Artists occupy campus at annual Plein Air Paint Out

The Plein Air Paint Out, a celebration of 40 years of the Homewood Arts Workshops at Hopkins, now christened the Center for Visual Arts, took place Saturday, Sept. 20.

The University was subtly invaded by artists spread across the Homewood campus — some staking their claim to the Beach, others to the Sculpture Gardens, Wyman Park or the classic Keyser Quad. The invaders were peaceful — thoroughly content to simply document their surroundings and very willing to answer the questions of the prying natives.

From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., artists, who were a mixture of current students, alumni and regional painters invited to the event, were strewn all about campus painting the Hopkins landscape. Notably, the Artist-in-Residence for this year’s Paint Out was Raoul Middleman, class of ‘55.

The paintings completed during the day were then sold in the swanky cocktail reception that concluded the night.

As anyone who has ever tried to get into an art class at Hopkins can attest, the Center for Visual Arts has become a popular program. The University further expanded its arts program when it introduced a Visual Arts minor for students in 2013.

The Paint Out’s popularity was also clearly visible in the turnout for the event. There was a seemingly constant stream of students stopping to ask questions of the artists, many of whom were clinging to the maps provided by the Mattin Center. These maps were designed to lead visitors to where each of the artists was stationed.

However, while the maps were a clear indicator labeling people who had made the Saturday morning trek to see art in the making, the maps themselves were next to useless. The artist locations were mere guidelines as many painters were only in the general area that they were supposed to be — moving for better light or a more intriguing angle for their paintings.

Additionally, if you went between the hours of 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.  you were just as likely to find more than one empty space as many of the supposed artists had taken off for lunch.

One of the highlights of the Plein Air Paint Out format was that the artists, unlike artists in a studio, were willing to discuss their techniques and styles in depth with anyone who walked by, regardless of his or her artistic experience. The visiting artists had valuable insight that they were willing to share with students.

One of the biggest questions for someone on a college budget is how to afford to do art as a hobby, and many of the artists this Saturday had valuable insights about how to tackle just such a problem.

For example, students who are taking the Visual Arts minor or are currently enrolled in an art class can borrow some of the larger materials, such as easels, from the department. However, if Hopkins students want to purchase an easel of their own, one artist suggested buying one the way that you would a used car. Look for one that is approximately 25 years old, bought by a grandmother and never used.

According to local Baltimore artist Lorraine Imwold, who works with prints, interested students can buy reams of parchment paper for about $14 instead of paying that much per sheet.

Among the map holders at the Paint Out, there were many other students and community members who simply stumbled upon the event. This was why it was next to impossible to obtain an accurate number of students who attended this event. Many of the students who entered into conversations with the artists were merely on their way to the tailgate and Greek Week games on the freshman quad, on their way to Brody and MSE or even simply cutting through campus on their way to Hampdenfest.

And while not every student stopped to talk, watch or listen, the Hopkins community is better for having such displays and such proximity to art in the making. The Plein Air Paint Out served as a reminder that the Hopkins community has the necessary tools for making art of their own.