The 2018 Frank Bette Plein Air Paintout
For the past 13 years Frank Bette Center for the Arts has selected artists from all over the U.S. to participate in the Frank Bette Plein Air Paintout. This year’s event took place July 30 through August 3, culminating in an exhibit and sale of all the paintings and the presentation of awards on August 4. Paintings not sold on August 4 are now exhibited and for sale through September 29 at the Frank Bette Center for the Arts Gallery in Alameda, California.
About the location: Alameda is a small island in San Francisco Bay. Settled in the 1800s, it boasts many beautiful Victorian mansions, small beach cottages, businesses, California bungalows, and stucco houses of the ’30s and ’40s. There are many marinas, views of San Francisco and the Bay, the beach, the Port of Oakland and its large cranes, as well as parks and tree-lined streets — perfect for painting scenes en plein air.
Special events this year included the Quick Draw on Park Street, Alameda’s main business district, stretching from the Bay to the Estuary, an afternoon at the Aeolian Yacht Club, and another afternoon at the Encinal Yacht Club.
The fabulous group of artists selected this year: Stephen Berry, Catherine Boyer, David Casterson, Garr Crookston, Catherine Fasciato, Paul Feinberg, Susan Lea Hackett, Annie Haines, Greg Holzhauer, Ellen Howard, Sibyl Johnson, Susan Kendall, Chuck Kovacic, Anna Lancaster, Yvonne Lee, Robyn Leimer, Suzi Long, Markus Lui, Kate Martin, Heather Martin, Laura Martinez-Bianco, Steven McDonald, Mark Monsarrat, Deborah Newman, Justin Pastores, Katherine Rice, Maria SantoStefano, Julia Munger Seelos, Birgit Spaulding, Nancy Takaichi, Barbara Tapp, Lisa Taylor, Cleo Vilett, Mandar Wagholikar, Marti Walker, Beth Winfield, Karen Winslow, Ron Wolter, and Xueling Zou.
Awards for 2018 Frank Bette Plein Air Paintout
2018 Best of Show Award: Nancy Takaichi, “Transitional Center,” oil
Frank Bette Award: Justin Pastores, “High Street Shadows,” oil
Frank Bette Award Honorable Mention: Ellen Howard, “Smokey Sunset,” oil
Alameda Award: Cleo Vilett, “Night at the Movies,” oil
Alameda Award Honorable Mention: David Casterson, “On the Waterfront,” oil
Island Award: Chuck Kovacic, “In Delta Lindsey We Trust,” oil
Island Award Honorable Mention: Steven McDonald, “Refinery Evening Light,” oil
PAPo Award: Steven McDonald, “Dan’s Produce,” oil
Quick Draw Artists’ Choice Award: Stephen Berry, “Low Tide,” watercolor
To learn more about the Frank Bette Plein Air Paintout and plan for next year, please visit www.frankbettecenter.org.
