The Perkins Cove Plein Air Painting Event in Ogunquit, Maine has quickly become one of the most popular and well-received art world events in all of New England.
And the 2nd annual installment of Ogunquit’s Perkins Cove Plein Air Painting Event (which took place on Saturday, September 10th, 2022) made one fact incredibly clear: While the other culturally important New England art colonies tend to be spoken of primarily in the past tense; The Ogunquit Art Colony continues, after over 100 years, to be one of the most enduring and vibrant creative communities that has ever existed in these United States.
NOTE: Keep reading below for more information on the event + photos by Ginger St. Clair. There are still LOTS more photos + videos to come. Check back soon here + at ogunquitperkinscovepleinair.com to see more! ALSO: Stay Tuned for information about what the organizers of this event are planning for 2023!
DID YOU TAKE PHOTOS OF THIS EVENT: If any of our readers took photos of this event that they would like to share with us to help document + promote this event, send them to me at eric@ogunquitbarometer.com. We will see if we can use them on the official event website + social media PLUS possibly on Ogunquit Barometer, and we will give you a byline with your name!
That’s why any (and every) discussion of Ogunquit’s Perkins Cove Plein Air Painting event should include a heartfelt tip of the hat to artist Charles Herbert Woodbury.
Charles H. Woodbury (July 14, 1864 – January 21, 1940) was an American marine painter who is recognized as the founder of the Ogunquit Art Colony (click here to learn more). In 1896, Charles H. Woodbury and his wife Marcia Oakes Woodbury settled in Ogunquit on five acres of land off of Shore Road overlooking picturesque Perkins Cove.
Charles H. Woodbury established the the town’s first art studio and a summer painting school in 1898 in Ogunquit, Maine. More than 4,000 students sharpened their skills at Woodbury’s innovative “Art of Seeing” outdoor painting class for forty years straight during the first half of the 20th century. It garnered national interest and inspired the formation of the Ogunquit Art Colony that drew some of the most historically important artists from around the world; think of names like Edward Hopper, George Bellows, Robert Henri, and many more
In 1928, Woodbury (along with Gertrude Fiske and a group of other area-artists) founded the Ogunquit Art Association (Maine’s Original Artists’ Group), which is still going strong today at Barn Gallery (just a short distance outside of Perkins Cove) where juried artist-members of the Ogunquit Art Association and friends meet to share exhibitions, programs about art and the creative process, and opportunities to create art.
Present day: Charles H. Woodbury’s impact on Ogunquit is still respectfully honored. As a matter of fact, everyone arriving in Perkins Cove (in the shadow of the Charles H Woodbury studio) during Ogunquit’s Perkins Cove Plein Air Painting Event most certainly saw his image on the promotional materials and signs for the event!
For 2022, Ogunquit’s Perkins Cove Plein Air Painting Event had a completely sold out registration, with over 100 artists participating! The weather fully cooperated – and professional + amateur artists had easels set up all over town, especially in Perkins Cove and along the Marginal Way.
One of the best things about Ogunquit’s Perkins Cove Plein Air Painting event is that it is much more than just a group of painters competing. This exceedingly professionally-organized event is actually an entire day of celebrating the artistic pride and historical legacy of Ogunquit in a very family-friendly way. That’s why this event ALSO pulls in such a large crowd of art lovers who make a full day out of walking the town, watching the artists at work, listening to live music, learning about the history of the town, shopping at boutiques, eating at local restaurants, and so much more!
The organizers of this festive happening planned an impressive slate of events scheduled from dawn to dusk spread across the entire town. Artist Melanie Levitt held a painting demonstration downtown at the Nellie Littlefield Inn. Author Kenney Basset (“Memories of Old Ogunquit”) had a meet + greet in Perkins Cove. Event judge Eric Jacobsen held a painting demonstration on the Marginal Way. There was live music at the Marginal Way lighthouse. There was LOTS of live jazz in Perkins Cove. There was a 9/11 Tribute and local citizens recognition at Rotary Park in Perkins Cove. There was live music in Veteran’s Park downtown. Acclaimed artist David Lussier held a painting demonstration in Perkins Cove (visit the website for David Lussier Gallery). Jay Smith gave an Art History of Ogunquit lecture in Perkins Cove. Then, at the end of the day, there was an award presentation and wet paint sale in Perkins Cove.
Official Ogunquit’s Perkins Cove Plein Air Painting Event 2022 Results:
PROFESSIONAL WINNERS
1st Place: Ken De Waard
2nd Place: George Van Hook
3rd Place: John Caggiano
Honorable Mention: David Lazarus, Christy Hegarty, Jim Laurino, and Thomas Bucci
AMATEUR WINNERS
1st Place: Linda Sullivan
2nd Place: Jake Taplin
3rd Place: Deb Samia
Honorable Mention: Aimee Lapiana, Thomas Carleton, Judith Miller, Rita Pomerleau
The winner of the David Lussier Amateur Award of Excellence goes to Linda Sullivan
MANY THANKS! Join us in extending a HUGE thank you to the artists, participants, and tireless volunteers (especially Jen + Jim Lewer, Ashlee Medina, Amy Fitzgerald Forbes, Perkins Cove 03907, David + Pam Lussier, The Town of Ogunquit, and The Ogunquit Chamber of Commerce PLUS everyone else who helped out) who helped make this successful event happen!
Click any image below for a larger view (photos by Ginger St. Clair)
RELATED: Have you seen some of the AMAZING work and Ogunquit Art Colony history being shared at our Ogunquit Art Colony Facebook Group?
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