Lighthouse Plein Air Quick Paint

I ventured further southeast in Florida this past weekend and entered the 5th annual Lighthouse Art Gallery Quick Paint event. This 2 hour window of "spontaneous artistic combustion" kicks off their week-long plein air festival. About 40 artists, including me, participated in the downtown Stuart, FL area for the quick paint. It was a bit cool by SE Florida standards and by the noon judging of entries the winds were howling about 20-30 mph. You had to make sure your display easel was weighted or turned just right to avoid having wet paintings from being blown over.

I haven't been painting outside much this year and struggled with moving shadows and a busy street corner where I set up. In the end I was not thrilled with the results but had a good time "practicing" and being out there amongst other artists. Here's a quick set of sequence photos;

 Start block in- 15 minutes

 Lay down darks- shadows already moving- 40 minutes

Finished and framed- 2 hours

Here are some of the entries with a few showing awards that were handed out. Some nice stuff by a good group of 'circuit' plein air artists.

 Honorable Mention

 Third Place

 Honorable Mention

 First Place

Door County Plein Air Festival 2015

My annual trek 200 miles north to Door County has one purpose: Create and admire exceptional plein air art. This type of event is the only national plein air event I've ever been to so I don't have anything to compare to. But it's always well done, and the art is great.

My quick paint piece sold. Didn't win anything. I never do. The competition is getting better every year. But I had fun, and that's what counts.

Here are a few photos from the Saturday main event. Just the invited artists are shown at the Peninsula School of Art.