Gig Harbor Plein Air Show Opens Oct. 6

Members of Peninsula Art League will present an exhibition of paintings they have done en plein air during this summer’s outdoor painting season. The show will take place at The Lodge at Mallard’s Landing in Gig Harbor, starting Oct. 6.

“Plein air means painting that is done out-of-doors ‘from life,” said Anne Knapp, the show’s curator and chair of PAL’s plein air group. The show will feature both landscape and figurative works. PAL’s plein air group and also its ‘Drawing You In’ figurative group meet weekly during the summer months. The plein air group paints at different location each week; the Drawing You In group meets at Uptown Gig Harbor to paint costumed models.

Members of the Gig Harbor Arts Commission will serve as jurors for the show; several cash prizes will be awarded at a wine and cheese reception Oct. 6 at 3 p.m. A “People’s Choice” winner will be announced Oct. 13.

A special kids’ activity called Kids Find Art will take place during the opening weekend, according to Knapp.

“We’ll have little worksheets for kids to fill out with questions about each painting,“ she said. “The questions will be multiple choice and they’ll be easy to answer by just looking at the paintings.”

Parents and grandparents are encouraged to bring youngsters to the art show to enjoy the artwork play the 'Find Art' game.

“The worksheets will be gathered up Sunday evening and there will be a drawing from the correct entries for prizes. There will be three prizes awarded: a basket of art supplies and kid’s art apron, a complete collage kit and third prize that we’re still putting together,” Knapp said. “These awards will also be presented on Saturday Oct. 13 at 3 p.m., when the People’s Choice winner is announced.”

The plein air show runs through Oct. 31. The Lodge at Mallards Landing is located at 7083 Wagner Way in Gig Harbor. Call 253-235-3552 for directions.

For information or additional photos contact Anne Knapp at annemknapp@gmail.com.