North Carolina Plein Air Art Festival

The 4th Annual North Carolina Plein Air Art Festival in New Bern begins Sunday, May 12, and continues through Sunday, May 19. The eight-day Festival showcases 35 nationally and globally acclaimed plein air artists, including newly juried painters, joining award winners and top performers from 2023’s Festival. Open daily to the public at the Farmers Market Gallery.

“The term ‘plein air’ is French and means ‘open air’,” said Kippy Hammond, Festival organizer. “Plein air painting can be traced back to Impressionist artists such as Monet, Renoir, and Degas – painting outdoors and capturing fleeting moments of light, color, atmosphere, and the mood of a scene, rather than detailed representations.”

Please see website (add link) ncpleinair.org for details on artists, demo schedules (see daily schedules for exact locations) workshops, ticketed Collector’s Preview, and events in Oriental and Beaufort.