Artist Hector Acuna stands with his painting, “Catlow,” the “Paint the Town Barrington!” reception Oct. 9, 2021 in Barrington. Acuna painted as part of the village’s annual plein-air competition where his work won first place and was priced at $1,100. (John Konstantaras / Chicago Tribune)
More than two dozen Chicago-area artists worked in the open air to “Paint the Town Barrington!” during an annual art competition held in the northwest suburb where the creatives recreated local landmarks on canvas.
“Our Plein Air event has grown tremendously in the last several years, and we hear nothing but great things from the community members who see them out and about painting all over town,” village of Barrington spokeswoman Patty Dowd Schmitz told Pioneer Press in an email following the event.
Plein-air is the French term for painting outside in open air. Schmitz said 30 artists participated this year.
For nine days, starting Oct. 1, artists could be seen outside – on street corners, in parks and at other locations – in the village painting. The event was hosted by the Barrington Cultural Commission.
On Saturday, the last day of painting, the artists and their work were on display at Barrington’s White House, where the artwork was for sale. Schmitz said the artists kept the proceeds from the sale. With the event also being a competition, the paintings were also judged.
Read more here.
Leave a Reply