Door County Plein Air Festival

I looked forward to the Door County Plein Air Festival for a long time. For me, the festival kicked off a week early, as Dan Corey came out to stay and paint. While he was in town he taught a well receive and attended workshop at my home space, the Chicken Coop studio. He covered everything, from ideas for studies that students could explore to more advanced concepts of composition and personal vision. All the while he stressed the power and importance of the abstract. Dan is very straightforward as a teacher which is refreshing. and I took in as much info as I could. I got 15 pages of notes, just off the first demo.

After the workshop, it was time to head up to Door County. The Peninsula School of Art has created and nurtured this event to the current state of it being the premiere event for outdoor painting. Year after year, they bring in a fresh group of the best painters and put them in position to be successful. During the festival, there are several opportunities to paint in specific areas. The staff at the school hands out maps with a list of "who's going to be where" to collectors and those interested to see a dozen or so painters all in a relatively small area. This is a nice touch, as it connects the painters with the collectors and general public.

There are several reasons why the Door County Plein Air Festival is the best event. The Peninsula School promotes the event very well, advertising in several publications and releases a large guide book each year. The organization is well thought out, planning for this event is no small task. The volume of collectors is large and the quality of artists is high. All these reasons aside, it's the staff at the school who makes this week special. Cathy, Kay, Karen, Martha, Tori, Lindsay, and who can forget Trevor, this one's for you! Thanks for building such an inviting and successful event year after year.

Gills Rock Harbor 8x12". I enjoyed painting this working fishing harbor the most of all during the Door County Plein Air Festival.

Girl 10x8". This was painted during the sunset paintout in Sister Bay, on Wednesday night. The evening was just perfect, sparkling light on the water followed by a celebration with wine, crab cakes, and a jazz quartet playing some of my favorite blue note numbers. Jenny Anderson, Dan, and I had a great time listening to the band and drinking Spotted Cow that night!

A piece from the Gills Rock Harbor. 14x18"

Fish Creek 14x18"

Trap Net Boat 16x20".