2023
CALL FOR ARTISTS
McKinney En Plein Air 2023
The Mckinney Plein Air Society (MPAS) is pleased to announce their second annual plein air painting competition and exhibition on October 7, 2023 in Historic Downtown McKinney, Texas.
This unique one-day competition is open to all artists who register by the deadline. The event begins with a day of painting and ends with the famous "Exhibition on Easels" show and sale, artists' reception, and cash awards. New this year is the "Fresh Off the Easel" Wet Wall.
Artists must provide their own equipment and may work in any medium, including but not limited to: oil media (traditional and water-mixable); wet media (acrylic, watercolor, gouache, etc.); and dry media (pastel, charcoal, conte, graphite, colored pencil, etc.); and mixed media.
REGISTER NOW!:
MPAS members - $20 bit.ly/mpasmepa23
Not Yet Members - $35 bit.ly/nonmepa23
Join MPAS - $30 bit.ly/MPASjoin
Deadline to register -- September 10, 2023
DEADLINE TO REGISTER:
SEPTEMBER 10, 2023
EVENT DATE AND TIME:
Saturday, October 7, 2023
8:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m
EVENT LOCATION --
PAINT:
Historic Downtown McKinney including nearby Finch Park, Mitchell Park, the historic residential neighborhoods and the East Side Development area with the new Tupps Brewery construction site and grain elevators.
RECEPTION:
Diggin' It is a hip garden, home, and art shop located at 507 N Tennessee in the old Greyhound Bus Station near the main square in historic downtown McKinney, Texas. This funky little indoor-outdoor emporium will host the McKinney En Plein Air 2023 "Exhibition on Easels," "Wet Wall" and Artists' Reception.
EVENT DETAILS:
McKinney Plein Air Society and the Arts and Music Guild are hosting this exciting and unique competition open to two-dimensional artists who register by the deadline. This one day, one-of-a-kind en plein air event begins with a painting competition and ends with an exhibition, artists' reception, judging, and cash awards.
Artists are free to purchase lunch and take breaks at downtown restaurants of their choice when and where they like. Restrooms will be available at the McKinney Performing Arts Center (MPAC), The Cove and several locations around the Square.
CASH AWARDS:
$300 Spirit of Plein Air Grand Prize -- This award celebrates the combination of direct observation and artistic interpretation of painting en plein air.
$150 The Frank Reaugh Legacy Award -- This award recognizes the importance of plein air painting to document the present day landscape.
$100 Fresh Off the Easel Award -- Judge's Choice - Best of the Wet Wall
$100 Artists' Favorite Award -- Artists' Favorite Painting of the Competition
$75 Outstanding Equipment Award -- Judge's Choice - Favorite Plein Air Painting Set Up
AWARDS JUDGE:
Rusty Jones is a nationally recognized and award-winning plein air painter. MPAS is delighted and honored to have Rusty serve as the judge for the second annual McKinney En Plein Air 2023 competition. https://rustyjonesart.com/
SCHEDULE:
Saturday October 7, 2023
8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. Artists Check-In at The COVE, 402 N. Tennessee St. -- get painting panels stamped
8:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m Artists Paint at spots of their choice around Historic Downtown McKinney including nearby Finch Park, Mitchell Park, the historic residential neighborhoods and the East Side Development area with the new Tupps Brewery construction site and grain elevators.
3:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Artists check in for time stamp. Art and easels are set up for the "Exhibition on Easels" at DIGGIN' IT, 507 N. Tennessee St.
3:30 pm - 5:00 p.m. Artists' Happy Hour during judging at TBA
4:00 p.m.- 5:00 p.m. Judging begins promptly at 4:00 pm
5:00 p.m. - Show, Sale, and Artists' Reception opens to public
5:30 p.m. - Awards announced
6:30 p.m. - Event ends
RULES AND REQUIREMENTS:
All two-dimensional artists over the age of 18 are welcome.
Artists must register and pay the entry fee for the event by September 10, 2023 to participate.
Artists bring their own equipment, surfaces, supplies, materials and water. See a list of plein air supplies and items for personal comfort here.
Painting surfaces will be stamped on the morning of the competition.
Primed and toned surfaces are acceptable. However, no drawing or painting on the surface will be allowed before the artist checks in for the competition.
Plein air work must be started, painted, and completed during the event.
Artists may work in any medium and use any supplies to complete their paintings.
There are no size restrictions for the competition.
All artwork must be two-dimensional.
Artists must provide an easel or prop to display their work for the exhibition.
No matting or framing allowed.
Artists must be respectful of all property and take every care to leave their painting spot cleaner than they found it. Comply with the rules of the City of McKinney.
Artists will strictly adhere to the behaviors and etiquette of plein air painting
Artists will use the public restrooms at the McKinney Performing Arts Center or other appointed locations around the Square.
SIZE RESTRICTIONS:
There are no size restrictions. Artists may paint on any size surface for this competition.
Equipment
Artists must provide their own plein air painting equipment, supplies and water. If working on a table, artist must have a table easel or propto display work for the exhibition.
MEDIUMS:
Artists may work in any medium, including but not limited to: oil media (traditional and water-mixable, oil pastels); wet media (acrylic, watercolor, gouache, etc.); and dry media (pastel, charcoal, conte, graphite, colored pencil, etc.); and mixed media.
SUBJECT MATTER:
Artists may paint any subject that they choose in the Historic Downtown McKinney Area. This can include but is not limited to the historic buildings, houses, trees, landscapes, animals, grain elevators, water tower, parks, flowers, people, cars, benches, statues, etc.
EVENT EXHIBITION:
“Exhibition on Easels” Show and Sale
and
"Fresh Off the Easel" Wet Wall
Each painting must must have McKinney En Plein Air stamped on the back during the beginning two hours of the competition to be eligible.
Each artist will choose their one (1) best painting for the "Exhibition on Easels".
If an artist completes more than one painting during the competition, the artist may display the extra paintings on the "Fresh Off the Easel" Wet Wall.
Between 3:00 p.m and 4:00 p.m., artists will set their easels up at Diggin' It to display their work for judging, public viewing, and sales. Artwork that is late will be displayed and available for sale, but will be disqualified from the judging.
Any and all sales transactions will be completed by the artist. MPAS does not take a commission on art sales.
At 6:30 p.m., art and equipment will be retrieved and artists must leave the premises of Diggin' It by 7:00 p.m.
EXHIBITION DETAILS:
Exhibition on Easels - Participants’ plein air paintings
The “Exhibition on Easels” is the main component of the McKinney En Plein Air 2023 Exhibition. It is preferred that each artist submit one painting for the "Exhibition on Easels". Any extra paintings the artist completes during the competition will be displayed on the "Fresh Off the Easel" Wet Wall.
The work must be painted during the competition for the exhibition, judging, and show. The art for the "Exhibition on Easels should be secured to the easel for the show. No frames or mats are allowed. The art must have McKinney En Plein Air stamped on the back to be eligible.
Judging will begin promptly at 4:00 p.m. Late artwork will be allowed to show and be available for sale, but will be disqualified from the awards.
Artists may sell to buyers, but buyers will not be allowed to take the art until after the Awards have been announced.
Fresh Off the Easel Wet Wall
Artists may display as many extra paintings as they are able to complete during the competition on the Wet Wall. It is preferred that each artist select one painting for the Exhibition on Easels and the other paintings will go to the Wet Wall. The art must have McKinney En Plein Air stamped on the back to be eligible.
The Wet Wall artwork will be judged for the Fresh Off the Easel award, and will also be considered for the Artists' Favorite award.
The work from the Wet Wall will be for sale. Artists may sell their work to buyers, but buyers will not be allowed to take the art until after the Awards have been announced.
SALES:
All sales transactions are handled by the artist. No commission fees are charged. The artist may wish to make framing arrangements for the artwork with the buyer at the time of the sale. The buyer must wait to take possession of the purchased artwork until after the awards ceremony.
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END OF EVENT:
At the end of the event, artists will complete any sales transactions and load up their artwork and equipment. Artists must leave the premises of Diggin' It no later than 7:00 p.m.
EVENT HOSTS:
McKinney Plein Air Society https://bit.ly/AboutMPAS
Arts and Music Guild https://www.artsandmusicguild.org
EVENT POINT OF CONTACT:
Pernie Fallon npleinr@gmail.com
EVENT SPONSORS:
McKinney Plein Air Society (MPAS) is a program of Arts and Music Guild, a 501c3 non-profit organization.
Major sponsors of the Arts and Music Guild include Integrated Environmental Solutions, Jump Into Art Studios, and Atlantis Financial Group.