by Lisa D. Mickey
The 10th annual Plein Air Paint Out is set for Oct. 21-24, and will once again be hosted by the Marine Discovery Center and The Artists’ Workshop NSB.
This event combines art and nature when 21 nationally recognized artists travel to New Smyrna Beach to create outdoor paintings from dawn to dusk. Artists paint at various locations throughout the city and surrounding areas, interpreting natural flora, fauna, landmarks and landscapes onto canvas.
In addition to works of art produced during the week of the Paint Out, each guest artist will bring up to five paintings they created during this year’s COVID-19 lockdown. Proceeds from the sale of the paintings will benefit MDC and The Artists’ Workshop.
At the conclusion of each day during Paint Out week, the artists’ work will be brought to the MDC/Artists’ Workshop location at 520 Barracuda Boulevard in New Smyrna Beach, where they will be displayed throughout the week in the designated Plein Air Gallery.
The public is encouraged to view and purchase artwork on exhibit during the Paint Out. COVID-19 precautions will be in place at the gallery, which will be regularly sanitized with social distancing during gallery hours. Masks will be required for entry into the gallery with a floor plan designed with one entrance and one exit to provide spacing between guests.
In addition, a virtual gallery will also be offered through the event’s website. Twice each day during the Paint Out week, photos of all paintings will be uploaded onto the website for online review and purchase.
The 2020 Plein Air Paint Out will actually kick off on Saturday, Oct. 17, with simultaneous events set from 8:30 am to noon with a Kids Paint at MDC, and the annual “Quick Draw” event, to be staged at Old Fort Park. All levels of artists may compete in the “Quick Draw,” with professionals winning cash and one automatic vetting as a guest artist into the 2021 Paint Out, while novices will win gift certificates.
Paint Out patrons and sponsors are invited to the opening reception, set from 8-11 a.m., on Wednesday, Oct. 21. The event will be held in the pavilion area of the MDC/Artists’ Workshop building and will feature a French café and coffee bar. A “Blending of the Brushes,” in which five artists will combine to complete a progressive work of art, will be staged that morning during the opening reception.
A “Mask”urade party and final art sales will be held from 4-8 p.m., on Saturday, Oct. 24 in the pavilion area. Heavy hors d’oeuvres will be served to ticket holders at this event.
At least two evening Paint Out sessions will be held during the week in the North Causeway and Canal Street areas. Artists demonstrations will also take place throughout the four-day event around New Smyrna Beach. For more details on the schedule of events and to view the virtual gallery during Paint Out week, visit NSBPaintout.com
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