Mark August 9, 10 and 11 on the calendar so as not to miss the annual Vermont Plein Air Festival in the Mad River Valley. The popular summer event brings artists of all abilities to paint the beauty of the area. Mad River Valley Arts and the Valley Artists Guild are combining energies to produce the 2024 Festival.
The plein air movement (painting outdoors) is the largest art movement in the world since the impressionists started painting outdoors in the late 1800s. Twenty-five years ago there were a mere handful of plein air events in the United States; however, today one can find hundreds of plein air festivals ranging from a day to a month in length.
While the vast majority of plein air festivals are competitive, the Vermont Plein Air Festival is non-competitive and open to any artist, amateur or professional, working in any medium. A special Junior Plein Air Festival for children is planned -- all the painting supplies are provided and there is no entry fee.
The three-day event is a great opportunity to see art being created, to talk with the artists or to make a purchase at the annual sidewalk art sale taking place each day on Bridge Street in Waitsfield.
Information and artist registration at www.madrivervalleyarts.org , www.madrivervalleyarts.org/pleinair or www.valleyartistsguild.org
