Pacific Northwest Plein Air 2010
Invitation to Write
Exhibition Dates: September 3 - 26
Write-Out Dates: August 26 - 30
Write outdoors ... capture the moment before it disappears!
Writers are Invited
Columbia Center for the Arts, located in the heart of Oregon's National Scenic Area, is now accepting applications from writers who want to participate in the annual Pacific Northwest Plein Air event.
Applications will be accepted through August 10, 2010.
About Pacific Northwest Plein Air 2010
Now in its 6th year, Pacific Northwest Plein Air 2010, involves opportunities for both writers and artists.
Writers and artists are invited to spend five days visiting some of the most visually remarkable sites in the Columbia River Gorge, and to put their impressions on canvas and on paper. Following the five-day "Paint Out / Write Out," writers and artists will have opportunities to share their works with the public — writers via a public reading and online anthology, and painters via a month long art show.
An Open Invitation to Writers
As in years past, writers are invited to participate regardless of experience.
Apply Now!
Don't miss this opportunity to be part of a premier event in one of the most scenic parts of the Pacific Northwest. Click for a PDF that provides details on who's eligible, how to apply, and important dates:
Pacific Northwest Plein Air 2010 writer application details and entry form
Gallery Exhibition
The works of artists participating in Pacific Northwest Plein Air 2010 will be on display and available for sale in the month long Plein Air art exhibit at Columbia Center for the Arts, September 3—26, 2010.
Public Reading and Anthology
Pacific Northwest Plein Air 2010 provides an opportunity for participating writers to present their works at a public reading on September 19th, 2010, from 7—9pm. In addition, at least one work from each writer will be displayed at the Gallery Exhibition and included in an online anthology to be launched in mid October.
Plein Air Write Out Locations
Locations for the Plein Air Paint Out / Write Out are listed below.
- Thursday, 26th - The Gorge White House - Hood River Valley
- Friday 27th - Timberline Lodge - Mt Hood
- Saturday 28th -Springhouse Cellar Vineyard - Mosier
- Sunday 29th - The Dalles Mountain Ranch at Columbia Hills State Park - Washington, opposite The Dalles
- Monday 30th - Downtown Hood River
What is "Plein Air" Writing?
En plein air is a French term for painting in the out-of-doors with the goal of capturing a moment—the lighting, the clouds, the mood—as quickly as possible. While plein air painting is popular across the country, Columbia Center for the Arts is (as far as we can tell) the only organization that includes writers.
The idea for writers is essentially the same as for painters: capture a moment before it disappears. Of course, writers are not bound to re-create visual portraits of the landscape—the “moment” might involve other people in the area, sounds or conversations overheard, smells and sensations, or even inner thoughts. The goal is to capture a snippet of time as deftly and quickly as possible and paint a picture for others to “see.”
Previous Plein Air Anthologies
View the online anthologies from 2008 and 2009, which resulted from 5-days of writing "en plein air" at remarkable locations throughout the Columbia River Gorge.
2009 Plein Air Anthology:
Last
of Summer's Sweetness
2008 Plein Air Anthology:
Pears
Like Copper Buddhas
A Painting and Writing Paradise
The Pacific Northwest, and in particular, the area in and around the Columbia
River Gorge, is Plein Air Painter Paradise. It's no surprise that
each year at this time, artists gather here to take in the stunning
beauty of its black basalt cliffs, ribbon-like waterfalls, and lush fir
forests.
The town of Hood River itself is nestled along the Columbia River, and sits between the two snow capped volcanoes Mt. Hood and Mt. Adams ... making it not only an ideal, but also inspirational, host town for guest artists.
An Area of Many Distinctions
Notably, in November 1986, Congress recognized the unique beauty of the Columbia River Gorge when it made it the nation's first National Scenic Area.
In addtion, In 2009, in its sixth annual survey of "Destination Stewardship," National Geographic rated Hood River as one of the top ten scenic areas in the world, on a par with the Bavarian Alps!