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This July artists from the Plein Air–Easton! National Competition will be doing more of what they do best: creating beautiful artwork of local landscapes during a series of both public and private paint-outs. The resulting paintings will be available for sale at the Academy Art Museum during Plein Air–Easton! as replacement paintings in the Competition Exhibit at the Academy Art Museum, July 22-24.
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A new partnership between the Avalon Foundation and the Queen Anne's County Arts Council ings the first ever Plein Air–Easton! paint-out in Queen Anne's County. Nationally acclaimed painters who have arrived early for the Plein Air–Easton! Festival will paint on Saturday, July 16 at the Chesapeake Exploration Center and Piney Narrows Yacht Haven in Chester, Maryland.
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“The week of the competition, restricts painting to Talbot County, thus many Plein Air-Easton! artists have never painted or even experienced neighboring communities, and many of our neighbors do not know about our festival,” says Al Bond, executive director of the Avalon Foundation, which presents Plein Air–Easton! “Plein air paintings are particularly evocative of a sense of place and the emotional feeling at the moment of creation. This paint-out is a great opportunity for both artists and collectors in Queen Anne's County to see some of the nation's finest plein air painters in action.”
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Painters will have a bounty of scenery to choose from. The Chesapeake Exploration Center is home to the Queen Anne's County visitor center and is located next to Ferry Point Park. The park is situated on 41 acres of tidal wetlands, non-tidal wetlands and uplands. Surrounded by three bodies of water—Chester River, Kent Narrows, and Piney Creek—the park's scenic views are magnificent. Wildlife abounds, and one might see herons, ospreys, eagles, waterfowl, muskrat, turtles, bullfrogs, and deer. The center's grounds are home to the Anna McGarvey, an accurately restored skipjack, highlighting the heritage of the State Boat.
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Piney Narrows Yacht Haven is a first class, year round, recreational yachting facility with 278 open & covered slips accommodating boats up to 60' length. Much of the popularity of Piney Narrows as a marina can be attributed to its unique location at Kent Narrows, often referred to as the “Hub of the Chesapeake,” making the facility an ideal location for maritime painters.
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Of this new collaboration Darcey Schoeninger, executive director of the Queen Anne's County Arts Council notes, “Working with the Avalon Foundation to expand artistic opportunities in our county is a perfect match. We admire the success of this festival and are honored to be involved.”
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On Thursday, July 14, artists will also paint at the Inn at Perry Cabin in St. Michaels. The Inn at Perry Cabin is a five-star accommodation operated by Orient Express. It was the location where the movie The Wedding Crashers. This charming manor house resort and spa sits in gardens that reach to the waters of the beautiful Miles River. Artists may paint all day and will exhibit from 5-7pm.
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Plein Air–Easton! Pre-Festival Paint-Outs
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The Inn at Perry Cabin, St. Michaels MD
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Thursday, July 14, 7am-7pm (Exhibit 5-7pm)
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QUEEN ANNE'S COUNTY PAINT-OUTS
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In partnership with the Queen Anne's County Arts Council
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Chesapeake Exploration Center at Kent Narrows
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Piney Narrows Yacht Haven
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Saturday, July 16 8am-12noon
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PRIVATE PAINT-OUTS
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Private events will be hosted by the Plein Air Painters of the Eastern Shore and the Garden Club of the Eastern Shore. A private, members only paint-out will be held at the Tred Avon Yacht Club.
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The 7th Annual Plein Air–Easton! Competition & Arts Festival takes place July 18-24, 2011. Plein Air–Easton! is the work of the Avalon Foundation, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide diversified arts and educational programs that improve the quality of life in the Mid-Shore region. The event is one of the most successful plein air events in the nation. During the week, 58 juried artists produce work in Talbot County and submit two competition paintings. More than $20,000 in prizes is awarded and art sales frequently exceed one per minute during the opening Collectors' Preview Party (July 22). The Academy Art Museum is the accredited museum venue for the competition exhibit. The event is supported by various corporate, media, and community sponsors, including the Talbot County Arts Council and Friends of Plein Air–Easton!
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For complete details, visit www.pleinaireaston.com or phone the Plein Air–Easton! hotline at 410.822.7297.
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