In plein sight: Artists working outdoors have until Saturday afternoon in Swope competition

Jun. 22—Art is usually not created on a deadline.

The Swope Art Museum is upending that time-honored verity with its first annual William T. Turman Plein Air Competition, a three-day event that began Thursday.

All artists must complete their work by Saturday afternoon, when juror John DenHouter — who oversaw a plein air painting workshop at the Swope earlier in June — will announce the winners.

Plein air painting essentially became an art form with the introduction of French Impressionism in the 19th century. Artists who were fascinated by the way sunlight played on surfaces began to paint "en plein air" — French for "in the open air."

Swope Art Museum Curator Amy MacLennan first experienced a plein air competition at New Harmony's First Brush of Spring event.

"It was just so picturesque — the whole town was just dotted with painters and their easels," she said. "I just fell in love with it."

As director of a gallery in Lebanon, Illinois, she created an annual summer plein air event called Get Out Paint Out.

"I really love plein air because it is very picturesque," MacLennan said. "I love to see the artists out painting, I love the community interaction with the artist. It's a good way for the community to get some insights into how a painter was seeing the world."

She also enjoys bringing myriad painters together.

Competitors numbering 35 — ranging from professional artists to newbies who'd never painted — came from throughout Indiana, Kentucky, even as far away as Chicago, to capture images from anywhere in Vigo County.

MacLennan said, "I had one person say to me, 'I always knew where Terre Haute was, but drove through on I-70 and just kept on going. This is the first time I've pulled off I-70 to see Terre Haute.' That in itself is one big victory."

All participating artists met at Collett Park for a pizza party and to share their work with one another.

"They've made another connection," MacLennan said. "This is kind of wildly successful for a very first time."

Her husband, Michael Neary, is participating in the contest, rendering the downtown skyline, including St. Joseph University Parish and the Vigo County Courthouse, as seen from the corner of 6th and Walnut streets.

Neary painted when he originally lived in Terre Haute then moved away for a dozen years before returning to town last November.

"I'm just trying to get my momentum back up and get back into it," he said, adding that he participates in Arts Illiana's monthly events.

Neary said he had participated in about five plein air competitions, but in general never subjects his work to deadlines.

"I would take as long as it took," he said. "This is a little different, it's kind of like a race — you're racing against time limits. But still, it's fun."

Michael Tingley, former director of Arts Illiana, bicycled past Neary, toting his art supplies in his backpack.

"You're already done!" Tingley marveled at the landscape Neary had begun less than two hours earlier.

Tingley was on his way to a downtown parking garage.

"You've got a nice shady spot," he told Neary. "That parking garage is like an oven. It was a crazy choice."

Participants paid a $40 entry fee (free for members of the Swope and Indiana State University students) to compete for prize money — $1,500 for first place, $1,000 for second place and another $2,500 whose distribution hadn't been decided by Thursday afternoon.

The winners' works will be displayed at the Swope July 14 through Aug. 20. Other paintings in the competition can be seen at Arts Illiana July 14 through Aug. 19. All will be available for sale.

The event is named after William T. Turman, who headed the art department at what is now ISU for 40 years, influencing young artists and art teachers and creating his own works, which sold for as much at $5,000. Turman died in 1960.

David Kronke can be reached at 812-231-4232 or at david.kronke@tribstar.com.