During the weekend of July 11–13, artists will take to the streets of Historic Ellicott City to participate in Paint It! Ellicott City, a plein air painting event. En plein air, meaning “in the open air,” refers to the technique of painting outdoors, directly from life, without the aid of photography. Groups of plein air artists often gather within stated boundaries of a scenic area for what is called a “paint-out.” The Howard County Arts Council (HCAC), Howard County Tourism, and Howard County Public Schools are presenting this paint-out weekend culminating in an exhibit of 30 juried artists at the Howard County Center for the Arts.
The weekend begins with an artist & VIP welcome reception at the Howard County Welcome Center on Thursday, July 10 from 6–7:30pm. At 6:45pm Paint It! juror Michael Bare, a Baltimore-area landscape painter, will give a presentation on plein air painting. Then, all day on July 11–13, artists will set up their easels throughout the Ellicott City historic district to paint the picturesque mill town. Members of the public are encouraged to come watch the artists in action while strolling Main Street’s sidewalks and shops. On the 13th, as part of the Second Sunday Market, Mat About You Gallery will host the Market Preview from 10am-2pm, where visitors can view and purchase some of the artists’ work. Registered artists and art students from the community can also join in the fun, painting alongside the juried artists as “Open Paint-Out” participants.
Artists and visitors are invited to attend a free opening reception at the Howard County Center for the Arts on Monday, July 14 from 6-8pm. The juried artists will be featured in HCAC’s Gallery I through August 22; Open Paint-Out artists’ work will be displayed in the Center’s lobby on reception night, then moved to an exhibit at the Howard County Welcome Center in Ellicott City for the remainder of the summer. During the reception on July 14, the juror will hand out awards to the artists, including the Gino Awards, two $1,000 awards named in honor of Ellicott City artist Gino Manelli (1915–2010). The artwork will be available for purchase.
Find out what's happening in Ellicott Cityfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Registration is required for those wishing to be included in the Open Paint-Out exhibits. Registration forms are available at the Arts Council, the Howard County Welcome Center, and online on the ‘Exhibits’ page at www.hocoarts.org before or during the event.
Paint It! Ellicott City will be on display with Overtones: Tales Told Through the Eyes of Peruvian Children, featuring photographs of family life in Peruvian settlements taken by the children who live there. Both exhibits run from July 14 to August 22, 2014. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday 10am – 8pm, Saturday 10am – 4pm, and Sunday 12 – 4pm. To learn more about these and other HCAC programs call 410-313-ARTS (2787).
