Revamped Plein Air Event receives grants from Tipp Foundation
Tipp City Area Arts Council’s revamped Plein Air Event on Oct. 4-5 will give artists the opportunity to highlight the community’s offerings through their artwork.
This event was part of arts council activities of the past but died during the COVID pandemic.
En Plein Air is a French term, literally translated to mean “open air,” and is taken to describe active painting outdoors. Artists create paintings and renderings in a variety of mediums depicting how their subject appears in natural light, at the moment of creation. The artworks are completed within the day. The Paint Ohio History Plein Air event will begin with a Plate & Palette Dinner & Demo on Friday, Oct. 4 from 6 – 9 p.m. at the Tipp Center, 855 N. Third St., Tipp City. The registration for the Friday dinner is Friday, Sept. 27. Register at www.tippcityartscouncil.paint.
Artist registration will be on Saturday, Oct. 5 at 9 a.m. at the Tipp Center, also the location for judging and Wet Paint Sale on Saturday from 3-4:30 p.m.
On Saturday, artists will be working across the Tipp City area from 9 a.m.-3 p.m., including downtown, residential neighborhoods, parks and the riverbank.
“Tipp City has such attractive, historic architecture in both downtown shops as well as its well-preserved homes. The natural settings in and around the city provide artists with a breadth of subject matter choices,” said Marti Goetz and Christine Hirsch, who are co-chairing the event for the Arts Council. Also, a co-chair is Lynn Shirk Terrell.
A Children’s Plein Air will be in front of Topsy Turvy store at 115 E. Main St. from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. for free.
Those interested in participating in the event are asked to visit www.tippcityartscouncil/paint and go to the register button.
The Tipp City Foundation supports the Plein Air Event with $2,286 from the Tiny and Emma Drewing Fund to the arts council to rebuild the Plein Air experience and added support from the Lucky 13 fund to complete support totaling $3,500.
“It's a very big project for a small organization to undertake,” said Heather Bailey of the Foundation. “Marti and Christine's re-invigoration of the event is positive for our region. Marti has served several roles for the council over the years. Christine is relatively new to Tipp City."
One reason that the foundation wants to support the plein air event is self-serving, Bailey said.
“Our annual report is mailed to homes in 45371 each spring. Pages are embellished by area artists' work,” Bailey said. “Last year's report featured Trish McKinney; the 2024 report will feature the work of Susan Kuntz. By photographing the plein air works on easels while artists capture Bethel Township and Tipp City, these images will become the featured work for the 2025 annual report.”