A handful of local artists took part in Campbell River’s first annual Paint Out event at Sybil Andrews’ Cottage in Willow Point last weekend.
The event was just one of dozens that took place around the world for the International Plein Air Painters Organization (IPAP)’s 17th Great World Wide Artist Paint Out.
Local artist Nanci Cook found out about the event years ago and had been organizing one on Quadra Island for more than a dozen years. When she moved to Campbell River, she opted to create another event on this side of Discovery Passage.
“It’s a nice way to bring people together,” she said. “You never know who’s going to come.”
Plein air painting involves artists taking their easels outside and working in the landscape they’re creating. French Impressionist painter Claude Monet and Canada’s Group of Seven were big proponents of plein air painting.
“You get out in the fresh air (and) enjoy our beautiful places,” said Cook.
For a lot of the artists, the event was an opportunity to be social with their peers.
They worked in the garden behind Andrews’ cottage and along the beach.
Cook said the event is also about introducing the community to painting and it’s working. She said plein air painting has become more popular since events sprouted up across the world.
While it’s much more common to see artists and their easels outside in Europe, Canada has a lot of outdoor painting opportunities.
There will be another chance to catch plein air painters in action locally.
On Sept. 21 at the seawalk near FoggDukers, artists will be outside from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weather permitting. The event is part of the 50th Parallel: Art+Earth Festival.
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