Ever see an artist working by the side of the road and wonder how the painting turned out? Now’s a chance to have the whole experience: See artists at work, view the completed painting and have the chance to purchase the art to benefit two good causes (plus the artist!). It’s all part of the Second Annual Plein Air Painting held with The Maritime Festival in Greenport this weekend (September 24 to 26).
It works like this. Artists set up their easels in Greenport on Friday and Saturday. At 3 p.m. on Saturday, all paintings are collected and displayed beneath a big white tent in Mitchell Park. A free public viewing and reception is being held from 4 to 6 p.m.
Immediately following, a silent auction (with artists in attendance) will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. Proceeds benefit the East End Seaport Museum & Marine Foundation and the Greenport Gallery Walk. At 9 p.m., fireworks light up the skies as part of the Maritime Festival.
Participating artists include Alan Bull, Amy Worth, Paul Bachem, Jada Rowland, Douglas Reina, Lorraine Rimmelin, Jeanne Salucci, Jim Malloy and Don Wilson. Likely places to look for painting artists include Mitchell Park and the docks around Greenport’s Main Street. Painting takes place on Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
This is the second year the Plein Air Painting event has been part of Greenport’s Maritime Festival. The event began as an initiative of the South Street Gallery, run by Amy Worth. It was a natural to let the event grow while benefiting two Greenport organizations. The East End Seaport Museum maintains the Bug Light (Long Beach Bar Lighthouse) as part of its charges. This year is the 20th anniversary of the rebuilding of the quirky lighthouse.
The Maritime Festival includes boat displays, boat races, children’s activities and more. See www.eastendseaport.org for schedule of events. The Greenport Gallery Walk is held the third Saturday of each month from June to November. There are 16 spots on the Walk featuring a mix of galleries, shops and eateries. The next walk will be held October 16 from 6 to 9 p.m. See www.greenportgallerywalk.com for details.