It took me 2 years to get here. The timing was really bad last year (2015) that coincided with a workshop that I was assisting in Florence. Same for this year too with the Repin Academy workshop ending on 29 July, but I decided to leave the workshop 2 days early and slip into Art in the Open (AITO). The instructors and professors at Repin were extremely upset I had to leave early, but I wasn't going to sit and wait for 2017's AITO!
After 21 hours of travel and 3 plane rides, I arrived drained in Dublin International. I wasn't quite there yet. I headed for Zone 14 at the Airport (near a church) where I catch the hourly Wexford Bus. The last stretch is 3 hour scenic journey by bus. Thank goodness I wasn't driving! At precisely 9pm, I made my way to the T. Morris Bar for Day 3's BBQ Night. It was a grand welcome with 2 hamburgers and a couple of sausages! :) I was famished.
I began the festival proper on Day 4.
Schedule of AITO 2016
Participants check in at Passage East and get their canvases stamped for the Paint Out
There were at least 150 over painters in this year's festival. This was my morning piece.
See me sketch live!!
Signs throughout tell onlookers what's going on
It's another 90 mins to 5pm (when the bus picks us up) to head back to Wexford
Day 5: Workshop with Marc Delassio at Curracloe Beach. A scene from Saving Private Ryan was shot here.
Back to Wexford to stock up in everybody's favourite Art Shop - Spectrum
Tony and Trish run the shop and they have some of the most interesting finds
Saturday was Quick Draw. About 76 of us took part in this.
They just remind me of the Corrs...
The crew preparing for the exhibition in the town Old Library
In between paintings, I'd be documenting the town in ink. Love this building called the Greenacres Restaurant which serves food and has an art gallery too.
I love Premier's Fish and Chips - sold this sketch.
When in Ireland...
:)
Here's a sketch at live at one of the pubs in Wexford.
Great painting locations (minus the July rains), great people, great art. I definitely would like to return here God-willing. It's just that many things happen during the summer so I have to choose wisely. If you are interested in Plein Air and whether you ink, oil, watercolour or pencil, this festival is worth getting to. Google search "Art in the Open, Wexford."
For more of my daily oil postings, go here:
For more of my daily ink sketches, go here:
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