The finale to the Door County Plein Air Festival began at 6:00 p.m. Saturday, July 23. At that afternoon's live auction, only several paintings from the 40-featured artists remained for sale. Now the general public may view the Plein Air Exhibition in the Guenzel Gallery for the first time where fresh paintings have replaced the ones already sold from the Gala on Friday night.
Everyone received a number when they entered the art school grounds, and the tent holds over 60 paintings created by the Dockside Artists, all with prices clearly placed on the portable easels. While the crowds wait to stream through the tent, an individual's number may be attached to the easels to signal a painting is sold. The lower a number, the first chance one has to view the paintings. The line dotted with smiling faces curved out from the entrance for at least one hundred feet, the enthusiastic public waiting to choose their favorite Dockside memory from the afternoon.
Inside the gallery, the week's Festival paintings continued to dazzle the Door County viewers. An onlooker commented to a friend, “Just think, a week ago none of the paintings, these images existed.”
The Peninsula Art gallery and Plein Air Painting in particular testify to this creative energy and its power. Painting outside, observing exactly what is in front of the eyes, captures on canvas a moment of light in an exact time that will never come again. Anyone who supposes a week proves to be insufficient time to finish a project of substance, let alone a painting, might be challenged by this exhibition. Even though the sustained process to plein air painting requires determination, passion and perseverance, especially in the 90-degree heat that accompanied this unusual July week.
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Everyone on the Peninsula School of Art staff deserves similar accoloades because of the countless hours accumulated in curating, organizing, planning and then overseeing each event that has accompanied the ambitious festival. There have been few free moments to spare for staff and volunteers as the Festival unfolded, and the Door County Plein Air competition ranks as one of the best in the country. Over 100 paintings were sold Friday evening, and almost 40 at the auction, all for the benefit of art education and exhibitions throughout the Peninsula for a substantial return to the community.
After almost an hour of artists and patrons milling and mingling in the gallery and the tent, another bell rung. The Peninsula School of Art announced the Dockside Quick Paint award winners: Third Place: Teddy Jackson, Second Place: Richard Brauner and First Place: Katie Musolff.
As part of her prize, Musolff wins an invitation to next year's week long Plein Air Festival. As Milwaukee's previous second Pfister Artist in Residence, Musolff will be acquainted with art competitions. However, the young artist generally paints portraits or still life's rather than landscapes, and usually in the studio instead of in the plein air genre. If her small oil on canvas entry gives any indication, Musolff's award winning abilities will come to the fore next July, an opportunity many people will eagerly anticipate.
As a second year participant in the 2011 Plein Air Festival, Macario Pascual wandered through the crowd. The 40 artists attend all the events, readily accessible to answer anyone's questions. Although he lives in Hawaii, his wife calls Wisconsin home, and this Festival allows them to travel to the state when they have the chance. Pascual has competed in numerous plein air paints across the country while winning awards since the age of 13 with his first art scholarship that sent him on his chosen career path. Pascual stopped to chat for a few moments while watching the crowd admire all 40 artists' work.
How did you decide what to paint this week?
I looked at a few places in the beginning of the week, and decided to stay put. That ended up being Ephraim, mostly Ephraim. You just observe the landscape and let it come.
You're known for painting Hawaiian landscapes. What do you enjoy about this festival?
The variety of subject material. It's so different from Hawaii. It's giving me an appreciation for another landscape. This festival is also very well organized and friendly, while being educational and inspirational. You learn from all the artists. We're all chasing the light and concentrating on hitting the home run. [Creating the exceptional painting.]
Do you paint full time?
I do and then I'm a part time USTA [United States Tennis Association] Tennis Pro. I train young players who wish to compete, and some of them have national rankings.[On the junior USTA national tennis circuit]. Tennis and painting are my passions. Usually I'm painting by myself, with the insects and the heat, and teaching tennis keeps me involved with people. Each culture is different, art and tennis.
Which painting from the week moves you the most?
I'd have to say Clear Day at Eagle Bay. My son went paddleboating [on the bay] and we lost sight of him. My wife was worried and waving to find him. So, I talked to one of the guys, and we out on a Zodiac [a small craft] and my son was fine, unaware that anything was even wrong. He was just paddling the boat hwerever he wanted. But I made some notes and was going to go out and paint on the Zodiac, but the weather wouldn't allow it. So, I painted it from this view. It's quite amazing [Eagle Bay and Eagle Rock Point]. The painting is a wonderful reminder of this trip to Wisconsin and my son.
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The weekend ends on high note, a wonderful reminder that a genre of painting that inspired the late 19th century still inspires artists and museums 100 years later. There's even a quarterly Plein Air Magazine available for purchase that lists the festivals and painting competitions from around the country, discusses artists who master the genre, provides information about special equipment for painting Plein Air, and explores almost everything one might wish to know about Plein Air Painting.
The Door County Plein Air invitational continues to grow, while the Peninsula School of Art fine-tunes the event each successive year. Although the final totals for the exact amount of money the festival raised for art programming and exhibitions remains to be tallied, the crowds on the peninsula were undoubtedly impressed. For anyone who enjoys art, the close to home Door County opportunity to watch the artists, attend lectures, travel throughout the peninsula to see paintings in progress, and then attend the final exhibition can be an exhilarating experience. To actually observe a blank canvas come alive with brushstokes of color through a singular individual's perspective and talent confirms the necessity of art in culture. A creative act constantly validating the purpose to purchasing an artwork that emotionally connects with the heart and mind. At the Door County Plein Air Festival 2012, there will be 40 more artists and Katie Musolff striving to attain those eternally lofty visions. (The Door County Plein Air Fesitval 2011 Exhibition continues at the Peninsula School of Art through August 17.)
