Paint OC Wrap Up
Editor:
Our 18th Annual “Artists Paint OC” plein air festival Aug. 9-13 was another impressive event for us and the town. Thank you to the 50 professional artists who spread out around the resort for five days and created 230 paintings of our iconic local landscapes. And thank you to the 57 youth who painted “en plein air” in July and were part of our first-ever Kids Paint OC Festival.
Our gratitude goes out to our judge, Laura Era of Easton’s Troika Gallery, who awarded prizes to our winning artists and also donated an original custom portrait for an Art League fundraising raffle. And to our sponsors of the festival who provided $6,050 in cash prizes for the artists: Emily and Paul Schwab, Peter Glenville Foundation, Laura Jenkins, Todd Burbage/Blue Water Development, Mapleton Farm/Mechelle and Charles Nichols, Linda and Mike Guerrieri, Shore United Bank, Reese Cropper III, Barbara Frankfort-Kollander Patrick, Maryland’s Coast, the White Marlin Open, and the Ocean City Development Corp.
The Worcester County Arts Council provided cash prizes to our youth Kids Paint OC winners. Thank you, as well, to our special artists award sponsors: Trond Pool Construction for Best Nocturne, Emmy and Ed Challenger for Best Maritime, Royal Plus Electric for Best Use of Light, Ocean City Hotel-Motel-Restaurant Assn. for Best Hospitality, and OC Tourism for the Spirit of Ocean City Award. Our gratitude also goes out to our in-kind sponsors – The Hotel Atlantic of Berlin, The Original Thrashers French Fries, and Jolly Roger Amusement Parks.
We are proud to announce the prize winning artists for “Artists Paint OC” 2023: Dennis Young of New Castle, De., first place, $2,500; Fred Jackson of King of Prussia, Pa., second place, $1,000; John Schisler of Georgetown, De., third place, $500; Jose Ramirez of Secretary, Md., Maggii Sarfaty of Easton, Md., and Nancy Thomas of Ridgeley, Md., honorable mentions, $100 each. Also, David Simpson of Parsonsburg, Md., Best Use of Light, $150; Ed Lewandowski of Bridgeville, Md., Best Maritime, $150; Betty Huang of Easton, Md., Best Nocturne, $150; and Barbara Kern-Bush of Pocomoke City, Md., Spirit of Ocean City, $500.
The winners of Sunday’s “Quick Paint” on the Boardwalk with awards presented by Zachary Bankert of the Ocean City Development Corp. are: Dennis Young, first place, $300; Rajendra KC, second place, $200; Fred Jackson, third place, $100; and Will Schulze, honorable mention, $50.
The winner of the Kids Paint OC event in the age 6-9 category are Owen Schisler, first place; Tobias Blaska, second place; Nicole Sebastian, third place, and honorable mentions Rosemary Williams, Taye Olibah, and Cassidy Jones. Ages 10-12: Faith Ford, first place; Ellie Hall, second place; Kaitlyn Guertler, third place, and honorable mentions Lucy Parks, Eli Parker, and Benjamin Gannon. Ages 13-17: Sydney Parker, first place; Madison Guertler, second place; Glenna Barnes, third place, and honorable mentions M.G. Barnes and Lyla Roberts.
And another big thank you to the art lovers and art collectors who came out to support the artists and purchase their work during the Wet Paint Sales. The best of the plein air paintings will be on display and available for purchase at the Ocean City Center for the Arts on 94th St. through September. The raffle for Laura Era’s custom portrait continues until the drawing on Sept. 30.
Laura Jenkins
Rina Thaler
(Jenkins is the chair of Artists Paint OC and vice president of the Art League of Ocean City. Thaler is executive director of the Art League of Ocean City.)