FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Media Contacts: Joe Taylor 850-323-0176, palme2blue@yahoo.com

Richard Carrell 850-648-9433, rjcarrell@netzero.net

Natalie Shoaf 850-227-4255, nshoaf@gtcom.net

Plein Air Painters to Capture Forgotten Coast on Canvas


This spring, more than 20 nationally acclaimed painters from throughout the country will converge on Florida's Forgotten Coast to participate in the 3rd Annual Plein Air Invitational May 8-18, 2008.

The "great paint-out" is a 10-day event sponsored by Gulf Alliance for Local Arts (GALA),the tri-county arts agency devoted to coordinating, encouraging and promoting the arts and arts education in the region.

From Mexico Beach to Carrabelle, painters will set up their easels and pull out their brushes to capture the landscape and lifestyle of this last vestige of authentic "Old Florida".

The artists, who hail from as far away as Maine and Oregon, will gather with those as close as Lynn Haven and Tarpon Springs to paint the unspoiled beaches, the vast marshlands, the wide river, and the historic streets of waterfront towns.

The communities of Apalachicola, Mexico Beach, Port St. Joe, Cape San Blas, Eastpoint, St. George Island, Carrabelle and Wewahitchka have joined forces to produce the most impressive art event seen along the coast. " Plein Air has been well received by area sponsors, the Apalachicola Bay and the Gulf County Chambers of Commerce and the Mexico Beach CDC", said Joe Taylor, Event Co-chair. Funding from both the Gulf and Franklin County Tourist Development Councils has been used to promote the event to a national market aiming to attract art enthusiasts and collectors.

Last year's event featured artists painting sites such as the old wooden bridge in Mexico Beach, Port St. Joe's marina and parks, the Cape San Blas lighthouse and beaches, the marshes and creeks of Indian Pass, beekeepers in Wewahitchka, and Apalachicola's scenic waterfront and historic homes.

Artists participating in this year's event include Allison Hill, Mohegan Island, ME; Brett Weaver, Suwannee, TN; Charles Dickinson, St. Augustine, FL; Cynthia Edmonds, Winter Park, FL; Diane Scott, Hingham, MA; Gene Costanza, Eugene, OR; James Hempel, Milwaukee, WI; Jane Chapin, St. Petersburg, FL; Larry Moore, Winter Park, FL; Lori Putnam, Nashville, TN; Marci Oleszkiewicz, Willow Springs, IL; Martin Figlinski, Lynn Haven, FL; Mary Erickson, Marshville, NC; Mitch Kolbe, Tarpon Springs, FL; Robert Simone, ST. Petersburg, FL; Sara Beth Fair, Huntsville, AL; Scott Powers, Chicago, IL; Theodore Tihansky, Monhegan Island, ME; Tom Sadler, Orlando, Fl; Tracey Frugoli, East Peoria, IL; Sally Evans, Dunedin, FL; and Wesley Drake, Chicago, IL.

An Artists Reception will kick-off the event on Friday, May 9, from 6-8 pm at the newly completed WindMark Village Center. The "meet-and-greet" with plein air artists, patrons and event organizers is free and open to the public. The reception will provide a preview of the St. Joe Collection before the week long exhibit opens.

Over the last two years, the St. Joe Company has purchased over 40 plein air paintings from the Forgotten Coast event. This collection will be presented to the public on Saturday, May 10, in the "Chill Tower Gallery" in downtown WindMark. A full day of art activities, artist demonstrations and live music will be provided from 12-5pm to commemorate the presentation of the St. Joe Collection. The collection will remain open for public viewing from 12-5pm daily through Saturday, May 17.

Art, fresh off of the easel, will arrive daily at the historic Cotton Exchange on the waterfront in downtown Apalachicola. This "wet room" will be open from 11am-5pm for viewing and the purchase of these masterfully produced paintings. The Wet room Opening will be held on Saturday evening, May 10, from 6-8 pm. Tickets are $10 and include light hors d'oeuvres, wine, and music.

Artists will be asked to reserve their very best work to present at the Patron's Party on Saturday evening, May 17, from 6:30-10:30 pm. This gala party, held in the wet room, will include a full bar, live music and the opportunity to purchase the best art from the paint-out. Provisions, of Port St. Joe, has planned a culinary delight featuring a wine tasting paired with tapas style dishes for the ticket price of $75 per couple or $40 each.

The final segment, Art In The Afternoon, from 11am-5pm in Veterans' Park, is free to all. This will be the last chance to purchase plein air art, mingle with the artists, ask them to personalize a message on paintings, or observe the artists at work.

The public is invited, encouraged even, to locate, stop and watch the painters throughout the week. A series of demonstrations, presentations, luncheons, cocktail parties and a Student Art Day will be detailed in the event program, offering visitors and locals an opportunity to meet the artists and experience the plein air process. To view the entire schedule of events visit the website, www.pleinairfl.com.

"The crème de la crème of artists will be painting along the Forgotten Coast, and our local residents and visitors will get the first chance to purchase these paintings that capture and preserve what we all love about this area", said Richard Carrell, Event Co-chair.

Approximately 300 works from this painting marathon will be completed, framed and ready to hang.

What is Plein Air?


Plein Air (pronounced pleyn air) comes from the French term "en plein air," meaning "in the open air." It is style of creating art outside in the moment, primarily (but not necessarily) from nature. Although this type of art is often thought of as landscape painting, many other subjects can be depicted, including still life, figures, portraits and architecture. A true plein air painting is done on location, capturing the atmosphere of the moment. The majority of the painting is completed on site with little to no work to be done in the studio. Many artists agree this is the true test of skill, as it requires complete confidence in placement of color and brushwork in a short amount of time.

What Makes Plein Air Special?


Plein air is valued for its sense of spontaneity and for the skill artists develop at quickly and deftly capturing the essence of a moment of light or shadow on a subject. It's a style that demands training to possess an awareness of time, color, light, temperature, sound, sight, atmosphere and emotion. Plein air art is not created in a deliberate or planned manner, it is fresh and uncontrived, created from life and in the moment. Plein Air paintings can be in any medium, including, oil, acrylic, pastel and watercolor. It can be created on any kind of paper or canvas and can be any style of painting.