"Scenes in the City" Plein Air Festival Sponsored by Falls Church Arts

Description

Artists from the Mid-Atlantic will take to the streets to paint in historic Falls Church when the 2024 “Scenes in the City” Plein Air Festival begins on September 13. The festival concludes on September 28 with competition judging, a Quick Draw contest, and an awards ceremony. This annual event celebrates the art of plein air painting, where artists work quickly outdoors to capture the ever-changing light and atmosphere.
Participating artists have fifteen days to paint their artworks for the competition. Popular painting venues from past years have included the W&OD trail, city parks, Falls Church City Hall, Victorian buildings, Mary Riley Styles Public Library, Falls Church Farmers Market, the State Theater, Tinner Hill Historic sites, Cherry Hill Farmhouse and Barn, and Clare and Don’s Beach Shack.
Artists can register at https://fallschurcharts.org. To enter the competition, participants must have their canvas or papers stamped. Stamps may be obtained during business hours from September 13-27 at Falls Church Arts gallery at 700-B West Broad Street or Art and Frame of Falls Church at 307 East Annandale Road.
Display and judging of the artwork entered in the competition begins at 8:00 a.m. when artists drop off their works at Falls Church City Hall grounds, 300 Park Avenue. A Quick Draw competition, open to all levels and all ages, will take place from 8-11 a.m. Awards for the festival and the Quick Draw competition will be announced at noon.
The Plein Air Festival also includes a People’s Choice Award which is determined by the highest number of votes cast for a painting by the public on the closing day of the festival. Visitors can attend the festival, vote for the People’s Choice Award, browse, and buy the art on display. Paintings that are purchased on September 28 may be taken home at the conclusion of the event.
This year’s juror is Tricia Ratliff, an award-winning Northern Virginia-based impressionist painter. In 2023, awards topped $6,000 and were made possible thanks to a number of local sponsors.
This community-building and family-friendly event is free and is open to the public. To learn more, go to https://fallschurcharts.org.