Main Street is still waking up when I arrive in Annapolis on Monday, June 1 to see plein air painters in action for the 25th annual Paint Annapolis competition. The weather is ideal: low 70s, low humidity, mostly sunny, with a gentle breeze that flutters against the banners hanging all around the downtown area with messages encouraging us to “Support Artists, Buy Art.” The cirrus clouds are wisps of bright white against a postcard blue sky. Merchants are just beginning to sweep the paths in front of their shops and open their doors for tourists who are meandering toward the water. Artists begin to set up their easels on street corners, in alleyways, and on the lawn outside St. Anne’s Episcopal Church.
A watercolorist has sketched out her plan for a painting that will capture the Main Street corridor all the way from the church to the glittering harbor. She is just beginning to apply the first pale streaks of color to her paper.
Julia Burzon, a participant in this year’s Paint Annapolis and a staffer for the Maryland Federation of Art (MFA) which puts on the plein air event, explains that over the course of a day, visitors can see the completion of paintings. “People really enjoy that,” she says. “And if they’ve had a great time, they might purchase a painting. Then they’re taking home a memory. In that way, we’re little ambassadors for Annapolis.”
Sponsored by PNC, Paint Annapolis is the town’s premier painting event. The competition takes place during the first week of June, kicking off Anne Arundel County’s Arts Month and bringing in thousands of visitors who can watch and interact with artists like Burzon who set up their easels throughout downtown Annapolis. While many of the participants come from the DMV, among the 30 juried participants are painters from Ohio, Idaho, Canada, and even Latvia.
MFA Executive Director Patrice DragoMore people became aware of MFA and what we do because of Paint Annapolis. It was bare bones when it started and we’ve been growing it ever since. This year we signed up a record number of public painters.
MFA Executive Director Patrice Drago explains that juried artists are chosen through a competition which is open from November to January. “Each year we get a new selections juror,” she says. “We find someone who is well-known, highly credentialed, has awards, and is very respected in the plein air field. This year’s selection judge was Gavin Glakas. Every year we cycle jurors to have a fair selection process. We want artists to feel they have a fair shot.” At stake is $16,000 in prize money for the juried artists and $3000 for the public artists. Anyone can sign up to participate in the latter category, though this year MFA capped registration at 110 people.
After 25 years, the competition has grown from humble beginnings into one of MFA’s most popular events. The event originated, Drago explains, when a group of local plein air painters decided that, to “get their work out there for people to see and buy, they should organize. So, they put together the first Paint Annapolis in 2001.” In 2003, the organizers realized they would accomplish more as a nonprofit organization, so they started the Mid-Atlantic Plein Air Painters Association (MAPAPA). This new designation allowed Paint Annapolis to apply for grants and get official sponsors to help fund the endeavor.
“Paint Annapolis continues to bring our community together to celebrate art, culture, and the beauty of our surroundings in a singular way,” said Laura Gamble, PNC regional president for Greater Maryland. “PNC is honored to be the title sponsor of Paint Annapolis, and we congratulate the Maryland Federation of Art on a quarter century of presenting this signature cultural event that has such a wonderful impact across Annapolis and Anne Arundel County.”
According to their website, MAPAPA “gave structure and direction to both the plein air painting group and to the premier of the Paint Annapolis painting competition. The rules would be simple. Artists selected by a juror would paint for 3 days and on the 4th day, (Sunday) an exhibition of 2 works from each artist would be shown . . .” The basic principles established in 2003 still define the competition, but over the years it has grown in scale and esteem.
In 2014, MFA took over Paint Annapolis. “We knew this would be our signature event that would get people out there,” says Drago. “More people became aware of MFA and what we do because of Paint Annapolis. It was bare bones when it started and we’ve been growing it ever since. This year we signed up a record number of public painters. We hit 110, and we closed it off.” Over the years, the competition has not only grown in participants; it has also increased the award money, added awards, and expanded to a full week of activities.
All the events for Paint Annapolis are free and open to the public. The juried artists kick off the week on Sunday with “Dueling Brushes,” a speed painting competition. The artists have two hours to produce work that is displayed and judged immediately afterward. Participants, including the public artists, have from Monday until Friday to create work which they then submit for judging and exhibition. Receptions in the exhibition spaces are open to the public and take place on Saturday and Sunday.
Other popular events include “Art on the Avenue,” during which Maryland Avenue closes to traffic and artists display a work that portrays Annapolis’s historic architecture. “Muffins and Mimosas,” which closes out the week, allows visitors to view the results of the week’s efforts. There are usually around 300 paintings to see.
While many of the juried artists earn their living through plein air painting, the vibe around Annapolis during the event is friendly and collaborative. The artists are accustomed to tourists stopping to watch them work. Rajendra KC first attended Paint Annapolis as a public artist and returned this year as a juried artist. “I like to share my process,” he says when I ask him how he feels about people approaching him. Indeed, all the artists I spoke to cited interactions with passersby as a highlight of the plein air experience.
“I enjoy the people coming by,” says Burzon. “Everybody is so nice. It’s especially fun because we have juried artists around. They’re such an inspiration.” Another public painter, Jan vanAmburgh Farren, agrees. “I love learning from other people. Every time I paint, I learn something, especially if I can be around other painters and chat with people who are more experienced.”
Artists also pointed out the pleasure of spending the day outside. Farren says, “I enjoy natural light and landscape and the compositions that you can achieve when you are standing in front of it outdoors— that sense of capturing the moment as if the viewer were standing there also. I think it’s compelling.” Having spectacular weather doesn’t hurt.
What began as a small gathering of plein air artists who wanted to share their love of outdoor painting and their admiration of Annapolis has grown into a beloved celebration of art, artists, and the community in and around our state capital. “People get to see the gorgeous scenes of Annapolis and Chesapeake being put on canvas right before their eyes,” Drago says. “They learn about the process and it’s just a wonderful experience for them. Then they come to see the work. This gives them exposure to another aspect of Annapolis.”
