Watch art created before your very eyes at the annual Carmel on Canvas Plein Air event – an open-air painting exhibition and competition on the sidewalks throughout the Carmel Arts & Design District, Midtown, Carmel City Center, City Hall, and Carmel’s Central Park with its 161 acres of green space.
More than three dozen artists from around the country will be at the event, which is free to spectators, and runs Friday and Saturday, Sept. 13 and 14.
“Our central districts are the perfect inspiration for the local, national and international Carmel on Canvas artists,” Carmel Mayor Sue Finkam said. “This event really celebrates the city’s architectural and natural beauty through the tradition of painting en plein air (outdoors).”
Artists ranging from professionals to amateurs, including both teen and children’s divisions, will paint at a variety of locations for the plein air event all day Friday and Saturday. Artists can register for the Plein Air Paint Out at the Indiana Design Center, 200 S. Range Line Road, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday. The public is invited to come and watch the painters set up their easels and paint their chosen subjects. The artists’ works will be for sale, so you could negotiate a price before the paint is even dried.
A quick paint event will take place for registered artists on Saturday at the Carmel Farmers Market, 2 Carter Green, where winning paintings will be determined by a community vote by market visitors. The winning artists will take home a $300 first-place prize, a $200 second-place award, and a $100 third-place spot, as well as the $50 child merit award.
Also on Saturday, children are able to paint at the Kids Zones from noon to 3 p.m., with two locations in the Arts & Design District, including Magdalena Gallery of Art, 27 E. Main St., and Carmel Arts Council’s Children’s Art Gallery, 40 W. Main St.
The plein air artworks created on Friday and Saturday will be judged by award-winning artist Kathleen Newman. After her studies at the American Academy of Art, Newman began an illustration and design business, Queen of Arts Studios, Inc. and then turned to painting full time. Native to the Chicago area, Newman earned signature status in the Pastel Society of America, American Society of Marine Artists and American Transparent Watercolor Society and is a member of the historic Palette & Chisel Academy of Fine Arts, Chicago Pastel Painters, Coast Guard Artists, American Impressionist Society, and Oil Painters of America.
The Plein Air Reception and public viewing takes place at 5 p.m. on Saturday where the paintings will be available for viewing and for sale before the judging at 6 p.m. Artist awards include a $3,000 grand prize, $2,000 for second place, $1,500 for third, and $1,000 for fourth. Award winners will be announced on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. at the judging tent at Midtown Plaza, 365 Monon Blvd.
Carmel on Canvas artists also have the opportunity to compete for Purchase Awards by painting the sponsoring establishment and winning the listed monetary prize. Those winners will also be chosen on Saturday night.
Thank you to the following Carmel businesses for offering Purchase Awards:
- Goodness Gracious Kitchen & Cupboard: $300
- Hotel Carmichael: $300
- Indiana Design Center: $300
Click here for the schedule of events. All events are open to the public.
Public parking is available in the Carmel Lions Club lot (141 E. Main St.), Sophia Square parking garage (entrance off of 1st Avenue NW), Indiana Design Center parking garage (200 S. Range Line Road), or available on-street public parking. Click here to download the public parking map.