MENDOCINO CO., 9/16/24 – “Five days of concentrated painting” is what brought Karen Schmidt of Seattle to Mendocino this week. The Mendocino Art Center’s Open Paint Out started Monday and will continue through Saturday.
Founded by local artists John Hewitt and Dale Moyer in 2013, the Open Paint Out is a plein air festival – a style of outdoor landscape painting popularized in the 19th century by the French impressionists. This year nearly 50 professional and amateur artists signed up to spend the week trying to capture the light along the Mendocino Coast. Finished works, some of it still wet, are displayed in the Art Center’s galleries each evening.
Many are first-timers. Kent Augason’s family has been in Albion since 1905. “[Former Mendocino gallery owner] Kevin Milligan taught me how to paint,” says Augason, “but I’ve never tried the Paint Out.” He hopes to finish one or two paintings before the week is up.
The new work can be seen (and purchased) during extended hours at the Art Center, from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday.
The event includes evening demonstration workshops by featured artists Ryan Jenson, Paul Rickard, and Ryan Grossman, who will also serve as jurors for awards to be given out at the end of the week.
On Saturday, the artists will participate in a quick draw contest at a surprise location. The public is invited to join in voting for the contest prizes at the Art Center from 2-4 p.m. The juried and quick draw awards will be presented at 5 p.m, during a happy hour with live music and hors d’oeuvres from Auntie Manna’s and Good Bones Kitchen.
In the meantime, expect to see artists dotting the landscape all over town.
For more information visit http://mendocinoartcenter.org/mopo.