- This event has passed.
Plein Air Only
October 2, 2018 - October 25, 2018
Camera phones can’t always capture the sunny morning at Codorus State Park.
And the wind whipping through the long grass at the Gettysburg battlefield isn’t a memory you can always recall without a picture or a painting. That barn, that bird, that flower — you need to capture the moment forever.
The plein air painters at the Hanover Area Arts Guild have done that for you. Their artwork will be on display Oct. 2-25 at Art Downtown, the gallery of the Arts Guild.
“Plein Air Only” features art by six veteran artists, which was created en plein air — or outdoors. Often, the plein air group critiques each other’s work after they’ve painted for two or three hours.
Sharon Benner organized the group in the fall of 2016. The painters get together every Thursday morning at different locations. They’ve painted at Codorus State Park and Lake Marburg, the Gettysburg battlefield, the Warehime-Myers Mansion in Hanover, the Union Mills Homestead in Maryland and various locally owned properties.
During the winter, Benner explained, the group retreats to the Arts Guild, 32 Carlisle St., Hanover, and expands on paintings or works on other studies.
Light is key for plein air painters, Benner said.
“They concentrate on how the light falls on a landscape,” she explained, noting plein air painters look for atmosphere and mood and try to reflect that in their artwork. Their paintings often are broad and not as detailed because the artist is trying to capture the light quickly before it changes, Benner said.
The exception, she continued, is Gadd. He often concentrates on details, ignoring the big picture.
“He will pull out an item, like a flower or a detail on a barn or on a boat,” Benner said.
A reception is planned 5-7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 5, at Art Downtown, 32 Carlisle St., Hanover. The public is invited and the artists will be on hand to discuss their paintings and techniques.
The exhibit can be seen during regular gallery hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday. As always, the gallery is free to visit.