All are welcome at Plein Air Paint Out
August 15, 2012
By Katie Larsen
Adults and children can enjoy creating art in an ‘open air’ demonstration
Blank canvasses and art supplies will be everywhere you look Aug. 18 in downtown Snoqualmie for the fourth Plein Air Paint Out.
The event was started by Jeff Waters to try and encourage people to practice being an artist. Artist check-in will begin at 9 a.m. at the Railroad Park Gazebo.
“It was an attempt to bring art to the public in a fashion they could use,” he said. “We are trying to encourage artists to do their work in the open and display it.”
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Peyton Stachelski, 4, runs an HO-gauge train next to a princess castle on a modular layout provided by local members of the National Model Railroad Association during the last Railroad Days.
Last year, the event was paired with Railroad Days to take advantage of the amount of people visiting. It was a success — at least 25 artists participated.
Plein Air means “open air” in French, and the premise of the paint out is to encourage artists to set up in public and paint their surroundings in the open.
Any medium of art is welcome; most of the winners have been watercolor, according to Nicole Sanders, associate planner for the city of Snoqualmie.
“It helps bring the artistic community together, which is something we would like to foster,” she said. “I think that arts are very important for connecting people to each other and why they love the community they live in.”
The artwork must be done the day of the event and the Snoqualmie Arts Commission will select a winner at 3 p.m. There will be a public artwork showing at The Black Dog, 8062 Railroad Ave. S.E. The winner will be featured on the 2013 Plein Air Paint Out poster and past years’ works will be available to purchase for $30.
“The poster contest has been won every year by an amateur,” Waters said. “It’s important to the community because it exposes them to the possibility that you, too, can do it.”
Waters said it is important for people to understand that even those who have never picked up a brush before are encouraged to participate.
“It isn’t magic,” he said. “Everyone is welcome. You don’t have to be a professional artist.”
A lot of artists sell their work at the event, but must be painting also.
This year, a free children’s Paint Out will be offered near the Railroad Park Gazebo with materials provided.
Registration is $20, and $10 for the youth division, 18 and younger.
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