The Port Angeles Fine Arts Center is hosting a “Paint the Peninsula” competition this week. Twenty six plein air artists (literally, “in the open air”) have come to town to paint and compete as they create artistic expressions of the great outdoors of the Olympic Peninsula. They came to the Dungeness Recreation Area yesterday and I visited with five of them as they worked. I’ll introduce you to the five I met, along with their work, in the coming days.
I met Jane Wallis, above, first. She has come to the competition from Poulsbo which is about an hour from Sequim. She works in oils, pastels, and watercolor.
Jane did a pen and ink sketch of her intended work before she pulled out the paint.
Here’s a closer look at her canvas. All the artists I met worked on a small scale. They bring paint and canvases for nearly a week’s work so size matters. The artists’ works are hung after they’re produced each day and are on sale at the Fine Arts Center.
Here is my camera’s perspective of Jane’s view. I arrived mid-afternoon and missed the sun all the artists enjoyed earlier in the day.
Your artist has such a happy face!! Plein Air art activities are so much fun and interesting to watch. The artists are awesome. Your gallery of different artistic impressions is wonderful, and I applaud your plein air photography!
Love Jane’s smile and her work, too. What a wonderful event. Are you also painting?
BTW, I knew a girl in school named Rose and had a reddish face as well as large hips. Can you blame me for being confused about rose hips? Hmmm?
I like her style!
Being able to watch an artist at work is such a privilege!
We have a plein air competition each summer here too. Love to go and watch.
What beautiful art Jane has created from an already beautiful setting!
This sounds like a lot of fun for both the painters and the spectators. Hope you’ll go back to show us the winner!
I admire the spirit of these artists. I’m not good at doing anything while being watched. BUT I do love to watch other people. lol