By Lee Ann Leonard
Pier Park is known for its cornucopia of coastal colors—ocean blues, sunny yellows and calming corals—making it an inspirational backdrop for the “Panama City Beach en Plein Air Festival.” This year, in addition to being a venue, the mall is a major sponsor. The center is committed to supporting the arts and hopes shoppers enjoy watching painters in action as they tackle everything from the PCB Wheel to the iconic archway. Art enthusiasts can question the artists about their techniques and inspiration or inquire about purchasing a piece.
This year’s festival is slated for November 14 through 16 and, like last year, features artist workshops, three competitions, a welcome reception and an awards ceremony. The festival kicks off on November 14 at 8 a.m. with founder Tim Gagnon teaching the unique skill in front of The Grand Pier Park. To fully embrace the festival, a few Pier Park team members plan to participate as students only.
“Plein air painters leave their studios to create art ‘in the wild,’ seeking out incredible landscapes and vistas to paint. I can’t think of a better location for artists to gather together than the “World’s Most Beautiful Beaches,” commented Gagnon.
The competitions—a series of “paint-offs”—happen on Saturday. The event wraps up on Sunday with an awards ceremony at Beachy Beach Real Estate’s Panama City Beach office (17651 Panama City Beach Parkway, Panama City Beach, Florida).
For the full event schedule and to register, visit GagnonAtelier.com. To learn about the latest Pier Park events and community outreach efforts, visit Simon.com/Mall/Pier-Park.
RSS
