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boardwalk arch at ocean city md boardwalk

Plein Art Artists Paint OC

One of the most colorful events to hit Ocean City, Maryland will arrive in August and if you have even a passing interest in the arts then you should make plans to come along and experience it.  The Plein Air Artists Paint OC event is an annual event which draws artists from all over the world and takes place over a five day period.  Although registration for the 2017 event is now full you can still come along and be a part of the experience, and perhaps be inspired to take part in 2018.

Each day of the event will see artists gather in Ocean City to set up their easels and create using a whole host of different materials from paints to pastels to pencils, before returning to the Center for the Arts in Ocean City at the end of the day to display their completed works.  The whole of Ocean City is open and available to the artists so even if you have missed your chance to register for this year’s event, it can still be a fun experience to book one of the hotels in Ocean City Maryland and head down to the Boardwalk, the beach or the harbor and watch the artists at work.

In fact, on Sunday 13 August there is a quick draw competition which is almost certainly worth watching in which the artists gather on S.Division Street and have around two hours to complete a piece of artwork before returning to the Boardwalk where the works of art will be judged.  This artwork will then be available for sale.  There are numerous other awards available throughout the event and it is also possible to purchase other completed works of art from the two classrooms at the Center for the Arts.

Ocean City could not be a more inspirational place for artists to gather with a whole wealth of material and landscapes to choose from; whether it be the sandy shores and the rolling waves, the diverse range of shops and the historic Boardwalk or simply the vast open space which gets those creative juices flowing, there is plenty to love and appreciate here.  If you are a tourist to the area then it might also be worth seeing which works of art are available for sale and perhaps purchasing one to take home with you, to remind you of your trip to Ocean City.

The Art League for Ocean City is the host for this exciting event and is well worth visiting even if you can’t make it down for the Plein Air Artists Paint OC spectacular.  This building features a large two-story gallery, a pottery studio, classrooms, an art library and five working artist studios.  The galleries here display works from regional and local artists which are changed and updated monthly.  They also offer workshops which take place on a regular basis and are ideal for budding artists of all ages and skill levels as well as a summer art camp program.