In light of COVID-19, the 4th annual Paint it Orange Plein Air Paint-out has gone virtual, and statewide! The Orange County Arts Commission and the Hillsborough Arts Council are excited to kick off Paint it NC Plein Air Paint-out starting Wednesday, October 7 and running through Tuesday, October 13. The annual fundraising event will culminate in a virtual exhibit opening to Preview Ticket Holders on Friday, October 16 and will be available for viewing by the general public on October 20.
Follow #PaintItNC20 on social media to follow our participating artists. Scroll down for a list of this year’s artists.
WHAT IS A PLEIN AIR PAINT-OUT?
A plein air paint-out is a competition where artists paint an unlimited number of pieces outside for a set period of time. Typically, artists spend three days throughout the communities of Orange County painting sites of interest. The competition culminates with a juried exhibit and awards ceremony. A Wet Paint Sale offers the public the chance to purchase the artwork.
This year’s event is a little different. Artists will be painting from sites around the state and each will submit up to five paintings for a virtual exhibit opening Friday, October 16. All work will be for sale, and buyers will purchase directly from the artists.
HOW DO I VIEW OR PURCHASE THIS YEAR’S WORK?
The Painting Sale offers a rare opportunity to buy original fine art featuring the places throughout the state that you love. This year’s exhibit will be online, and you can purchase a $25 Virtual Exhibit Preview Ticket to have the first look at this year’s work. The exhibit will be viewable by the general public starting October 20.
IS THIS JUST FOR EXPERIENCED PLEIN AIR PAINTERS?
No! The paint-out is open to anyone who wants to paint outside. If you’re wondering what kind of equipment you need, check out this video of our friend Mike Rooney explaining what to pack.
2020 CONFIRMED PAINTERS

