Watch art created before your very eyes at the fourth annual Carmel on Canvas plein air event – an open-air painting exhibition and competition on the sidewalks throughout the Carmel Arts & Design District. The event, which is free to spectators, runs Friday to Sunday, Sept. 15 to 17.
The fourth annual Carmel on Canvas plein air event in the Carmel Arts & Design District runs today through Sunday. (Photo provided)
“We are excited to welcome back artists, local and regional, to Carmel on Canvas. This is a great event for our community, especially for families with small children who we hope become inspired to create their own art,” said Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard.
Artists ranging from professionals to amateurs, including a teen division, will be painting at a variety of locations for the plein air event all day Friday and Saturday. The public is invited to come to the district and watch the painters set up their easels and paint their chosen subjects. The artists’ works are for sale, so you could negotiate a price before the paint is even dried!
There will also be two quick paints, one on Saturday at the Carmel Farmers Market (5 Center Green) and one on Sunday on the southwest corner of Main Street and the Monon Greenway. Saturday is also the day for children to paint at the Kids Zone from noon to 3 p.m., with two locations in The 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, along with the quick paint event on Sunday, will be judged by Shaun Thomas Dingwerth, who serves as the Executive Director of the Richmond Art Museum in Richmond, Ind. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from Indiana University, Bloomington. He has also had articles published in national art magazines including Plein Air Magazine and Fine Art Connoisseur.
The plein air main event judging takes place at 6 p.m. Saturday with artists vying for prizes that include a $5,000 grand prize, $2,000 for second place, $1,500 for third and $1,000 for fourth. Award winners will be announced at 7 p.m. on Saturday along Artists Lane (also known as 2nd Avenue NW) between Scotty’s Brewhouse and the Monon Greenway. The paintings will also be available for viewing and for sale after the awards are presented.
The quick paint event on Saturday morning at the Carmel Farmers Market will be judged as a “Community Choice,” with market visitors deciding which work will take home the $300 first place prize, the $200 second place award and the $100 third place spot. The Sunday quick paint event takes place in the Carmel Arts & Design District, with monetary prizes the same as the Saturday quick paint. Sunday’s event will be followed by an art fair from 2 to 6 p.m., featuring works created by Carmel on Canvas artists.
Artists are able to register beginning at 8:30 a.m. Friday at Hoosier Salon (22 Range Line Road) and Saturday morning at Carmel Farmers Market.
Carmel on Canvas artists also have the opportunity to compete for Purchase Awards by painting the sponsoring business’s 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:
Indiana Design Center – $500
Muldoon’s – $300
Bub’s Burgers & Ice Cream – $250
Thank you to our sponsors:
Patrons – City of Carmel, Hoosier Salon, RPM Technologies, LLC, Visit Hamilton County
Enthusiasts – All Things Carmel, Chapman-Osborne Legacy Realtors, Greek’s Pizzeria, Magdalena Gallery of Art, Muldoon’s, The Pint Room
Kids Zone – Magdalena Gallery of Arts
The following is a schedule of events. All events are open to the public.
Friday, Sept. 16
- 8:30 a.m. – All Day Plein Air Paint Begins: Registration & Check-in at Hoosier Salon (22 Range Line Road).Artists register and paint throughout the day in the District. Public is encouraged to watch the artists create their work. Musicians will be playing throughout the District.
Saturday, Sept. 17
- 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. All Day Plein Air Paint Continues: Artists register and paint throughout the day in the District. Public is encouraged to watch the artists create their work. Musicians will be playing throughout the District.
- 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. – Quick Paint 1 at the Carmel Farmers Market (5 Center Green)
- 10:30 to 11 a.m. – Quick Paint 1 “Community Choice” judging, awards to follow
- 4 to 5 p.m. – Plein air paintings turned in by artists to Artists’ Lane tent (2nd Avenue NW)
- 6 p.m. – All day plein air reception/judging
- 7 p.m. – All day plein air awards; Artists works displayed for viewing and sale
- 8 to 9 p.m. – Public Viewing; Artists works displayed for viewing and sale
Sunday, Sept. 18
- 10 to 11 a.m. – Quick Paint 2 day-of registration & check-in at Hoosier Salon
- 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – Quick Paint 2 Carmel Arts & Design District
- 1 p.m. – Quick Paint 2 Judging, Awards to follow
- 2 to 6 p.m. – Art Fair in the District (Artists’ Lane – Main Street & 2nd Avenue NW)
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.