Cathleen Huffman enjoys painting outdoors, though it has challenges, she says.
Submitted photo
GREENFIELD – Art enthusiasts in Hancock County are extending an invitation to enjoy the great outdoors and capture it on canvas.
The Hancock County Arts Council is hosting its third annual Plein Air Art Paint-out from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 3, where artists can gather in downtown Greenfield to check in but go anywhere their hearts desire to paint a scene. Participants are then asked to return to the courthouse lawn by 1:30 p.m. for a free lunch and judging by a curator from the Indianapolis Museum of Art. Cash prizes will be awarded.
Registration is open now for the event, which opens up festivities for the annual Will Vawter Juried Exhibit. It’s a way to bring the community together, encourage camaraderie and help artists of all ages to try something new.
Organizer Alice Hedden said it’s an opportunity for artists to paint quickly and practice outdoor focus and light.
“It’s more exciting trying to catch that light, painting from life,” she said.
Plein air painting, the act of painting outdoors, has ties to Greenfield through artist Will Vawter. Originally from West Virginia, Vawter moved to Greenfield as a child and was an illustrator for many of James Whitcomb Riley’s poems. He also painted landscapes, typically working outside through plein air painting, which was popular with Indiana artists at the time; Vawter joined an artists’ colony in Brown County.
The arts council’s annual Will Vawter Juried Exhibit pays homage to the artist. Those who want to enter artwork for the exhibit can do so on the same day as the Plein Air Paint-out, and a reception will be June 9.
And if you really want to be inspired by Vawter, try painting near his statue: Hedden said artists head to Depot Street Park to paint, which is also home to a statue of Vawter himself painting en plein air. Other popular spots include Riley Park, downtown Greenfield and countryside landscapes.
Local artist Cathleen Huffman belongs to a club of Indiana artists that paint outdoors and enjoys traveling around the state, but says there’s something special about painting in her home community.
“After you paint something you never look at it the same because you’ve studied it and figured out how to turn it into a painting and you have an intimate knowledge of all the details of the building,” she said, adding that painting under a time constraint outdoors is also quite challenging. “The light changes really quickly, so it’s kind of like painting a moving target; you have to either memorize it or make a good sketch ahead of time.”
The weather, bugs that fly around and the people that stop by to chat all add to the memories of the painting experience, Huffman said, making each plein air piece carry its own story and emotions with the artist.
“The plein air work is about gathering information and you’re the one who experienced all of that and it’s the memories of the whole experience that was yours,” she said. “It does have a certain freshness, maybe because of the speed you have to work and you have to decide what’s important.”
Huffman said the event Saturday is a good opportunity to learn more about painting, build camaraderie with fellow artists and even for children to try something new.
Artists should bring their own supplies; entry cost is free for children 12 and under; $10 for ages 13 to 18 and $10 for adults. One winner for each age group will be announced, awarding $25 to a child, $50 to a teen and $100 to an adult. Leo’s Market and Eatery will provide lunch at the event, and will also purchase one of the pieces for display.
To sign up or for more information, visit hancockcountyarts.org.
