Glen Arbor Arts Center hosts 15th annual Plein Air weekend
Painting of sunset at Sleeping Bear Point by Stephanie Schlatter
From staff reports
More than 75 talented artists from across Michigan and throughout the Midwest will converge on Glen Arbor on August 2-3 for the annual Plein Air Weekend hosted by The Glen Arbor Arts Center (GAAC). The event includes two outdoor painting competitions and exhibitions of original work at the Glen Arbor Town Hall on Friday and Saturday evenings.
The weekend begins with the popular Quick Draw on August 2. This year’s theme is “Country Roads, Take Me Home” and artists will have a 3-hour window of time to paint in the Glen Arbor area. The artists return to the Glen Arbor Town Hall in the late afternoon to enter their work in the judged exhibit. The public is invited to view and purchase the Quick Draw artwork at the Glen Arbor Town Hall on Friday, Aug. 2 from 5-6:30 pm.
For the day-long Paint Out on August 3, artists may paint anywhere in the area, including the villages of Glen Arbor and Empire, the beautiful blues of Glen Lake, and the National Park. The Paint Out exhibit and sale is on Saturday, Aug. 3 from 5:30-7 pm at the Glen Arbor Town Hall. GAAC will award first, second, and third prizes, along with two honorable mentions. The first prize is The Amy L. Clark-Carels award of $1,000, given in memory of this talented local artist.
“2024 marks our 15th year of this annual event bringing together the incredible creative talent that exists within the artist community. There will be over 100 pieces of original art on display for our Saturday sale. Whether you’re there to purchase or simply to view, their work is a visual feast for the eyes! We hope you will join us in celebrating and supporting the creative spirit of these talented artists.” PAW co-chairs Rita Witler and Georgia Gietzen explained.
The Plein Air Weekend is a major fundraising event for the Glen Arbor Arts Center. Proceeds from the sale of the paintings benefit the participating artists and the GAAC. For more information, visit GlenArborArt.org.