Open Air Painters Featured in Presque Isle Exhibit/Art Walk Invite Public to Paint With Them

The Plein Air Painters of Maine will be the feature of a gallery exhibit at the University of Maine at Presque Isle's Reed Art Gallery and part of the First Friday Art Walk on May 6.

So, what is Plein Air painting, you ask?

Carol L. Douglas of Plein Air Painters of Maine says the term is a loan-phrase from French meaning open-air painting.  "The French have another term for this kind of work: sur le motif, or ‘on the ground,’ which implies painting what someone actually sees rather than a stylized, studio piece. I like the latter better, because it tells you something about what the artist strives for—to reproduce the lighting, scene and visual conditions of a time and place.”

Reed Art Gallery will feature "PAPME at UMPI" Monday, May 2 through Sunday, June 19, 2016.  The artists paint the Maine landscape and coastline under the open sky.

The Plein Air Painters of Maine is a statewide group founded by Corinne McIntyre, Roger Milinowski, Ron Parry and Monique Parry which has grown to six chapters with over 500 members statewide.

There will be a gallery reception on Friday, May 6 from 5-7 p.m. held in conjunction with the First Friday Art Walk. The event will include a gallery talk with several artists at 5:30 p.m.

The artists to be featured include Ed Buonvecchio, Ken Carlson, Carol Douglas, Michael Everett, Jane Frost, Sally Giddings Smith, Penny Markley, Corinne McIntyre, Candace McKellar, Kerrin Parkinson, Richard Reitz Smith, Felicity Sidwell, Gwen Sylvester, Michael E. Vermette, Luise van Keuren and Peter Yesis, and at least fourteen others.

The Plein Air Painters will also host a special Aroostook County Paint Out event on May 7 and 8 for  local artists, aspiring artists, students, and community members. Starting at 9 a.m. each day, artists will gather at the Reed Gallery and go to an Aroostook location to paint. There is no registration fee to take part and no experience is necessary. The general public is also invited to view artists on location for the paint out. The Reed Gallery Facebook Event Page will  provide ongoing details about the event.

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