Professional artists from across the region will soon be scattered about the county, painting the picturesque beauty of the north Georgia mountains.
Gilmer Arts is hosting their 11th annual “Plein Air, Art in the Mountains,” that ends with a chance for people to purchase the paintings at auction.
The four-day gathering of artists painting landscapes outdoors, at a variety of Gilmer locations they can choose from, begins Thursday, May 15, and ends Sunday, May 18, with the auction.
The 10 hosted sites that up to 40 artists can paint at include Engleheim Vineyards, Mountain Valley Farms and Ellijay River House B&B. Volunteers at each site will cater to the artists, making sure they have whatever they need as they focus on painting.
“Not counting our advanced planning, which has been a couple 100 hours, we have over 200 hours of volunteer effort during that three-day time period, so that’s the most exciting part [of my role] is just getting to know people,” volunteer coordinator Randy Simpson, who’s been making the annual Plein Air happen for almost a decade, said.
Events over the weekend include a workshop taught by Joseph Basco, Plein Air’s “best in show” winner in 2023, as well as an optional Quick Draw competition at Hidden Valley Sunday morning, judged by oil painter Michael Mills.
“Some of these artists I’ve worked with now for eight years, others are new so they rotate in and out, and it’s really a pleasure to get to know them,” Simpson added.
Before the final auction, paintings completed through the weekend can be viewed at Gilmer Arts’ gallery. If someone falls in love with a painting, they can purchase it for a buyout price before it goes to auction, he said.
The Plein Air auction will be at the playhouse, located at 135 Dalton Street, from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, May 18. There will be a food truck as well, where people can purchase refreshments as they work to claim their favorite paintings.
“The auction is a great and exciting event,” Simpson said. “Sign up, get a number, if you see something you like, bid on it. It’s a lot of fun … We always have an outstanding selection of paintings to be auctioned to the public, so we encourage people to attend.”
Each painting will be displayed on panels and presented on stage before being awarded to the highest bidder. Interested buyers can look forward to pastel, watercolor, oil and more mediums showcased at the auction.
Participating artists are able to enter their Quick Draw work, as well as two other paintings completed during Plein Air, resulting in up to 120 pieces of art for sale. At the auction, “first place” in the Quick Draw and “best in show” cash prizes of $500 will be presented to the two winning artists.
In previous years, novelist artists at the beginning of their career sold paintings at auction for around $50, while seasoned professional’s work could go for more than $1,000. Simpson said the average sale is around $200 to $300. They get 65 percent of commission for their work that’s sold, 35 percent is kept by Gilmer Arts.
Besides benefiting artists, Plein Air is one of Gilmer Arts’ major fundraising initiatives, where the money raised will go toward renovations for the new gallery being built next to the playhouse along Dalton Street.
“We hope to have that open sometime in late 2026 if we continue to get the funds raised through the billing campaigns and in special events like this,” Simpson noted.
Last year, Plein Air raised about $15,000 for Gilmer Arts. Simpson believes they’ll be able to raise even more this year for the gallery.