Oil Painters of America (OPA) associate members Martha Ferguson and Gail Beveridge will host the OPA St. Augustine Paint Out on Nov. 12-13 in St. Augustine. OPA is a national organization dedicated to the preservation and promotion of representational art.
Each day, the artists will be seen painting from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at The Collector Luxury Inn and Gardens, the Ximenez-Fatio House Museum and the Castillo de San Marco National Monument. From 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 12, artists will be painting nocturnes at the Bayfront Marin House. Visitors are encouraged to watch and interact with the artists as they paint iconic scenes of the Nation’s Oldest City.
St. Augustine has a storied history as an artist enclave, starting when Henry Flagler built his opulent Ponce de Leon Hotel in the 1880s. He included artists’ studios and brought many renowned artists to the area, including Martin Johnson Heade. Many American impressionists of that era painted in and around St. Augustine, including Winslow Homer, Herman Herzog, George Inness and Louis Comfort Tiffany.
The St. Augustine Art Association was founded by a group of plein air artists. Today, plein air artists remain attracted to the city with its unique architecture, cobblestone streets, lush gardens and ubiquitous historical sites.
The two-day event is free and open to the public. For information, go to oilpaintersofamerica.com.
