Plein Air at the Aboretum A Festival of Art and Nature

En plein air is a French term that translates into "in the open air". And what better place to paint en plein air than at the beautiful State Arboretum of Virginia. For four days, September 18th through 21st, 100 plein air artists from across the region and country will visit the State Arboretum of Virginia at Blandy Experimental Farm to capture the beauty of our many vistas on canvas. The event will culminate with a public festival and art sale featuring some of the award winning plein air art painted during the week, including some novice youth work completed by children in the 5th to 7th grade. 

The public festival will also include food trucks, music, an occasion to mingle with plein air artists, and of course an opportunity to purchase and take home a one-of-a-kind piece of art of your favorite Blandy landscape. Kids can participate in their own Plein Air art at the three Family Art Tables. The FREE public festival will be open from 10 - 5 on Saturday, September 21st, with a wet-paint art sale from 12:00 - 4:00 p.m. that day. *A portion of the art sale will benefit the Foundation of the State Arboretum of Virginia.