More than 70 artists will converge once again on our fair city in an attempt to capture our civic and bucolic splendor on canvas in a stunning array of acrylics, oils, and water colors.
Hosted by the Dexter Arts, Culture & Heritage Committee, Paint Dexter Plein Air Festival runs the week of August 13-18 and culminates with a two-day exhibit and art sale of all competition artwork in the Tent Gallery in Monument Park.
The event has steadily gained popularity since it began in 2013 due largely to Dexter’s numerous picturesque subjects from which artists can (cough, cough) draw inspiration – parks, rivers, wetlands, wildlife, historical landmarks, architecture, and small-town scenes.
Paint Dexter is not just an event for artists to come and ply their talents. It is a festival for the entire community and residents are invited to join in the fun by browsing the art and chatting with artists in the Tent Gallery, watching artists as they create their works, watch the Quick-Draw competition as artists create a painting in three hours, or attend one of the workshops.
All of the artwork created throughout the week and submitted for the competitions will be on display in the Gallery Tent in Monument Park from 2-9pm on the Friday of the Festival; and will be on sale from 2pm Friday until the sale closes at 8:00pm on Saturday.
This year’s Awarding Judge is Greg LaRock. Greg has won numerous awards for his painting excellence including Artist Choice at Sonoma Plein Air, the Maui Plein Air Painting Invitational and Florida’s Forgotten Coast Invitational, first place at Door County Plein Air Invitational, the grand prize at Easton, Maryland and Best of Show at Los Gatos Plein Air Competition. He has also been profiled in Plein Air Magazine with an article on “Ideas for Better Paintings”, featured in Southwest Art’s“Artist to Watch”column and included in a Jack Riches on Fine Art Series book“Plein Air New Mexico.” A sought-after instructor for workshops, he resides with his wife in Orange, California.
Paint Dexter will offer several types of painting workshops for children and youths. There will be an introductory workshop painting class for kids under the big tent in Monument Park. In this class, children will receive instruction from expert instructors and gain experience with the materials of painting and technique, including brushwork, canvas and color mixing. Cookies and refreshment provided.
Classes for young adults have included authentic hands-on plein air painting workshop on location in Mill Creek Park. A workshop geared toward the beginning painter interested in learning about painting outdoors and the unique attributes associated with this style of painting.
Adults who have some experience painting, knowledgeable beginner to advanced, will have the chance to attend a two-day workshop led by Greg LaRock. The workshop is designed for the oil painter interested in taking their skill to the next level.
The workshop is the weekend before the Festival, August 11-12 and the cost is $300 per person. For more information on Greg LaRock’s workshop visit http://paintdexter.org/workshops-for-adults/
The Paint Dexter Plein Air Festival is a fun week full of public events catering to a wide variety of artistic interests from casual to avid as you’re strolling around town.
For more information on the Festival, including a timeline of events, you can find it at http://paintdexter.org/
