Celtic Colours en Plein Air is an event in the Celtic Colours International Festival’s Visual Art Series that celebrates the beautiful landscape of Cape Breton Island, which is essential to the artistic culture that is so prevalent here.
This is the second year for the outdoor art challenge, and it kicks off with a special exhibit: Living in a Painting, Celebrating Cape Breton Island en Plein Air featuring pieces created during Celtic Colours en Plein Air 2009. This exhibition will be in the J. Franklin Wright Gallery in the Port Hawkesbury Civic Centre, coinciding with opening show of Celtic Colours – Home is Where the Heart Is on Friday, October 8. The exhibit will be on display during the entire month of October.
Celtic Colours en Plein Air invites painters to create works of art outdoors without photographic aid. Artists can register for any of four Paint Outs, spread out to capture the geographic differences of the Island. Artists can submit the work they create to be displayed at Celtic Colours’ closing concert, and juried for selection into a major exhibit for the 2011 festival. Fee for a Paint Out is $15, or $10 if registered for more than one Paint Out.
2010’s Plein Air schedule:
Saturday October 9: Lake Ainslie Paint Out
Scotsville School of Crafts
Sign in: 10:00 AM
Submit Work by: 5:00 PM
Monday October 11th: Louisbourg Paint Out
Fortress of Louisbourg Visitor Information Centre
Sign in: 10:00 AM
Submit Work by: 5:00 PM
Wednesday October 13th: Top of the Island Paint Out
North Highlands Community Museum, Cape North
Sign in: 10:00 AM
Submit Work by: 5:00 PM
Friday October 14th: Iona Paint Out
Highland Village Museum
Start Time: 10:00AM
Submit Work by: 5:00 PM
Work created at the Lake Ainslie Paint Out will be on display as part of their Lakeside Impressions Exhibit at the Scotsville School of Crafts until Saturday, October 16th when they join the works created at all of the locations for a Viewing at the Joan Harriss Cruise Pavilion in Sydney (beginning at 4PM). This viewing will show the work unframed, and a jury of visual artists, art instructors, and curators will select the pieces for next year’s formal exhibit. The viewing will precede Songs From Home, the closing concert for the Celtic Colours International Festival.
Artists are asked to contact Yvette Rogers for more information or to register in advance. Each Paint Out takes place when there is a Celtic Colours concert nearby that evening, and a myriad of Cultural Experiences for partners and families to enjoy.
Celtic Colours en Plein Air is one part of an impressive Visual Art Series, which consists of Exhibits, Workshops, and Demonstrations brought to life through art organizations such as the Cape Breton Centre for Craft and Design, Inverness County Centre for the Arts, the Lake Ainslie Weavers and Crafts Guild, Baddeck Art Club and more. Find out more at celticcolours.com
