Artists Descend on St. George Island in April
In just its second year, the St. George Island Paint Out has quickly garnered the attention of artists and locals alike. This week, we have a guest blogger, Bunnie Ison, the marketing director for the SGI Paint Out. St. George Island Beach Vacations is a sponsor of the event, and whenever someone mentions the Paint Out, we will donate 5% of the rental proceeds back to this great event.
The St. George Island Paint Out is a 501(c)3 non-profit developed to bring art, artists, and lovers of art to the island for a week of inspiration and relaxation as only St. George Island can provide. We call it Painting Paradise because this small barrier island, 3 miles off the coast in the Panhandle of Florida, also known as the Forgotten Coast, is paradise! With natural beaches, no high rises (nothing can be built over 3 stories high), quaint local restaurants and bars, friendly people and happy residents (who wouldn’t be happy here?) we have found our paradise.
Every second week in April we invite plein air artists to enjoy, paint and capture the beauty of our island on their canvases. We choose our artists based on their love of the natural, their love of the unique and their ability to express our beautiful, natural, fun, quirky island paradise through their paintings.
We have a great event planned for this year (April 7-13th). You just may want to shut down that computer, lock your office door, or get off that couch and head for St. George Island!
Watch 18 acclaimed, award-winning plein air artists from 9 states and one international Russian artist painting each day all over this island paradise.
Attend Meet & Greets on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday at 4 different island locations. Enjoy free (yes, free!) appetizers and a cash bar as you smooze with artists and see what is fresh off their easels for the day. For a detailed schedule of all events, click here.
Sign up for one or more plein air painting workshops offered each day by the artists. Take home your own painting of the island to hang behind that couch you are sitting on right now!
On Wednesday, go to Lunch with the Artists and watch as three of them paint in oils, watercolors and pastels. See what medium you like best as you enjoy the Paint Out lunch special.
Wednesday night is the Starry Night Paint Out (think Van Gogh) and all of the artists can be found painting Island Center, on the beach, at the light house or in a restaurant after dark. Restaurants will offer specials and the specialty drink, Paint Out Punch will be available in really cute logo cups! This fun drink will be available at the Meet & Greets as well as at the Lunch with the Artists.
Now for the elegant (in other words no bathing suits and men must wear shirts), the Gala Champagne Reception and Art Show will premier all of the week’s work from the 18 artists. This reservation only reception is your chance to see all of the art first and eat, drink and be merry!
Do you want to know all of the details of the Paint Out Week , see these 18 artists I keep talking about, see actual photos of this 22-mile long natural island? Then you can visit the Paint Out website here or their Facebook page to learn more.
