The Plein Air Affair Exhibit opens September 9 and continues thru Oct 2, 2022. The exhibit will conclude on October 2 with the special Champagne Brunch and Silent Auction.

There’s so much beauty, from 30 miles North to 30 miles South of Gualala Arts Center. Artists were challenged to find a spot—or spots— and paint en Plein Air, and also allow the public to visit them as they paint (from August 23 to September 6). The work coming to the exhibit reflects the places and spaces the artists  selected from our stunning landscape. From ocean to bluffs, rocky sculptured formations, tidepools & sunsets, both trained and untrained artists would find their inspiration: Jenner with its stunning mouth of the Russian River; the view from the outrageous switchbacks just before Myers Grade; Hwy One with its spectacular “High Point” preceding Timber Cove; historic Fort Ross; the Timber Cove Resort’s riveting bluffed isolation with Benny Bufano’s famous statue; Stump Beach and the Bluff Trail (fascinating rock formations, tide pools, and the famous arch); Black Point Beach at The Sea Ranch along with numerous fantastic vistas; Bowling Ball Beach at Anchor Bay; the Light House at Point Arena. Each artist would find their own special location muse.

The exhibit includes cash prizes:

• BEST OF SHOW: $2,500
• FIRST PLACE: $1,500
• SECOND PLACE: $750.00

The Exhibit & the corresponding Silent Auction both open on Friday, September 9, with a reception from 4 – 7 pm. The exhibit (and the Silent Auction) will continue through Sunday, October 2. On closing day (10/2) there is a Champagne Brunch, beginning at 11:30 am, and the Silent Auction will end that afternoon. Tickets to the Champagne Brunch are available online at EventBrite.com.

About the Judges
Gail Wight is a visual artist working across traditional and new media. She holds an MFA in New Genres from the San Francisco Art Institute where she was a Javits Fellow, and a BFA from the Studio for Interrelated Media at Massachusetts College of Art. Wight’s art has been exhibited both nationally and internationally in diverse venues such as the National Art Museum of China, the Natural History Museum of London, the Seville Biennial, and San Francisco’s international airport. Public collections include the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Centro Andaluz de Art Contemporaneo in Spain, Yale University, and the San Jose Museum of Art. Wight has been a Professor in Stanford University’s Department of Art & Art History since 2003, and is represented by Patricia Sweetow Gallery in Los Angeles.

Joe Ferriso grew up in Long Island, NY, and studied art at The Cooper Union. He moved to the Bay Area in 2009 and co-founded an experimental furniture studio, Anzfer Farms. In 2018, he received an MFA from Stanford University. Recently, he moved with his wife, baby, and dog to The Sea Ranch, CA. Working in multiple mediums and disciplines, his artwork explores the numerous uses of paint to excite and connect people.