah von Sydow
These Conditions, 2025
oil on linen
31½ x 25⅝ in.
80 x 65 cm
Robin Gammons
Mrs.True Love, 2025
acrylic on panel
9 x 12 in.
22 x 30 cm
Karolina Szwed
World Money (cafe Amatorska), 2025
oil on canvas
15¾ x 19¾ in.
40 x 50 cm
Linda Meli
raging river XVI, 2026
oil, oil pastel and chalk on linen, artist made oiled beech wood frame
13¾ x 17¾ in.
35 x 45 cm
Yolanda Shashaty
Big Rock Candy Mountain, 2026
oil on canvas
30 x 36 in.
76 x 91 cm
Jane McKenzie
Brown Orchard (after Munch), 2026
oil on linen
11 x 14 in.
27 x 35 cm
Alyssa Zoe Putnam
Knotted, 2026
oil on panel
18 x 24 in.
45 x 60 cm
Ruth Jeyaveeran
Fireball, 2026
hand felted wool, yarn
13 x 13 in.
33 x 33 cm
Matt Jones
The Same Face, 2022-2026
oil on canvas
12 x 9 in.
30 x 22 cm
Brian Uhl
Pull Cord, 2026
arches hot press, cut paper, watercolor, gouache, acrylic, beads
19 x 24 in.
48 x 60 cm
Christina Zimpel
Pink Tights, 2026
acrylic and gouache on linen
12 x 16 in.
30 x 40 cm
Alessandro Palese
Lupin, 2025
oil pastel, pencils, acrylic, varnish, on paper
9½ x 13 in.
24 x 33 cm
Benjamin Andersson
Isle, 2025
oil on panel
15¾ x 13¾ in.
40 x 35 cm
Camille Stora
Javel, 2025
gouache on mounted paper on wood
4¾ x 6½ x ¾ in.
12.2 x 16.5 x 2 cm
Skyler Hunter Simpson
Behind the Scenes, 2025
colored pencil, acrylic on panel
30 x 24 in.
76 x 60 cm
Zhizi Wu
Love Seat, 2025
oil on cradled panel
28 x 30 inches
71 x 76 cm
Vanessa Powers
Harbinger, 2026
oil on canvas
18 x 24 in.
45 x 60 cm
Anna Sophia Moltke
I planted a thought, 2025
photographic print
5 x 7 inches
12 x 17 cm
Francisco López
The Promised Land, 2025
casein on wood panel
13¾ x 10⅝ x 1⅝ in.
35 x 27 x 4 cm
Jovi Schnell
Growing to Get to the Light, Bouquet Play - (10), 2025
acrylic and collage on canvas
14 x 11 in.
35 x 27 cm
Mark Timmins (b. 1977)
Bronzewing Pigeon, 2026
collage, ink, pencil, pencil crayon on found paper
8½ x 5⅞ in.
21 x 15 cm
Jim Torok
The Sandpiper, 2025
pen, ink, water color on paper
22 x 30 1/2 inches
55 x 77 cm
Deborah Druick
Facades, 2025
flashe, acrylic on linen
24 x 18 in.
60 x 45 cm
Cary Hulbert
Zise, 2025
acrylic on mylar
20 x 16 in.
50 x 40 cm
Ben Walker
A new school term has begun, 2026
oil on linen
18 x 23 1/2 inches
45 x 59 cm
Daisy Rodriguez
Untitled, 2026
acrylic on canvas
24 x 20 in.
60 x 50 cm
Mayumi Nakao
By my side, 2026
oil on linen
32 x 30 in.
81 x 76 cm
Emelie Zetterberg
I Would Prefer Not To, 2025
oil sticks, acrylic and yarn on linen canvas
31½ x 31½ in.
80 x 80 cm
Pamela Smith
Held, 2025
acrylic on Masonite
28 x 22 in.
71 x 55 cm
12⅝ x 10¼ in. (framed)
32 x 26 cm (framed)
Robert Medvedz
WHAT IS SPEAKING?, 2026
acrylic and 24k gold on paper
24 x 19 in.
60 x 48 cm
Karina Akopyan
Holy Men and Fallen Women, 2025
acrylics, acrylic markers and ink on watercolour paper
37⅜ x 28½ x 1⅛ in.
95 x 72.5 x 3.00 cm
Deniz Ozuygur
Mommy, can I build my house on your grave?, 2025
fuse beads
27½ x 38¼ in.
70 x 97 cm
Leslie Giuliani
Cavern, 2026
embroidered encaustic painting on microfiber
10 x 8 in.
25 x 20 cm
Eleanor Aldrich
Nancy in Tree with Scroll, 2026
caulking and enamel on canvas
38 x 28 in.
96 x 71 cm
Kristen Nikiti
And He Knew Now This Would Be Grave, 2025
oil on Dibond
16 x 12 in.
40 x 30 cm
Lizz Freeman
Retreat to the Attic, 2025
free motion embroidery sewn assemblage, mounted on board
27 x 18 x 4 in.
68 x 45 x 10 cm
Jennifer Caroline Campbell
Chlorinated Keener, 2025
oil paint and marble dust on up-cycled plywood with reassembled found jewellery and ribbon
18 7/8 x 14 3/4 in. (plus 8 1/2 in. chain)
48 x 37 cm (plus 22 cm chain)
Dylan England
Red Room, 2026
collage, paper cut-out
7 1/4 x 10 in.
18 x 25 cm
Emily Tironi
The Value of Facing a Challenge: The Story of Terry Fox (1985), 2026
mixed media altered book
10¼ x 8 x ½ in.
26 x 20 x 1 cm
Dave Daverman
Arctic Seed Vault, 2025
acrylic on Bristol b
oard
16 1/2 x 22 in.
41 x 55 cm
2026 BENEFICIARIES
Proceeds from the 2026 MEPAINTSME Open Call Exhibition and Fundraiser will be donated to national and regional organizations working to provide legal aid and humanitarian support to immigrants and refugees in the United States. Please join us in supporting our friends and neighbors at this critical time.
Al Otro Lado’s mission is to uplift immigrant communities on both sides of the border by defending the rights of immigrants, refugees, and people who have been deported against systemic injustices and fighting for all families that have been torn apart by unjust immigration laws.
Al Otro Lado prioritizes providing holistic legal and humanitarian support to the communities they serve in both the U.S. and Mexico through a multidisciplinary, client-centered, harm reduction-based practice. Their work is centered on using legal expertise and zealous advocacy to fight for a system of migration that is humane and human-centered rather than militarized and based in racism, classism, sexism, and injustice.
Since 1986, RAICES’ legal and social service providers have modeled what a humane immigration system could look like in the U.S.
Without free and low cost legal services and access to holistic, trauma-informed care, most of their clients, including children of all ages, would have to go to court alone, with zero representation. Families with legal representation are up to 10 times more likely to have a favorable outcome in immigration court than unrepresented families — and are given a real chance to plant roots in their new home.
RAICES fights in the courtroom, the halls of Congress, and alongside their community for a more just immigration system.
The National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC) is dedicated to ensuring human rights protections and access to justice for all immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers. With offices in Chicago, Indiana, San Diego, and Washington, D.C., NIJC provides direct legal services to and advocates for these populations through policy reform, impact litigation, and public education.
The NIJC’s advocacy and legal services teams keep families together, free people from the dangers of immigrant detention, and prevent asylum seekers and long-time community members from being deported based on unjust laws and illegal government actions.