Paint Dexter Festival Kicks Off Tenth Year This Week

By Andy Nixon, STN Reporter

This week, plein air painters will hit the streets of Dexter and the surrounding school district painting outdoors and on location. The event runs Monday through Saturday, with completed paintings for sale on Friday and Saturday in Monument Park. With over 60 professional and emerging artists painting, residents and art enthusiasts will have plenty of options to look at. Mediums painted in will include oil, acrylic, and watercolor.

This will be my first time participating in this event, and I look forward to honing my skills when it comes to painting outdoors. As a fountain pen and watercolor artist, I typically paint in a makeshift studio located in my basement, using photographs I have taken for a reference point. Completing paintings outdoors will be a new experience for me, and one that I am excited to partake in.

The festival begins Monday morning, August 15, with artists checking in at 8 a.m., and then going their separate ways to paint at locations of their choice. A quick-draw competition happens on Friday, giving registered artists three hours to spend on one painting, which will then be judged. Leading up to the festival, residents can submit requests to have artists paint on location at their homes or place of business. A fun and supportive way to have a custom painting done.

On Friday, August 19th, the exhibit opens in Monument Park where paintings will be available for immediate sale between the hours of 2 p.m. and 9 p.m. Each piece of art will come framed and ready to hang, which will save you time and hassle getting your selected painting on display. Friday also includes an artist meet and greet happening in the park between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. On Saturday, the exhibit will continue from 9 a.m. through 8 p.m., with a wine and craft beer reception beginning at 3 p.m. followed by musical entertainment at 6 p.m.

For more information, including the schedule for the public events, visit https://paintdexter.com. If you would like to volunteer for the festival, visit https://paintdexter.com/volunteers/. Be sure to also follow Paint Dexter on Facebook to stay up to date on happenings.