Thirteen award-winning artists from across the United States were invited to participate in the Just Plein Fun painting event organized by the Debra Huse Gallery located on Balboa Island. The week-long event culminated on Saturday, August 4 with a Brush Off contest. The artists included: Pierre Bouret, Gavin Brooks, Patti Cliffton, Carolyn Hesse-Lowe, Darrell Hill, Debra Huse, Sally Jordan, Greg LaRock, Terry Masters, Jenifer Prince, Scott W. Prior, and Jim Wodark.
As visitors strolled down Marine Avenue they were treated to a rare glimpse of the island through the eyes of an artist. For those who are not aficionados, Plein Air is a French term that literally means in the open air. It is also a popular expression for artists who paint outdoors.
The fun really began when visitors who wanted to participate were given a Plein Air passport. In turn, they had to obtain a signature from all 13 artists. Once that task was complete, they were entered into a drawing for an original Greg La Rock painting.
The competition for the Brush Off was tough as each artist had only two hours to capture the islands charm by painting local businesses and popular scenes. After time was called, all of the paintings were exhibited at Huses gallery, where visitors could purchase the framed work from the competition and the week.
At the end of the day, Terry Masters emerged the winner of Brush Off for his Balboa Bouganvilla painting. After mounting anticipation, the winner of the passport contest was also announced. Congratulations to Ann Marie Algeo who received her stunning original painting entitled, Walking South Bay Front.
