The public can watch artists at work during the Door County Plein Air Festival. Here's how

FISH CREEK - The Door County tradition of artists taking their gear outside, setting up and painting or drawing the scenes they see in front of them is highlighted over the next week during the 17th annual Door County Plein Air Festival.

From July 23 to 29, 33 nationally and internationally recognized plein air painters will come to the Peninsula not just from Wisconsin and the Midwest but from across the country. They include four winning artists from last year's festival – Best in Show winner Hector Acuna of Wisconsin, Artist's Choice winner Danny Griego of California, Christine Lashley of Virginia and Olena Babek of Maine – as well as 11 artists making their first visits to Door County.

Once here, they'll set up their easels in various locations here and use their pastels, paints, brushes and canvases to create artworks depicting the landscapes, waterscapes, woods, gardens and other scenes at which they're looking.

It's called painting "en plein air," French for "in the open air." And with the artists at work in public spaces, the Peninsula School of Art, which sponsors the festival, encourages people to watch them and interact with them.

According to a press release from the art school, plein air painting in Door County dates back at least to the early 1920s, when professors from the School of the Art Institute in Chicago became aware of the area’s natural beauty and established one of the Peninsula's first art colonies in Baileys Harbor, Frogtown Art Colony. Little evidence of the colony remains, but what has endured is the desire to paint and draw while out in the Door County landscape.

The festival opens with a Small Works Showcase from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, July 23 at the Peninsula School of Art in Fish Creek. Festival artists will have smaller paintings on display, and guests will have the chance to purchase them. Those who purchase a Palette Pass for the festival also can pick up their badges and welcome bags.

Then, the artists go to work, and the public gets their first chance to watch them in action during the Artists Paint Door County sessions. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Thursday, July 24 through 27, artists will be at various locations across the Peninsula for these sessions, which are free for the public to visit. A selection of completed works will be on view in the school's Guenzel Gallery from July 25 through 27.

The special locations for the Artists Paint sessions are:

• Edgewood Orchard Galleries and and The Hardy Gallery in Ephraim, July 24;

• The farmers market at Lakeside Park Jacksonport and throughout Baileys Harbor, July 25;

• Horseshoe Bay Farm, Egg Harbor, and The Garden Door at the University of Wisconsin's Peninsular Agricultural Research Station on the north side of Sturgeon Bay, July 26;

• and Hidden Acres Farm in Sister Bay and throughout Ellison Bay, July 27

Another opportunity to meet the artists and watch them paint is the Sip & Stroll Sunset Paint-Out from 6 to 9 p.m. July 25 in Sister Bay, both downtown and on the waterfront. After they're done, the resulting paintings will go on display on the grounds of the Door Hotel in the village.

The festival closes July 29 with some of its most popular events, starting with the Dockside Quick Paint in Fish Creek. The public can watch as the featured artists have two hours, from 9 to 11 a.m., to capture the scenes of the Fish Creek streets and waterfront and have their art go on auction later that day.

Also from 9 to 11 a.m., children can experience the plein air fun of the Quick Paint by joining the Kids Paint session. Those who want to participate can stop at the art school to pick up a free grab-and-go art kit and get to work, then have that work displayed in a children's gallery. It's free, but supplies are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Wrapping up the festival is the Open Door Celebration from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the school's Guenzel Gallery. All works created during the festival, including the fresh Quick Paint works, will go on display, and guests can view and bid on them in an auction that starts at 12:30 p.m.

For those who want to know more about the art of plein air painting, festival judge Lori Putnam will give a talk on that subject at 3 p.m. July 27 on the grounds of the art school. Seating is limited and preregistration is suggested. Tickets are $10.

While there's no charge to attend most events, several are exclusive to those who purchase a Palette Pass. These include an intimate, afternoon Tea & Talk with the artists July 24 at the school and the Collectors Preview, a sneak peek at paintings with food, beverages, live music and chance to bid on the art from 5 to 8:30 p.m. July 28, before Saturday's auction. Admission to the July 27 judge's talk also is free to Palette Pass holders, and discounts are available to certain establishments during the July 25 Sip & Stroll. Cost of the pass is $170.

For those who want to view the completed plein air works but miss out on the live displays, the festival website will start displaying them July 24 and add to it throughout the week. Also, works that weren't purchased during the festival will be for sale through the website from July 30 through Aug. 13, when the online exhibit will come down.

For a Palette Pass or more information on the Door County Plein Air Festival, call 920-868-3455 or visit peninsulaschoolofart.org/doorcountypleinair. Festival guidebooks also are available at the art school.

Contact Christopher Clough at 920-562-8900 or cclough@doorcountyadvocate.com.

MORE: Door County megadairy gets DNR permission to increase its herd, but not as much as requested

MORE: Check out these 5 spectacular, unique Door County homes and help improve mental health care

FOR MORE DOOR COUNTY NEWS: Check out our website

This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Watch artists at work, outside, during the Door County Plein Air Fest