Tupper Arts “Plein Air” returns next week
Dan McClelland
It’s that time again of the year when artists from all over the north east will come to Tupper Lake to paint local landscapes and buildings and compete for prizes in Tupper Arts’ Plein Air festival.
This year’s outdoor event begins on October 1 and runs through October 6. During that week they’ll be artist scattered all over the community with their easels in place to capture many familiar scenes with oil, watercolor, or crayon.
“There’s four days of painting and then on Friday, October 4, we have our reception to salute the artists!” Evie Longhurst, who directs the local arts and cultural place on Park Street. Friday also marks the start of the public viewing of the works of the more than two dozen artists who are expected to attend this the fifth year of the event. The sale of their works continues on the fifth and sixth of October at the center.
She said the artists will be headed home early that next week.
The most artist who have taken part at past events, here was 27 and this year’s field is expected to mirror that. last year 26 new and accomplished artists came here to compete.
“They come from all over America and Canada.” She said one of this year’s entrants, Timothy Frazier has a Tupper connection, while there are several others from various parts of the North Country. Right now there are 24 artists signed up to take part.
“I am expecting several more people to sign up in coming days.”
She noted the artist count will be capped at 30 to keep things manageable.
When the visiting artist will arrive, many will choose their own vistas to paint and draw. The art center has a list of suggestions too of good locations around town. Moody Road and route 30 S. and particularly the high pull offs are places people commonly see the artist working but throughout the community that week they will be scattered all over.
“Some artists like the water views and others, the forest and mountains,” she noted. “Bog River Falls seems to be a popular painting place with many.”
“We are anticipating that this Plein air will be successful and will again be thoroughly enjoyed by the people who come to appreciate the beauty area and by those here who enjoy what they produce on canvas!”
She said, however, that weather is always a big factor. “Last year we had a great run. The weather all week was beautiful. “So we are keeping our fingers crossed for another great week.
“The Plein Air artists enjoy coming to Tupper Lake, judging by their comments in the past. Last year after the show we sent out a survey to those who participated asking them what they liked what they didn’t like and how they think we could improve it. There was an underlying theme in the survey response. What the artists said what they really enjoy about Tupper Lake’s show is that it is casual and it is fun.”
“Some of the festivals around the region are more regimented,” she said they have been told by the artists. “Here we keep it fun for everyone,” she stated.
Mrs. Longhurst said that one of the things the artist like is the system they have here where they connect local hosts with the visitors so some people end up staying with people and end up becoming friends. She says a number of families here with spare rooms open them up to these visitors free of charge. That creates a very welcoming flavor here, she noted.
“These visiting artists get to know the community through the eyes of their hosts and they enjoy that!”
She said this year 10 local families have opened their homes to these visiting artists.
Mrs. Long Hearst said the artist typically don’t spend a lot of time at these host homes as they are up early in the morning to get to their sites and they paint there most of the day.
“They are often up and gone by 6a.m. and don’t return until early evening!”
The local organizer of events at Tupper Arts said she has seen great improvement among some of the people who have been coming for years. On one of their first visits they may have just been starting and now there are very good at what they do with paint and canvas.