Market Chat
6 x 8 in.
Oil on linen
$600
Available at Farm to Table Plein Air: Bringing Art to the Table

Valerie Craig is one of the 11 artists invited to participate in Farm to Table Plein Air: Bringing Art to the Table benefiting the Brandywine Conservancy.

Throughout the past 12 months, 24 Mid-Atlantic region invited and juried artists have been painting at 14 properties, which are protected from development with the help of the Brandywine Conservancy. The properties range from historic family farms and natural land preserves to large organic Community Supported Agricultural operations. The culminating event for this project, Palette to Palate, will serve to raise funds for and awareness about land conservation for both natural and agricultural properties in the Philadelphia region.

Valerie’s painting, Market Chat, is a plein air work done at the Bryn Mawr Farmers market held by Two Gander Farm, an organic farming operation located on the Miller Farm. Miller Farm is owned and managed by the Brandywine Conservancy. It was the site of one of the four community day events by LandArt Events to showcase the connection between land and water conservation and our food system.

Farm to Table Plein Air: bringing art to the table is a relative newcomer to the Plein Air Event line up in the Mid-Atlantic Region, it is produced by LandArt Events and Brandywine Conservancy with the support of the Pennsylvania Council of the Arts. In the longstanding tradition of the Brandywine Valley artists, such as George Weymouth and the Wyeths, this project is a cooperative endeavor between area artists, local farmers markets and the Brandywine Conservancy to bring awareness through art of the natural resources and sustainable agriculture in our region.

Now in its third year, the event in the two previous years was a small local event. Growth can be attributed to an award of a Project Stream Grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. The grant helped with the creation of a website, advertising, procuring a Juror of Selection (Nancy Campbell, Executive Director of Wayne Art Center) and a Judge of Awards (artist Ron Donoghue). There are over 50 artists painting in three categories: invited, juried and open.

Participating, invited, and juried artists are Al Richards, Deena S. Ball, Barbara Berry, Beth Bathe, Denise Vitollo, Dennis Young, Elaine Lisle, Jacalyn Beam, Jeanne Bruneau, Julie Riker, Lida Stifel, Lisa BurgerLentz, Lynn Mehta, Megan Lawlor, Michele Byrne, Mick McAndrews, Monique Sarkessian, Nicholas P. Santotoleri, Radhika Srinivas, Ray Nixon, Stewart White, Susan Stefanski, Susan Styer and Valerie Craig.

On September 29th, the event Palette to Palate event and exhibit will highlight the properties, the food produced on them and the over 200 pieces of artwork painted by the Farm to Table artists. A portion of the proceeds from the project will go to the Brandywine Conservancy. The project goals are to raise funds for the conservancy and increase public awareness of the mission of the Conservancy and what its role is in Chester County and surrounding areas, the dedication of the participating landowners and the importance of their role in supporting the artistic and agricultural communities.

Palette to Palate will be held at Miller Farm, the home of Two Gander farm in Downingtown, PA. In addition, to the Farm to Table Plein Air Art show and sale, local chef’s and mixologists will be creating signature dishes for this event. Special guest is Judy Wicks, author, activist and entrepreneur. Judy founded Philadelphia’s iconic White Dog Cafe in 1983, which became a pioneer in the farm to table movement and a model in sustainable business practices. She will be signing copies of her latest book “Good Morning, Beautiful Business,” and has offered to donate the profits from book sales at the event to the Brandywine Conservancy.

Please join us at Palette to Palate and support the artistic community and land conservation in the Mid-Atlantic Region.

To buy tickets and learn more about this unique event please visit LandandArtEvents.