Show Preview | Plein Air & More Festival

Jeffrey Hull, Before the Breeze, watercolor, 16 x 23.

Jeffrey Hull, Before the Breeze, watercolor, 16 x 23.

Cannon Beach, OR
Various locations, June 28-30

This story was featured in the June 2013 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Order the Southwest Art June 2013 print issue, or get the Southwest Art June 2013 digital download now…Or better yet, just subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss a story!

This month the artists, galleries, and community members of Cannon Beach celebrate the natural splendor of their picturesque town on the Oregon coast at the fifth annual Plein Air & More Festival. The Cannon Beach Gallery Group puts on the event, which features nearly 50 artists represented by a dozen of Cannon Beach’s art galleries. “It’s a wonderful way to bring art out of the galleries and into the community,” says Kim Barnett, vice president of the Cannon Beach Gallery Group and owner of Bronze Coast Gallery.

Michael Orwick, Misty Morning Memory, oil, 36 x 48.

Michael Orwick, Misty Morning Memory, oil, 36 x 48.

The three-day event kicks off Friday evening, June 28, with a “meet and greet” with the artists and gallery owners, as well as a collaborative show of artwork at the Cannon Beach Chamber Building. On Saturday and Sunday artists create works en plein air throughout the town and on the beach, and individual galleries display the finished works and host receptions for the artists.

Many participating artists create works in the traditional method of plein-air painting; however, the event also features artists working in bronze, metal, glass, woodcarving, and photography, who bring their tools and work outdoors for the weekend. “The ‘and more’ part of our name is really what makes this event different,” Barnett says.

An excellent example of the “and more” aspect is a collaborative project that’s on display over the weekend at DragonFire Gallery. The project features three artists in three different media—Michael Orwick in oils, Ann Cavanaugh in fused glass, and Arnie Chupp in metalwork and fabrication—who have combined their individual works to create three cohesive multimedia pieces. The goal of the project is to offer insight into how different perspectives and mediums can be used to explore a single idea or concept.

“We’re showcasing these artists to the broader community that may not have been involved in the art scene before, so there’s an educational aspect to the event, too,” Barnett explains. “And I can’t imagine a better backdrop for an event like this than Cannon Beach,” he says, adding, “It really is just a stunning place.” —Lindsay Mitchell

contact information
www.cbgallerygroup.com

Featured in the June 2013 issue of Southwest Art magazine–click below to purchase:
Southwest Art June 2013 digital download
Southwest Art June 2013 print issue
Or subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss a story!


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