October is still supposed to be pleasant weather, right? Even if it isn’t, the Ohio Plein Air Society members are ready. Witness their recent event — in the snow and hail.
The society’s 11th annual Plein Air Competition was looking forward to weather forecasts of 50- and 60-degree weather, but instead it saw the earliest snowfall in almost 50 years — and sleet, hail, high winds, and rain. “In spite of the weather, a lot of beautiful paintings were created,” reports Doreen St.John, an officer with the Ohio Plein Air Society.
The winners at the Ohio Plein Air Society’s 11th Annual Plein Air Competition
Jan Wells took Best in Show at the competition, with Carolyn Heffelfinger winning First Place, Marianne Miller winning Second, and Tom Cole taking Third Place.
Juror Ken Emerick with Best of Show winner Jan Wells
The Artists’ Choice award was won by Chuck Marshall, and Honorable Mention awards went to Mary Holobaugh, Chris Leeper, Joe Lombardo, Robert Raack, and Robin Roberts. The Quick Draw was won by Lombardo.
Karen LaValley shrugged at the cold and painted on.
Several companies sponsored awards, including the Rosemary Brushes Award of Excellence (Chuck Marshall and Doreen St.John), the STRADA Easels Award of Excellence (Marilyn Curry), the Judson/Richeson Awards of Excellence (Larry Churski and Ann Grimaldi), the Frame Warehouse Award of Excellence (Carol Strock Wasson), and the JFM Award of Excellence (Fran Mangino).
Ken Emerick, director of the Ohio Arts Council’s (OAC) Individual Artists Grants and Percent for Arts Program, was the juror. The event was held in Alexandria, Ohio, October 3-5.
