PORT ANGELES — Thirty-five paintings made by community members young and old are on display at The Landing mall in the Port Angeles Fine Arts Center’s Paint the Peninsula program.
The event, now in its second year, encouraged people to go out and paint the beauty around them on the North Olympic Peninsula, even if they had no experience.
Artwork submitted for the Community Paint Out competition was hung at The Landing mall, 115 E. Railroad Ave., on Friday and will be displayed through Sept. 14.
In addition to the community painting contest, Paint the Peninsula will feature artist demonstrations, exhibits, an open air festival, an art bike crawl and a juried competition of 31 professional painters.
“It’s a pretty rich program,” said Robin Anderson, executive director of the Port Angeles Fine Arts Center.
“We have a lot of things going on.”
The theme of Paint the Peninsula is “en plein air,” a French expression that means “in the open air.” The outdoor painting style was at the center of the impressionist movement of the late 19th century.
The Port Angeles-based Green Crow timber company is sponsoring the community program that will give painters more than $700 in awards.
An awards reception for the Community Paint Out is scheduled for 2 p.m. Sept. 14 at The Landing mall.
“It’s all going to be people’s choice,” Anderson said.
“When people come to see the show, there will be ballots out, and they can vote and pick their favorite.
“It’s a community-driven program.”
Professional painters
Overlapping but separate from the Community Paint Out is a juried competition of 31 professional painters from across the nation and British Columbia.
They will disperse to paint outdoors from Sequim to Cape Flattery to the Hoh Rain Forest from Sept. 8-14.
“Their awards will be on Sept. 14, too, but they’ll be up at the fine arts center,” Anderson said.
The Port Angeles Fine Arts Center is at 1203 E. Lauridsen Blvd.
“We’re keeping the gallery open every night that week until 8 o’clock, so the public will have plenty of time to view paintings every day,” Anderson said.
Plein air works in the professional competition, which is supported by a grant by D.A. Davidson, will be judged by artist Jim Lamb on Sept. 13.
“When these artists come, they have their own followings because they’re nationally known artists,” Anderson said.
“And there are collectors who will come to town following these artists. So it really is great for helping to bring more people into town.”
Monetary awards will be given for best of show, as well as first, second and third place and artists’ choice.
“It’s where you live, and here’s people painting paintings of your backyard,” Anderson said.
“And now you can take it home.”
Plein air paintings tend to be made on a small canvas because the artist has little time to “capture the moment” with the perfect lighting in the outdoors, Anderson explained.
Smaller paintings also mean they are more affordable, she added.
Live demonstrations planned
Artists plan live demonstrations of their work in September.
Artist demonstrations will be from noon to 2 p.m. Sept. 10 at Necessities and Temptations gift shop, Cafe New Day, Renaissance and the Conrad Dyar Memorial Fountain in Port Angeles and Sunny Farms country store near Sequim.
Additional demonstrations are scheduled from 10 a.m. to noon Sept. 13 at the Port Angeles Farmers Market, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sept. 14 at Camaraderie Cellars and from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Port Angeles Fine Arts Center.
“The other big community piece is an open-air festival,” Anderson said.
The Green Crow-sponsored Open Air Festival will be from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 14 at Webster’s Woods Art Park at the fine arts center.
“People can come see the final paintings,” Anderson said.
Mural painting, face painting and a food vendor will be at the festival.
“It’s just a nice day to get out and look at the paintings and hang out with your family,” Anderson said.
Bike crawl
New to the event this year is an art bike crawl Sept. 14.
The bike crawl, which will begin at Peninsula College at 8 a.m., will include wine tasting at Camaraderie Cellars and stops at the Lower Elwha Klallam Heritage Center, sculptures at Port Angeles City Pier and the community plein air exhibit at The Landing mall.
Anderson is predicting a big turnout for this year’s Paint the Peninsula and hopes it eventually will become a large regional event like the Dungeness Crab & Seafood Festival.
“We just want to keep building activities around the plein air competition, like the bike crawl, the community contest and different things,” Anderson said.
For more information on Paint the Peninsula or the Port Angeles Fine Arts Center, visit www.pafac.org.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5072, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
