PLEIN AIR (As Opposed to Fancie Air?) EVENT IN ALAMEDA
by Karen Braun Malpas
 
   This is not about air quality control, it's about Art.
 
   As recent local temperatures suggest, summer is right around the corner. Out come the sunscreen, tank tops, beach gear and,...a whole special breed of artist known as Plein Air Painters. For centuries, they have situated themselves outdoors, on site, in the open air and painted directly from the subject.

   Plein Air paintings typically have an immediacy and vitality that result from the inherent deadlines of working before the light changes, before the color and shadows change, getting the image down while the paint is flexible, before it dries, getting the image before/after business hours when traffic will obscure the subject etc.
   The Frank Bette Center for the Arts is hosting their third annual Plein Air Painting event July 14-19 which has attracted 40 of the best artists of this genre, many of whom spend the summer on a circuit from scenic spot to scenic spot.

   Alameda is among the popular sites because of the abundance of visuals we have. In past years, artists have delighted in our opulent gardens leaning over fences, our picturesque Victorians, the San Francisco skyline, our many waterways (bay, estuary, lagoon), expansive beachscapes, the muscular ships at the Naval Air Station and unique storefronts revealing our ethnic diversity and cherished history. Not everyone gets to live in a town as visually rich as Alameda, but we do.

   Pride of place will soon start appearing all over town in the form of signs in front yards. These blue and white signs show the figure of a Plein Air painter on an island confronting his easel. The signs represent not only support for the event but also, serve as an indication that the residence is available for portraiture.

   If you have ever wondered how "they get it to look like that", this is your opportunity. Our community is welcome to hover and watch as a real live artist makes magic with pigment. It’s a transformative experience for children to see a few brush strokes become a ship, a window or a walking figure. With a bag lunch and a map, a July day could become extraordinary.

   The week of painting culminates in a blockbuster exhibit where citizenry exclaims "I know just where that is!" Go to the FBCA website for more information about the event, the calendar of activities, how to get a sign for your yard and ways to become involved in this fun and unique community happening.
 
www.frankbettecenter.org
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