Look Out for Art Action - Plein Air Schedule and Stories

From May 8 to 18, Gulf and Franklin counties will play host to 20 distinguished guests. The Plein Air Paint Out is returning to the coast and 20-some exceptionally talented painters will spend 10 days documenting the beauty that we enjoy every day.

Artists have long painted outdoors, but in the mid-1800s working in natural light became particularly important to the Barbizon school and Impressionism. The popularity of painting en plein air increased in the 1870s with the introduction of paints in tubes (resembling modern toothpaste tubes). Previously, each painter made their own paints by grinding and mixing dry pigment powders with linseed oil.

It was during this period that the "Box Easel," typically known as the French Box Easel, was invented. It is uncertain who developed it first, but these highly portable easels, with telescopic legs and built-in paint box and palette, made treks into the forest and up the hillsides less onerous. Still made today, they remain a popular choice even for home use since they fold up to the size of a brief case and thus are easy to store.

During Plein Air Paint-Out, the historic Cotton Exchange building on Water Street in Apalachicola will act as a wet room - a gallery where paintings are placed on display before they dry - for the newly created art.

Numerous demonstrations and other events will be open to the public throughout the 10 day period. To obtain more information, call 800-378-8419.

Flyers detailing the activities are available in shops across both counties and from the local chambers of commerce.

If you notice one of our visiting painters, don't be afraid to say hello. Take time to watch art happen right here in the Florida Panhandle.

En plein air

is a French expression which means "in the open air", and is particularly used to describe the act of painting outdoors.

Larry Moore

Larry Moore won't be in town for this year's Plein Air Paint-Out.

When he was invited to attend, he already had two other plein air events scheduled. His art, however, will be on display.

He was in Franklin County April 21 to May 2 to create a body of work to be displayed May 8 to 18 in this year's Plein Air wetroom.

"There's something about being here, as opposed to taking a picture and running back to the studio," said Moore. "You get more of a connection with the place when you get to meet the people and hear the birds."

Paint-out organizer Joe Taylor said, "We are thrilled to have Larry Moore participate this year."

Moore has achieved national recognition for his work. He has been awarded the highest national and international honors. To date, more than 30 pieces of art have been accepted into the Society of Illustrators in New York and Los Angeles. Recently, he was awarded the Society's most prestigious honor, a gold award. He has been the recipient of numerous other awards, as well including the Carmel Art Festival 2006 Artist Choice Award, Painting the Golden Isles Award of Excellence and Carmel Art festival 2005, Best of Show.

Moore, who says he is mostly self-taught, began his career as an illustrator. "This is more satisfying," he said. "but less lucrative."

When he was 9, his family first began to recognize his talent for drawing, painting and surfing. At age 14, Larry had already combined his passion for nature and surfing with his gift. He began airbrushing surfboards, vans and wall murals.

Now he says he travels a lot, participating in eight or nine plein air events a year. "When I am looking for something to paint, I just drive around until I see what I want," he said.

Last week he was painting on the waterfront in Eastpoint.

"I was born in a little coastal town, Cocoa Beach, that used to be quaint. Now it's condoville, which I am not very happy about. I remember from last year and this year it's on the list of places to paint," said Moore. "You can document the passing of the place. That's what we're to do. We're documenting a moment in time."

Diane Scott 

Diane Scott of Rockland, MA remembers one particular day of last year's Paint Out especially well.

"I had the most delightful morning talking to a guy who lived up in Coxes Landing," she said, in a telephone interview. "He kind of just pleases himself. He lives in an old tarpaper shack and has a chicken coop. He fishes sometimes and when he needs money, he sells fish.

"He told me he moved away for a couple of years one time, but it didn't take. He came back home and lived in a tent ‘till he finished first the chicken coop and then the shack. He said that when he finished the shack and got air conditioning, he knew he had all he'd ever need

"Hearing him say that sort of opened my eyes," Scott said. "What's not to like?"

Scott, who studied art in Canada, Great Britain and the US, has won numerous awards for her plein air paintings. She participated in last May's Plein Air Paint Out and will return to paint here again May 8 to 18.

"That was my first time at an invitational plein air," she said. "The Paint Out for me was a huge confidence builder. It was a seminal experience, a watershed in my career.

"All artists go through periods when they can't paint a lot. They know they have more in them, but don't know how to get it out," she said.

"Because I was on my own, I felt I had a clean slate. I could just paint the way I wanted to and nobody knew what to expect of me. This was my chance to just explore and be more expressive. I kind of took that with me when I left and went home," Scott said.

"I found the people here to be very hospitable," she said. "I'd be on the side of the road painting and people driving by would wave and honk and sometimes they'd come back later with a sausage biscuit or a cold drink. I've been painting in other places and had someone call the police because the legs of my easel were touching their lawn."

Plein Air Painters to Capture Moments in Time Across Forgotten Coast May 8-18

Artists will be painting scenes from Mexico Beach, Windmark, Port St. Joe, Cape San Blas, Apalachicola, Eastpoint, St. George Island, Carrabelle, and inland at Wewahitchka. Activities listed below are free and open to the public, unless otherwise noted. All times are Eastern, except for events scheduled in Mexico Beach, which is in the Central time zone.

Schedule of Events

Richard Bickel Studio, Apalachicola, 1-2 pm
May 13 Student Art Day, Lafayette Park, luncheon to follow at the Wefing-Knight House,  Apalachicola, 10-1 pm
May 13 Visions and Voices, Apalachicola Museum of Art, 7 pm
May 14 Art Tete-e-tete & Wine Tasting, Prickly Pears, Mexico Beach, 4-7 pm CENTRAL
May 15 Wine and Cheese Social, Sea Oats Gallery, St. George Island, 5-7 pm
May 16 Plein Air TGIF, relax Friday afternoon with a view, Gulf County TDC Welcome Center, Port St. Joe, 5:30-8:30 pm
May 17 The Grand Patron's Party, debut of artist's choice paintings, Historic Cotton Exchange, Apalachicola, $40 Ticket, $75 Couple, 6:30-10:30 pm
May 18 Art in the Afternoon, entertainment, children's art activities, Veteran's Park, Apalachicola, 11-5 pm

Artist Demonstrations

May 9

Reid Avenue Streetscapes, downtown Port St. Joe, 2-4 pm
May 10 Artsfest, WindMark Village Center, 2-4 pm
May 10 A Working Waterfront, Veteran's Park, Apalachicola, 9-11am & 2-4 pm
May 11 View of the Bay, That Place on 98, Eastpoint, 2-4 pm
May 14 Breathtaking Beach Vistas, City Pier, Mexico Beach, 2-4 pm CENTRAL
May 15 Reconstruction of the St. George Island Lighthouse, Franklin County TDC Visitor Center, St. George Island, 2-4 pm
May 17 Salt Air Farmer's Market, Port St. Joe, 9-11 am
May 17 New Urban Places, WindMark Village Center, 2-4 pm
May 17 A Working Waterfront, Veteran's Park, Apalachicola, 9-11 am & 2-4 pm
May 18 Art in the Afternoon, Veteran's Park, Apalachicola, 11 am-3 pm

May 9

Opening Reception, meet the artists, event organizers and patrons, WindMark Village Center, 6-8 pm
May 10  Artsfest, Celebrate the Arts, presentation of the St. Joe Collection, WindMark Village Center, 12-4 pm
May 10 Wetroom Reveal Gala, Historic Cotton Exchange, Apalachicola, $10 ticket required, 6-8 pm

May 12

May 9-18

 Watch Art Happen, artists paint throughout the region
May 10-18 Wetroom Exhibit, art viewing and sales, Historic Cotton Exchange, Apalachicola, daily 11-5 pm
May 10-17 St. Joe Collection, public plein air exhibition, Tower Gallery, WindMark Village Center, daily 12-5 pm
May 12-16 Plein Air Classics, an exhibit of private collection paintings, Gulf County TDC Welcome Center, daily 9-5 pm