by Max Marbut
Staff Writer
About 50 artists from throughout the Southeast are coming to Downtown, Springfield and Riverside next week for a celebration of painting and Jacksonville’s historic heritage.
“Paint Up Downtown” is the second annual edition of the North Florida Land Trust’s “Painting the Region” program. It allows artists to experience the outdoor assets available and create their own impressions on canvas.
The land trust’s mission is to conserve scenic, natural land in seven Northeast Florida counties for future generations.
For the public, the event is an opportunity to watch an artist at work, visit a gallery full of new art at the Landing and purchase a painting. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the paintings this year will benefit the land trust and the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville.
“It’s a one-of-a-kind event,” said Cultural Council Deputy Director Amy Crane. “The artists will be working in areas with historic importance and they’ll reflect and react to what’s right in front of them.”
Unlike working in a studio, the artists will use a technique called “en plein air,” which is French for “in open air.” Impressionist painters Claude Monet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir used the technique and much of their work was done outdoors.
Artists will set up their paint boxes and easels and most will finish their painting before they pack up their gear and head for the next location. Last year, the focus was on St. Johns County and 250 canvases were painted during the event. This year, the artists will spread out through Downtown and its historic surroundings.
“Springfield and Riverside were the suburbs of Jacksonville in the early days,” said Emily Lisska, executive director of the Jacksonville Historical Society. The city’s first streets were laid out with a rope tied to a bay tree between what are now Newnan and Market streets, making the urban core a great choice for this year’s “Paint Up” event, she said.
“Downtown has so many historic buildings and churches. The artists will be using the structures as a backdrop, but they’ll also capture the open spaces,” said Lisska.
Painting will begin Oct. 4 and the North Florida Land Trust Gallery at the Landing will open to the public with a reception during the Oct. 6 First Wednesday Art Walk.
Other programs scheduled for the week include a Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce All Councils mixer Oct. 7 at the gallery. There will be an Environmental Family Festival at the Landing during the day Oct. 9-10 and a ticketed “Monte Carlo Night” in the gallery the evening of Oct. 9.
“It’s a way to use art and culture to preserve more land and a way to get people to come Downtown to see the artists’ work,” said Crane.
For the complete schedule of events and to find out how to commission a painting or host an artist for the week, visit www.paintingtheregion.com.
356-2466