Show Preview | Plein Air & More

Cannon Beach, OR
Various locations, June 22-24

Hazel Schlesinger, Haystack Rock in Plein Air, oil, 8 x 10.

Hazel Schlesinger, Haystack Rock in Plein Air, oil, 8 x 10.

This story was featured in the June 2018 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Get the Southwest Art June 2018 print issue or digital download now–then subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss another story.

When thinking of the phrase en plein air, one often envisions traveling painters setting up their easels in meadows or along coastlines. But the call of the outdoors touches more artists than just painters. That’s why Plein Air & More, an annual art festival hosted by the Cannon Beach Gallery Group, includes a diverse group of artists and mediums. The 10th annual weekend-long event begins on Friday, June 22, when galleries open their doors for artists’ receptions.

Bonnie Gilchrist, marketing director for the gallery group, says the event was born out of a desire to show the wide range of artwork available in Cannon Beach. “We loved the idea of a plein-air event, but there are so many galleries here that don’t represent painters at all,” she says. The main draw of the weekend is the opportunity to observe artists as they work in locations across the town. Nearly 50 artists set up their workstations in areas including Whale Park and along Ocean Avenue. Then, on Saturday at 2 p.m., all artists gather in the center of town for the Artists’ Swarm. “We wanted everyone to be able to see all of the artists in one place, instead of continually trying to track them down,” Gilchrist says. “The energy is really fun, and the demonstrations are spectacular.”

Participating artists work in a variety of painting mediums as well as clay, stone, metal, wood, ceramics, jewelry, and glass. At 6 p.m. on Saturday night, Dave and Boni Deal perform their annual raku firing. The husband-and-wife team has worked in raku for more than 30 years and has always presented the demonstration on the beach at sunset. “They pull a pot out of the kiln and put it into a garbage can filled with straw,” Gilchrist says. “The flames go up high and after a few minutes, they pull out a perfectly finished pot. Everyone’s just in awe.”

Landscape artists Michael Orwick and Anton Pavlenko also return with their Dueling Easels event on Sunday. During the event, the two artists switch between each other’s canvases until the pieces are finished. “What they do individually is outstanding, but what they do together is even better,”
Gilchrist says. —Mackenzie McCreary

contact information
www.cbgallerygroup.com

This story was featured in the June 2018 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Get the Southwest Art June 2018 print issue or digital download now–then subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss another story.

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