Plein Air: of or relating to painting in outdoor daylight
Merriam-Webster dictionary
The first of this annual event began last year in 2024. It brought in 13 artists who painted different scenes of our downtown area. The final pieces were judged by Matt Allyn Chapman. The winning artists were Marita Hines, Ellen Pennington, and Kelly Charles. Over $1300 worth of art that was created that morning (in under 2 hours) was sold!
The Basics
- When: Saturday, August 9, 2025
- Registration Location: Mount Joy Borough office building – 21 E Main Street, Mount Joy
- Judging: Mount Joy Area Historical Society – 120 Fairview Street, Mount Joy
- Paint Out Area: The downtown Mount Joy Area. See below for a detailed map.
- Subject Matter: Anything observed within the paint out area. Artists are encouraged (but not required) to paint Mount Joy’s buildings as a way to capture our history.
- Cost: $10 to participate, free to spectate!
- You can register online here or sign up day of event
Timeline
| 8:00am – 10:00am | Registration and setup |
| 10:00am – Noon | Painting |
| Noon – 12:30pm | Return finished pieces to historical society |
| 12:30pm – 1:15pm | Judging and public viewing |
| 1:15pm | Awards ceremony |
| 2:00pm | Pick up all unsold artwork |
Rules for Artists
- Rain or shine! No refunds will be made due to inclement weather. We will have indoor/covered locations available in the case of rain.
- You must be at least 18 years old.
- Be responsible with your painting location:
- Keep to public spaces. Only set up on private property with owner’s permission.
- Do not block traffic (car or pedestrian).
- The creation of the art itself:
- You must begin with a blank surface (canvas, paper, etc.).
- Artwork must be completed “En Plein Air” – creating in the open air directly from the scene as it appears in the moment, without the aid of photographs.
- Work must be started and finished within the allotted 2 hour window (10am-noon).
- Bring your own supplies and equipment.
- Mediums allowed: any traditional 2-dimensional mediums are allowed (charcoal, graphite, acrylic, oil, watercolor, pastel, etc.). No photography or digital art.
- Judging and sales:
- Final artwork must be framed or gallery wrapped.
- Artists are responsible to bring an easel/tripod to present their artwork. We will provide blank labels to attach.
- All artwork must be for sale.
- A 30% commission will benefit the Mount Joy Area Historical Society, a non-profit 501(c)3 organization. Artists will receive 70% of the amount paid for their artwork. The Mount Joy Area Historical Society is responsible for payment of PA sales tax.
- Any unsold artwork that is not picked up by end of event will be considered as a donation to the Mount Joy Area Historical Society.
- The judge’s decisions are final.
Location / Paint Out Area
All art must be completed within the defined green area below. The starting and ending locations are also indicated along with parking lots near each. There is ample street parking in downtown Mount Joy.
Awards
- First Place, sponsored by Time After Time Clocks – $150
- Second Place, sponsored by TBD – $100
- Third Place, sponsored by Ladybug Crossing – $50
Juror
Linda Mylin Ross holds an MFA from Maryland Institute College of Art, an MA in Interdisciplinary Humanities from Penn State and a BS in Art Education from Millersville University. She taught studio art, art education and art history for 25 years at Penn State Harrisburg and curated over 150 art exhibits in the two campus galleries. Prior to that she was the art teacher at Donegal High School for 13 years. She has exhibited her award winning charcoal drawings and paintings widely in regional, state and national juried and invitational exhibits.
Questions/Contact
Sponsors
Time After Time Clocks
Sue Hostetter
Ladybug Crossing
Eberly Designs
Disclaimer
Participation constitutes agreement that images may be used for web and print promotional purposes.
None of the involved groups (Mount Joy Area Historical Society) are responsible for personal injury, illness, or damage/loss/theft of artwork that may happen during this event. Artists must provide their own insurance coverage if desired. In addition, artists are responsible for their own personal safety during the event. Applying for the event constitutes the artist’s agreement with all rules and statements made here.