This weekend, 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, the Japanese Garden and Carmel’s Central Park, with its 161 acres of green space.
More than three dozen artists from around the country and a few from around the world will be at the event, which is free to spectators, and continues today, Sept. 16, and Sunday, Sept. 17.
“Carmel on Canvas is a great way to bring many national and international artists to create works of art using the beautiful landscapes seen throughout our central district as their inspiration,” Mayor Jim Brainard said. “We are excited that we have our first international artists participating this year, as two painters from our sister city of Jelgava, Latvia have traveled to be part of this event. Our desire is to continue to grow this event to be the best plein air paint out in the country.”
Artists ranging from amateurs to professionals, including both teen and children’s divisions, will paint at a variety of locations for the plein air event all day 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 of 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 artist and art teacher Dan Danielson of Illinois. After a career as a creative director in advertising, Danielson began painting and teaching art full time. His award-winning work has been seen in many watercolor shows and businesses. He is a signature status member of the Transparent Watercolor Society of America, a teacher at the DuPage Art League and recently served as Awards Judge at the Illinois Watercolor Society Show.
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.
Sunday’s art fair will feature works created by Carmel on Canvas artists from noon to 4 p.m. It will be set up along the Monon Greenway during the popular PorchFest event at 2nd Avenue NW between Main Street and 1st Street NW.
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 Arts & Design District businesses for offering Purchase Awards:
- All Things Carmel: $500
- The Carrie Holle Group: $400
- Indiana Design Center: $300
Click here for the schedule of events. All events are open to the public.
Artists register and paint throughout the day in the Carmel Arts & Design District, Midtown, Carmel City Center, the Japanese Gardens and Carmel Central Park. The public is encouraged to watch the artists create their work.
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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.