(Aug. 3, 2017) Registration is open and about a dozen slots remain for the eighth annual Paint Berlin to be held Sept. 20-23
This year’s competition will feature an expanded painting area that will include Assateague and Ayers Creek for the first time, as well as the addition of a new legislator’s choice award.
The event will culminate with a wet paint show and sale at the Worcester County Arts Council building on 6 Jefferson Street in Berlin on Saturday, Sept. 23 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Arts Council Executive Director Anna Mullis said the popularity of Paint Berlin continues to grow each year.
“Berlin is offering so many different activities throughout the year, so that adds to artists being more interested in coming to the area,” she said. “I also think Berlin offers so many different landscapes and historic places to paint, and that’s attractive to the artists.”
Mullis said in prior years, painters were restricted to within three miles of the arts council building, which did not allow them to make use of the many coastal landscapes just outside of town.
“We have decided [to extend the area] because the artists are coming during a beautiful time of year in September, when the weather is gorgeous,” she said. “We would love for them to able to go to Assateague to paint those bodies of water and other things that they find interesting.
“We found out that a lot of artists who come, especially from the western shore and some of the northern states, they’re not familiar with Berlin and think that because we’re so close to the ocean they can find areas of water that a lot of them enjoy painting,” Mullis said. “Unfortunately, there’s not much within three miles.”
With many new settings available, Mullis said the artwork created during Paint Berlin could be vastly different this year.
“Already, several artists are excited about this addition,” she said.
After three days of painting plein air, or outdoors and under natural light, artists will gather inside the arts council building for a reception and awards ceremony.
Berlin resident Kirk McBride will judge the show, which will include prizes for first place ($1,000), second place ($500), third place ($100), honorable mention ($100) and artist’s choice ($100).
Mullis said local elected officials would choose the new legislator’s choice award. She said Del. Mary Beth Carozza, Sen. Jim Mathias and elected officials in Berlin were sent invitations.
“We would like them to come and see the exhibits and how the artists represent Berlin ‘en plein air,’ and provide an opportunity for legislators to vote for the best painting,” she said. “We’re hoping that at least some of them will be able to join us.”
She said the arts council is also looking for local people who are willing to host an artist, many of which travel each year from over the Bay Bridge and from neighboring states.
“Unfortunately, we don’t have many hotels in Berlin and it’s a very busy weekend, because it’s also the Fiddler’s Convention,” she said. “A lot artists would like to stay close to town, of course, so we are looking for people in the community who would be willing to offer a guest room to host the artists.”
Registration is $40 and must be completed by Aug. 31. Only 50 slots will be available, and Mullis said more than 30 had signed up as of last week.
She also thanked sponsors the Town of Berlin, Salt Water Media, and the Joan W. Jenkins Foundation.
For more information or to register for the annual Paint Berlin event, call 410-641-0809 or visit www.worcestercountyartscouncil.org.
This year’s competition will feature an expanded painting area that will include Assateague and Ayers Creek for the first time, as well as the addition of a new legislator’s choice award.
The event will culminate with a wet paint show and sale at the Worcester County Arts Council building on 6 Jefferson Street in Berlin on Saturday, Sept. 23 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Arts Council Executive Director Anna Mullis said the popularity of Paint Berlin continues to grow each year.
“Berlin is offering so many different activities throughout the year, so that adds to artists being more interested in coming to the area,” she said. “I also think Berlin offers so many different landscapes and historic places to paint, and that’s attractive to the artists.”
Mullis said in prior years, painters were restricted to within three miles of the arts council building, which did not allow them to make use of the many coastal landscapes just outside of town.
“We have decided [to extend the area] because the artists are coming during a beautiful time of year in September, when the weather is gorgeous,” she said. “We would love for them to able to go to Assateague to paint those bodies of water and other things that they find interesting.
“We found out that a lot of artists who come, especially from the western shore and some of the northern states, they’re not familiar with Berlin and think that because we’re so close to the ocean they can find areas of water that a lot of them enjoy painting,” Mullis said. “Unfortunately, there’s not much within three miles.”
With many new settings available, Mullis said the artwork created during Paint Berlin could be vastly different this year.
“Already, several artists are excited about this addition,” she said.
After three days of painting plein air, or outdoors and under natural light, artists will gather inside the arts council building for a reception and awards ceremony.
Berlin resident Kirk McBride will judge the show, which will include prizes for first place ($1,000), second place ($500), third place ($100), honorable mention ($100) and artist’s choice ($100).
Mullis said local elected officials would choose the new legislator’s choice award. She said Del. Mary Beth Carozza, Sen. Jim Mathias and elected officials in Berlin were sent invitations.
“We would like them to come and see the exhibits and how the artists represent Berlin ‘en plein air,’ and provide an opportunity for legislators to vote for the best painting,” she said. “We’re hoping that at least some of them will be able to join us.”
She said the arts council is also looking for local people who are willing to host an artist, many of which travel each year from over the Bay Bridge and from neighboring states.
“Unfortunately, we don’t have many hotels in Berlin and it’s a very busy weekend, because it’s also the Fiddler’s Convention,” she said. “A lot artists would like to stay close to town, of course, so we are looking for people in the community who would be willing to offer a guest room to host the artists.”
Registration is $40 and must be completed by Aug. 31. Only 50 slots will be available, and Mullis said more than 30 had signed up as of last week.
She also thanked sponsors the Town of Berlin, Salt Water Media, and the Joan W. Jenkins Foundation.
For more information or to register for the annual Paint Berlin event, call 410-641-0809 or visit www.worcestercountyartscouncil.org.