Tomoka hosts 40 for paint out

Ormond Beach Observer
Neighbors

Plein Air Paint Out gave local artists a chance to paint Tomoka State Park last weekend.

BY EMILY BLACKWOOD | STAFF WRITER

Nearly 40 artists gathered at Tomoka State Park last weekend for the first ever Plein Air Paint Out.

Sponsored and organized by the Florida Women’s Arts Association, the paint-out focused on plein air painting, the act of creating art outdoors. Ruth Vines, one of the artists present, said she enjoys this style of art because your scene is constantly changing.

“When you paint in the studio, you have a setup,” Vines said. “But when you’re plein air, you really have to be selective, because there is so much going on. The sun moves, so if you paint the shadows, they move, and they will be totally different in a few hours. You have to paint really fast.”

Florida Women’s Art Association President Gisele Long said this first-time, hopefully annual event brought together an extremely talented group of woman.

“You go out there and you look, and you just see this big giant sea of green, and it can be really intimidating,” Long said. “But there is so much talent in this area. My work is kindergarten work compared to the majority of the women that belong to this group.”