Plein air painting contest winners announced
The Greater Port Clinton Area Arts Council held a plein air painting contest at the Port Clinton Lighthouse during the annual Port Clinton Lighthouse and Maritime Festival last month, and the winners have been announced.
Artists worked along the Lake Erie shoreline, painting the wooden pier light which was meticulously restored by the Port Clinton Lighthouse Conservancy and placed at Waterworks Park in August 2016.
Eight painters participated in the event. Winners included J. Steve Kelly, first place; Dave Peltier, second place; Nancy Pierce, third place and Mark DeLong, honorable mention.
Next year’s festival will be held Aug. 19 at Waterworks Park in Port Clinton.
En plein air, or plein air painting, is the act of painting outdoors. This method contrasts with studio painting or academic rules that might create a predetermined look. The practice goes back for centuries but was truly made into an art form by the French Impressionists.