To celebrate and appreciate the beauty of the landscape of Long Island’s North Shore, The Teaching Studios of Art will hold its fifth annual Plein Air Art Competition on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 23-24. The competition, open for public viewing, will take place at the Sagamore Hill National Historic Site in Oyster Bay. Twenty-five selected artists will compete for multiple prize packages including a grand prize of $1,000.
Plein air, meaning “in open air,” is a specific type of landscape painting that is done entirely on-site and outdoors.
“While very popular on the west coast, there are very few plein air competitions on the east coast,” says Rob Zeller, director and instructor of the Teaching Studios of Art. “We are pleased to be holding this competition for the fifth time. With such beautiful and rich natural vistas, there is no reason for Oyster Bay not to take the lead in the plein air painting movement that is sweeping across the country.”
The competition will begin on Friday, Sept. 23 at 8 a.m., and the artists will have until sundown to work on their paintings. On Saturday, Sept. 24, the artists will continue working on their pieces and will have until 3 p.m. to complete their work. The event will culminate in an exhibition of the artists’ work that same evening at 7 p.m. at the Koenig Center of the Oyster Bay Historical Society, located at 20 Summit St. in Oyster Bay.
Mario Robinson, a nationally renowned artist and author, will judge the entries and select the prizewinners. The exhibition will feature the work of the 25 artists completed over the two days of the competition. Most of the artwork will be available for sale, with a portion of the proceeds benefitting the Oyster Bay Historical Society. The exhibition will remain on view at the Koenig Center Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m., through Nov. 27.
For more information about the competition and exhibition, visit www.teachingstudios.com/plein-air-competition-sagamore-hill.
