The first-ever Plein-air Art Festival was held recently in Evanston, with participation from over 50 area artists who took part in this four-day open-air painting competition, their subject the town of Evanston.
This Evanston Made production included painting at various sites in Evanston, artist talks, instructional workshops, festival judging, prizes, an exhibit and art sale.
“I feel lucky to spend the morning painting Lake Michigan.”
Keating, one of 50 area artists who participated in Evanston Plein Air Festival, a four-day open-air painting competition, July 14-17, 2022.
In an email, Evanston Made, founder and director, Lisa Degliantoni said, “Evanston has all the natural resources that make a festival of this kind, successful. With our thousands of talented artists, and endless beauty of both the built and natural environments, when artists turn their focus on Evanston, audiences respond.”
According to the festival listing on the North Shore website, en plein-air is a French expression meaning “in the open air,” and refers to the act of painting outdoors with the artist’s subject in full view. Plein-air artists capture the spirit and essence of a landscape or subject by incorporating natural light, color and movement into their works.
Festival director and Plein-air Painters Chicago co-chair, Mark Cleveland says artists were free to set up to paint at any location in and around Evanston; from the Arrington Lagoon, to Lighthouse Beach, to Fountain Square, to many other locations in downtown Evanston.
Artists were judged on their mastery of the medium, which included overcoming the drawbacks of painting outdoors — faster drying colorant and responding to changing light and weather conditions.
“It’s about learning to respond to your environment through the act of painting during a shorter period of time, translating your surroundings, simplifying that environment and directing viewer focus,” Cleveland said.
The four-day event culminated into festival judging and awards presentation, an artist’s reception and Plein-air Artists Exhibit and art sale, all taking place in downtown Evanston’s Fountain Square on Sunday afternoon.
This juried invitational exhibit included guest judge, master plein-air painter, Don Yang.
Prizes included; Best in show, $250 prize, to Scott Lloyd Anderson and honorable mentions awarded to Maria Delton, Rich Weber, Jane Sloss and Karen Beauprie.
Artist, Carol Lezberg Neiger of Glenview participated in the festival.
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“If you love nature, if you get peace from nature, painting outside can be just pure meditation,” Neiger said.
Gina Grillo is a freelance reporter with Pioneer Press.