Salem County Art League to hold en Plein Air Painting Contest tomorrow in Woodstown
Tomorrow is a big day for members of the Salem County Art League. In collaboration with the Borough of Woodstown, Farmers & Bankers brewery, Squirrels Nest Art Studio, and Woodstown Library, a special plein air painting contest has been organized for historic Woodstown. Artists will sign in to begin painting at 8 am and the finished, framed paintings will be turned in by 3 pm for judging.
Winners will be awarded cash prizes. General awards include a 1st place prize of $300, 2nd – $200, 3rd – $100, and $50 for honorable mention. Up to 20 selected juried artists will be competing for the Special Award: a minimum of $500, to be determined.
While registration for participation in the contest closed July 1, area residents are invited to attend the reception and announcement of the winners at 4 pm at Farmers and Bankers Brewery. Woodstown residents may catch the artists in the creative act at various locations about town throughout the day.
Owners of historic properties in the borough were notified ahead of time of the activities. The architecture of Woodstown will make for a great subject matter for the artists, as it boasts many beautiful period homes and landmarks. Selected artworks painted during the event may be displayed at the Squirrel’s Nest on their gallery wall for sale after the event until the 15th of August.
En Plein Air–The Act of Painting Outdoors
Painting en plein air simply means painting outside rather than in the studio. Artists bring their easel, painting boxes, and chairs out to the subjects they paint. It is a great exercise for quickly generating an impression of the scene and not agonizing over the details as one may do in the comfort of being indoors. The scene and shadows will change throughout the day, and in this case there is a deadline, so there is no time to agonize! Many artists choose to work in watercolor or acrylic for this type of painting, and forgo the long drying times of oil.
The Salem County Art League (SCAL) organizes several plein air painting events throughout the year. Recent outings have included Field and Flock Lavender Farm in Pilesgrove and Fort Mott State Park in Pennsville, featured in the gallery below. Art works from the Fort Mott event will be on display Saturday, Oct. 10th @ 10:00-4:00pm Fort Mott Park Exhibition – 454 Fort Mott Rd. Pennsville, NJ.
The next plein air event after this Saturday’s Paint Woodstown contest is Saturday, Aug. 1st @ 2:00-5:00pm at Dog & Ram Distillery – 19 Seabrook Rd. Mannington Township, NJ. Check out SCAL’s website for more information on this series.
Photos of Artists Painting en Plein Air
Salem County Art League
The Salem County Art League (SCAL) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide education and awareness of the fine arts. SCAL seeks to promote the talent and the skills of artists in our area and meet the needs of all cultural backgrounds and ages with flexible programs.
The organization accomplishes these goals with funding from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a division of the department of State, the Salem County Board of County Commissioners, and the Salem County Cultural and Heritage Commission. Membership into SCAL is $25 per year, and while membership comes with many benefits, many of the activities are free and open to the public.
Open Studio Hours
SCAL hosts open studio hours provide artists with the time and space to work on projects alongside one another. Membership is not required to attend. While no formal instruction is given, artists happily support each other with critiques, tips, and tricks.
Where: Ware Agriculture Building (Agriculture Center), 51 Cheney Road, Pilesgrove
When: Thursdays (10:00 AM – 2:00 PM) & Fridays (6:00 PM – 8:00 PM)
Educational Workshops
The Salem County Art League does provide several educational workshop opportunities throughout the year. Workshops are open to members and other interested artists. While a specific medium is selected as the focus for each workshop, the medium varies from workshop to workshop.
Thanks to grant funding, the Art League can fund at least one nationally recognized artist annually. Past workshop instructors have included:
- Ken & Stephanie Goldman
- Mick McAndrews
- Michael Halter
- Annie Strack
- Pam Wenger
Exhibitions & Community Events
SCAL hosts many exhibitions of member works throughout the year at local libraries and community events, such as the Salem County Fair and Woodstown by Candlelight. An annual Senior Citizen Art Show held in June at Friends Village Fenwick Lobby Auditorium celebrates the creativity and talent of Salem County residents aged 60 and older.
Monthly General Meetings are held the 4th Monday of the month starting at 6:30pm, except for July & August when we break for summer. Meetings are open to the public and students are welcome.
Friends Village
Fenwick Lobby-Auditorium
1 Friends Drive, Woodstown, NJ 08098
Creating Community Through Art
The Salem County Art League is a very welcoming community with plenty of opportunities to connect with other artists. We’ve listed only some of the activities that the SCAL organizes within this article. If these kinds of activities interest you, please come out tomorrow in order to see what all of the excitement is about, and you will certainly find yourself among friends.
