Plein Air Easton 2023 Competition Prospectus
All applicants must:
· Have an account with OnlineJuriedShows.com. To create an account, follow this link: https://www.onlinejuriedshows.com/CreateNewAccount.aspx
· Upload three (3) digital high-resolution jpeg images (JPG, not to exceed 4 mb in size) of plein air work painted within the past two years and,
· Pay $50 registration fee
All applications must be submitted online by January 20, 2023, 11:59 pm PST. Any questions or concerns should be directed to Event Director, Marie Nuthall at 410-924-7279 or info@pleinaireaston.com. For help with your entries, contact onlinejuriedshows@gmail.com or 888-666-1351
What is Plein Air Easton?
In its 19th year, Plein Air Easton is the largest and most prestigious outdoor painting competition in the United States. The festival is the work of the Avalon Foundation, a non-profit organization whose mission is to foster a strong community on the Eastern Shore by creating accessible, uplifting arts, education, and cultural experiences that appeal to the interests of a diverse population and to ensure the long term viability of the historic Avalon Theatre. The event is supported by the Talbot County Arts Council, corporate donors, Friends of Plein Air Easton, and strong community support.
While the last several years have presented challenges for us all, Plein Air Easton has continued to innovate, create and shape its events to be safe, fun, and successful. While there are no guarantees that Plein Air Easton’s Events for 2023 will be executed exactly as presented in this prospectus, artists can be assured that Plein Air Easton will always act with safety as a priority, provide clear communications, listen to artist’s concerns, and will adapt events and parameters to work towards excellence whenever possible.
Artists are juried into the festival from hundreds of worldwide applicants. The final 58 selected are undoubtedly some of the best plein air painters of our time. Participation is entirely in-person and travel expenses to and from Easton, MD are the responsibility of the artist.
Why should I apply?
Plein Air Easton enjoys the highest art sales of any Plein Air event in the United States. It is a juried competition with a new juror and judge each year. Any artist who paints en plein air may apply. With only the top award winners receiving automatic entry into the competition, the festival tends to see 1/3 to 1/2 of its population as new artists each year. Plein Air Easton represents a meaningful opportunity for emerging artists to gain national recognition. PleinAir Magazine called PAE “one of the most rewarding outdoor Arts Festivals in the USA.” With a reputation for strong organization, growing sales, a beautiful landscape, and just plain fun; PAE has become a “must-paint” for many of the world’s top painters.
What should I expect if I get in?
· A beautiful working and recreational waterfront community full of welcoming people that are so excited to host you.
· An event that is well-organized and values its artists
· Fierce competition from top plein air artists
· Opportunities galore – from making connections with friends, collectors and business contacts
· The heat and humidity to be formidable. Daily high temperatures average around 87°F, rarely falling below 79°F or exceeding 95°F for July in Easton. The highest daily average high temperature is 88°F on July 21.
· Your competition artworks produced during this week to be exhibited in an accredited museum.
· Non-competition works produced will be exhibited in what has become known as the ‘PAE Library’. This generous space provides additional opportunities for the public to view and purchase all work produced during the festival and to engage in lectures, demos, and other events.
· Attend the Artists Orientation and have your canvases stamped on Thursday, July 13
· Sales will be brisk and ongoing throughout the week. In 2022, sales were just under $500K and connections made during the event are proving to yield sales weeks after PAE is over.
· Have the time of your life – leaving tired but energized and basking in the glow of the week.
I live locally what is different for me?
In our effort to elevate and highlight the local arts community, our policy is that if your primary residence is located in any of the counties on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, indicate so during the entry process (Talbot, Kent, Queen Anne, Caroline, Dorchester, Wicomico, Somerset and Worchester). Artists will be prompted to enter their county before checking out. After the juror selects the 2023 slate (based on the images submitted by all applicants, including those that live locally), he/she will be presented with the images submitted by artists presiding in the aforementioned counties, of which he/she will choose three additional artists to participate in the competition. This will give local artists two chances to be juried into PAE. PAE does not reveal which artists are juried into the festival through this local-only process.
Important Dates:
January 20, 2023, 11:59 pm PST – All applications for the 2023 competition year must be received.
February 3, 2023 - Plein Air Easton competition artists will be posted online at www.pleinaireaston.com and all competing artists will be notified via email to view the results in their OnlineJuriedShows.com artist profile.
July 12, 2023– Host Family Housing is available
July 13, 2023- Artist Orientation & Canvas Stamping
July 13-20, 2023 – Artists produce competition paintings
July 15, 2023 - Meet the Artists Party & Paint Out
July 20, 2023– Hard Deadline: Artists submit competition paintings (2 paintings) plus their Small Painting Sunday painting (1-6x8 painting) for judging, exhibition, and sales
July 20, 2023 – Collectors’ Preview (for Host and Benefactor level donors only and Competition Artists). This preview takes place in the Academy Art Museum & Waterfowl Festival Building.
July 21, 2023 – Collectors Party (for ticket-holders only)
July 22, 2023 – Quick Draw Competition
July 23, 2023– Small Painting Sunday and Judge’s Talk. All unsold paintings must be collected by artists at 4pm on July 19.
How is Plein Air Easton Juried/Judged?
Pre-competition: Plein Air Easton names a new juror each year. This year’s juror becomes next year’s judge. The juror views three digital images from each artist online, therefore, is important to give us files that will present well on a computer monitor. The juror sees no identifying information about the artists. After selection, the juror submits their anonymous selections to the Festival’s executive team who announce the list of competing artists.
During the Competition: All competition paintings are eligible to win prizes that are awarded by the competition judge at the Collectors’ Preview Party. The 2023 judge will also select the winners of the Quick Draw Competition and Small Painting Sunday Submissions.
Who are this year’s Judge and Juror?
Judge: Master Jove Wang
Jove Wang was born in Jilin China in 1962. At the tender age of seven, he apprenticed with the master painter Gang Gu, subsequently studying at Jilin School of Art for three years and graduating in 1982. He was accepted into the most prestigious art institute of China, Zhejiang Academy of Fine Arts (now known as the China Academy of Art), and graduated as an honor student in 1988. He also received professional training from the Tokyo Academy of Fine Arts.
In 1990 he immigrated to the United States where he soon met with success. Immersing himself in the study and exploration of old Masters, he has established a career that has garnered him national recognition:
Awards
· Best of Show, California Art Club’s 88th Annual Gold Medal Juried Exhibition, 1997
· First Place, figure category, California Art Club’s 89th Annual Gold Medal Juried Exhibition, 1998
· Best of Show at the 8th Annual National Juried Exhibition of Oil Painters of America, 1999
· First Place at the prestigious Viewpoint 2000 Cincinnati Art Club Exhibition, 2000
· Plein Air Tucson 2000 Exhibit in Tucson (Grand Prize, Best of Mission, and Best Design/Architecture), 2000
· Best of Show and Artists' Choice Award, 2001 Carmel Art Festival, 2001
· Gold Medal Award, Japan Artist Association at Tokyo National Museum, "Young Man", 2008
· Best of Show and Artists Choice award, American Impressionist Society’s 22nd oil painting competition, 2021
· Best of Show, American Impressionist Society Annual All-Member online exhibition, 2021
Exhibits
· 11th National Exhibition of Fine Arts in China selected "A Day on the Silk Road", 2009
· Paintings exhibited in Pasadena Museum of California Art, the Pasadena Historical Museum, the Laguna Beach Art Museum, the Carnegie Art Museum in Oxnard, the Bowers Museum at Santa Ana, the Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art at Pepperdine University in Malibu, Springville Museum of Art in Springville, Utah, and the Phippen Museum in Arizona
· Permanent Collections: Bowers Museum, the Bakersfield Museum of Art, the Mission San Juan Capistrano, and the Museum of Jilin, China
Jove Wang is a Signature Member of the California Art Club. He has been teaching oil painting for over 20 years from his studio in California and enjoys exploring a vast range of portraiture, still-life painting, landscape and large scale works. Wang has spent some time in Easton over the last few years giving demos, teaching workshops and meeting collectors via his professional relationship with local gallery owner, Betty Huang of Studio B Art Gallery.
Juror: Nancy Tankersley
Nancy Tankersley began her career as a portraitist but entered the gallery scene with figurative paintings of people at work and at leisure. As she searches for the unpredictable, Tankersley moves between landscape, figures and still life. Incorporating non-traditional tools , supports and technologies for her paintings she remains faithful to her impressionistic style.
An Easton native and a founder of Plein Air Easton, Nancy travels worldwide participating in competitions, judging and teaching. In 2018, 2019 and 2020 she was invited to be an instructor and demonstrator at the Plein Air Convention in Santa Fe and released two instructional videos with Lilliedahl Videos. In 2016 and 2017 she was invited to exhibit at the prestigious Masters Exhibition at the Salmagundi Club in NYC.
Awards
· Best of Show at Parrsboro, Nova Scotia International Plein Air 2018,
· Best of Show at the Lighthouse Plein Air Festival 2017,
· Dickinson Award for Best Painting by a Signature Member of the American Impressionist Society 2016 Annual Juried Exhibit,
· Featured Artist 49th Waterfowl Festival 2019
She is a Signature Member of the American Impressionist Society, the American Society for Marine Art, and the Mid-Atlantic Plein Air Painters and also holds memberships in the Washington Society for Landscape Painters and the Salmagundi Club. Founder and Director of the Easton Studio, an artist’s workshop facility launched in 2010, the artist mentors, teaches workshops and sponsors workshops by nationally known painters.
What about awards?
Awards total over $30,000 and typically include 16-20 awards for competing painters. In addition to cash, the awards for Grand Prize, Artists Choice, Second Place and Third Place also receive an automatic invitation to participate in next year’s competition. Additionally, the first prize in Quick Draw and the Quick Draw Alumni Award also receive an invitation to participate as a competition artist the following year.
If I get into the Competition, what else should I consider?
· Whether you will be needing host accommodations.
· Attending Orientation on July 13th to get briefed on the comprehensive rules and get canvases stamped.
· Enjoy the Meet the Artists Dinner and Paint Out, on July 15th, to meet collectors & donors as well as enjoy the rich landscape of the Eastern Shore.
· Painting out at various Plein Air Easton events and pop-up sales throughout your stay.
· Participating in Quick Draw (July 22) where the top prize is an invitation to participate as a competition artist in the 2024 competition year.
· Attending any Zoom orientations and asking questions.
· Listening to the Plein Air Easton podcast (on YouTube or your favorite podcast app).
Competition Artists Must Agree to (PLEASE READ):
· Comply with any local or organizational rules or policies around public health or safety (this may or may not include vaccine requirements, testing, or mask policies).
· Paint within specified areas from July 13-20, 2023
· Turn in TWO completed, framed, PAE competition date-stamped, framed, and ready-to-be hung artworks painted within the specified geographic areas by no later than 11am July 20, 2023.
· Turn in one 6x8 or 8x6 completed, framed, PAE date stamped and ready to be hung artwork painted within the specified geographic areas by no later than 11am July 20, 2023.
· Work must be a two-dimensional medium.
· The width of all submitted work may not exceed 44 inches including its frame. The height of submitted work may not exceed 50 inches including its frame.
· All competition work must be completed en plein air (materially onsite) without the assistance of photography.
· Pick up any work that is not sold on July 23, 2023 at 4pm OR make shipping arrangements.
· Agree that from one week prior to the event and until one week after the competition:
o NOT to sell any work done during Plein Air Easton without paying a 40% commission to the hosting organization (Avalon Foundation, Inc.). The same commission applies to any work commissioned during or as a result of participation in Plein Air Easton,
o Hold inventory pricing for one week prior and one week after the competition.
Failure to comply will result in a 40% forfeiture in your commission check.
· Agree to price work with a retail price commensurate with one’s normal gallery pricing structure.
· Allow images of work entered into the competition to be used by the Avalon Foundation for publicity purposes.