The Leighton Centre is presenting an outdoor event that is as much about the mingling as it is about the art.
Paint-Out returns Oct. 1-2, to show art lovers and curious onlookers alike, what it takes to create works outside or en plein air.
Dorothy Chisholm of Calgary works in oils and pastels and is a veteran Paint-Out participant. She is an admitted fan of the event’s social aspects.
“Painting is fairly solitary,” Chisholm said. “When they have this Paint-Out we all go and you see people you haven’t seen for five years. You catch up. It’s a nice gathering together of the artists. You can see what they have done and what they are doing now.”
Paint-Out, being held in conjunction with this weekend’s Alberta Arts Days, will reveal many things about the craft of en plein air painting.
Chisholm revealed one of the most surprising aspects of the practice is you don’t need perfect outdoor conditions.
“The weather doesn’t have to be perfect,” she said. “It’s nice to have a bit of a cloud and turmoil. It makes you paint faster and they are usually the better paintings.”
Of course from a public attendance point of view, the people at the Leighton Centre would prefer ideal weather for both Paint-Out days. However, Megan Kerluke, the centre’s program director, explained they are prepared to go ahead no matter what Mother Nature has in store.
“If the weather is a little inclement they are going to move inside,” she said. “We’re going to have a big tent. So there will be artists here working no matter what.”
Paint-Out is a long-standing fall tradition at the Leighton Art Centre.
“How it started was as an artist’s social,” Kerluke explained. “It was artists coming out working together, having lunch together and getting to know each other. Our membership is quite large so it’s one of those events where people can come and meet other artists. They can make painting pals that they can go out with at a different time.”
Inspired by the growth of Alberta Arts days, the last few years the centre has made a serious push to make Paint-Out more of a public affair. It’s now open to artists outside of the gallery’s membership and the public is welcome to attend.
“We’re hoping to have about 20 artists painting on-site both days,” Kerluke said. “But it is up to the artists. They might come and paint for a few hours. They could come and paint all day. They may come both days. We’re also going to offer free family art projects from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. It is a chance for a parent and child to work on art work together.”
The event should be especially of interest to first time visitors to the highly regarded Alberta art destination.
“We’re also offering tours of the building because it was a historic home belonging to A.C. and Barbara Leighton,” Kerluke said. “We will go through the different rooms and talk about when they were built and explain what the historical significance of certain things are.”
Paint-Out runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday with free admission. There will be a food concession on site to tend to the requirements of hungry art lovers.
For a long time Leighton Art Centre member like Chisholm the event is a welcome opportunity to see many new visitors fall as much in love with the facility as she has.
“I live in Woodbine in Calgary and when I cross (Highway) 22X and head up (Highway) 733 I can feel my spirit lifting,” she said of driving to the Leighton Centre. “It just feels so wonderful out there. It’s a lovely place.”
For more information on the centre’s exhibits, events and Foothills location go to www.leightoncentre.org
