The 4th Annual “Local Color” Exhibit and Sale will be held in the Gold Room of the Tidewater Inn, located at 101 E. Dover St. in historic downtown Easton, from Friday, July 23 through Sunday, July 25, 2010. Local Color is sponsored by the Working Artists Forum, and is a primary component of the 6th Annual Plein Air–Easton! Competition & Arts Festival. The show includes paintings in oil, acrylic, watercolor, and pastel. Local Color is a juried and judged show open to artists residing on the Delmarva Peninsula and to members of the Working Artists Forum.

The following artists will participate in the Local Color show:
•    Maureen Bannon (Stevensville)
•    Leslie Belloso (Salisbury)*
•    Jane Bollman (Easton)
•    Carole Cascio (Stevensville)
•    Katie Cassidy (Easton)
•    Fred Craig (Oxford)*
•    Geraldine Czajowski (Grasonville)
•    Lee D’zmura (St. Michaels)
•    Perry Foster (Oxford)
•    Gerilyn Gaskill (Georgetown DE)
•    Matthew Ghrist (Denton)
•    Doris Glovier (Pokomoke City)
•    Linda Hall (Betterton)
•    June C. Hock (Arnold)
•    Marianne Hollis (Easton),
•    Martha Holthausen (Easton)
•     Lynn Johnson Horvath (St. Michaels)
•    Carla Huber (Woolford)
•    Sarah Kagan (Easton)
•    Linda Kirvan (Oxford)*
•    Carole Boggerman Pierson (Towsend VA)
•    Jim Rehak (Seaford)*
•    Doug Sefton (St. Michaels)*
•    Sarah Stolte (Trappe)*
•    Nancy Thomas (Ridgely)
•    Jean Thomson (St. Michaels)
•    James Voell (Tilghman Island)
•    Meg Walsh (Oxford)
•    Bruce Winsor (Easton)
•    Karen Wood (Easton)*
•    M. Joyce Zeigler (Ridgely)
•    Barbara Zuehlke (Easton).

*These eight artists were invited to paint outdoors in the vicinity of the Tidewater Inn at various times during the Local Color show.

The Entry Juror was Stewart White, Grand Prize winner in the 2009 Plein Air–Easton! National Competition. The Awards Judge will be Debra Huse, winner of the Third Place award in the 2009 Plein Air–Easton! National Competition. Awards will presented at a Judge’s Presentation and Reception on Friday, July 23, from 12-1pm. Cash awards will be given for Best in Show, First Place, Second Place, and Third Place.

Throughout the show, Local Color will present painting demonstrations by accomplished national plein air painters. Demonstrations will be held in the Gold Room of the Tidewater Inn. All demos are free and open to the public.

Demonstrations will be conducted as follows:
•    Friday, July 23, 1-3pm . . . “I have Been Blessed with Talent & Passion for Painting” by Debra Huse, Awards Judge of the Local Color Show and Third Place Winner in the 2009 Plein Air–Easton! National Competition. Her bold and colorful work can be seen at www.debrahuse.com.
•    Friday, July 23, 3:30-5:30pm . . . Stewart White, Entry Juror of the Local Color Show. White’s “Early Birds” was the Grand Prize Winner in the 2009 Plein Air–Easton! National Competition. See this award-winning artist’s impressive portfolio at www.stewartwhite.com.
•    Saturday, July 24, 8:30-10:30am . . . “Techniques of the Palette Knife” by Bethanne Kinsella Cople, winner of 2008 and 2005 Plein Air–Easton! Best Pastoral Awards. Coffee and pastries provided. See samples of Cople’s expressive, impressionistic style at http://bethannekinsellacople.com.
•    Saturday, July 24, 2:30-4:30pm . . . Robert J. Barber’s “Lunch at Masons” was the Grand Prize winner in the 2007 Plein Air–Easton! National Competition. This popular painter’s beautiful and meticulous work can be seen at www.robertbarber.com.
•    Sunday, July 25, 1:30-3:30 . . . Gavin Brooks is a sought-after workshop presenter whose “First Light Sailors” was the Grand Prize Winner in the 2005 Plein Air–Easton! National Competition. Brooks is a tonalist who paints in the style of the Post Impressionists. Her work can be seen at www.gavinbrooksstudio.com.

Local Color is free and open to the public. The exhibit will be open Friday, July 23 from 12-6pm, Saturday, July 24 from 10am-6pm, and Sunday, July 25 from 10am-4pm. Sold paintings will be replaced with new ones; be sure to stop by several times throughout the weekend.

Plein Air–Easton! is the work of the Avalon Foundation, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide diversified arts and educational programs that improve the quality of life in the Mid-Shore region. The Academy Art Museum provides an accredited museum venue for the competition exhibit. The event is sponsored by Friends of Plein Air–Easton!, the Talbot County Arts Council, Maryland Public Television, corporate donors, and media sponsors. For full itinerary, artists’ information, ticket sales, and more, call 410.822.7297, email info@pleinaireaston.com or visit www.pleinaireaston.com.