The community is invited to watch Plein Air Artists capture the beauty of Evanston, purchase art and judge works on the final day of the festival.

The festival takes place over 4 days and follows the general approach familiar to artists participating in local “Plein air “events in the area. Join us at Fountain Square in Downtown Evanston, Sunday, July 17, 1-3p, for Judging followed by Awards and Artist Reception 3-5p.

July 10-16, competing artists will check-in, authenticate up to 5 blank work surface(s) and paint at locations across Evanston. Visit the Google map to track follow painters. Follow @evanston_made on Instagram and Facebook for locations to see and meet painters, follow #evanstonpleinair

Special Events 

  • July 16, 9:30a, Space 900, 816 Dempster St., Artist Talk- “Stepping into the light – Getting started in Plein Air” with Evanston Plein Air Festival Director and Plein Air Painters Chicago Co-Chair Mark Cleveland.
  • July 16, 12-8p, MDM Plein Air Music Festival & Front Porch Concert Series, 600 Main Street Train Station Alley.
  • July 16, 9a-4p, Don Yang and Plein Air Painters at Grosse Point Lighthouse, Lighthouse Beach Evanston, 2603 Sheridan Rd.
  • July 16, 1-5p, Artist Book House Pop Up Shop, Harley Clarke Mansion, Lighthouse Beach Evanston, 2603 Sheridan Rd.
  • July 17, 1-3p, Plein Air Artists Exhibit and Art Sale at Fountain Square in Downtown Evanston.
  • July 17, 3-5p, Festival Judging, Awards and Artist Reception, at Fountain Square in Downtown Evanston.

3 ways you can help make this first annual event a success;

  1. RSVP for free and receive event updates.
  2. Volunteer to help make this event a success.
  3. Donate any amount to support this event! 

Press: Read about this event in the Evanston RoundTable here.

Missed the deadline to register? Fill out this contact form to receive notification of Evanston Plein Air Art Festival 2023! 

2022 Evanston Plein Air Festival Participating Artists:

Kerstin Alischowewski•Scott Lloyd Anderson•Karen Beauprie•Christina Body•Liz Brent•Jaimie Brunet•Pat Brutchin•Kimberly Burnett•Anna Cherkashina•Chloe Chow•Muriel Christensen•Mark Cleveland•Maureen Crowley•Majorie Davidson•Maria Delton•Zarina Docken•Sue Dunmore•John Fleck•Joseph Frey•Chris Froeter•Denise Grossman•Barabara Herring•John Herron•Kuhn Hong•Pricilla Huang•Peter Jablokow•Sarah Kaiser-Amaral•Julie Keating•Laurie Kennard•Richard Laurent•Sachin Mehta•Allison Neggers•Carol Neiger•Deborah Paige-Jackson•Christie Patterson•Joe Patterson•Alvino Perez•Julie Porter•Emmy Savage•Jane Sloss•Ann Spletz•Amanda Brodie Stenlund•Robin Strand•Joseph Taylor•Malik Turley•Willian Turley•RL Weber•Amy Williamson•Jill Zylke 

About Evanston: founded in 1857, Evanston is an historic college town situated on the North Shore along Lake Michigan lending itself to be the perfect place for plein air painters interested in capturing the urban and natural landscape. Just 12 miles north of Downtown Chicago, Evanston is home to Northwestern University and prominently features lakefront views, leisurely parks, iconic downtown blending turn of the century and modern architecture. 

About Evanston Made: (Membership is not required to participate) Evanston Made is a membership-based 501(c)3 nonprofit arts organization in Evanston, IL. with a mission to connect artists and artisans to art enthusiasts and to provide community and professional development to our members to further their careers. Membership is open to artists, artisans, makers who make everything from art to clothes to music.  We also welcome members who are art lovers and patrons who want to help us conduct our mission. evanstonmade.org

Prospectus

Artists are invited to participate in the first ever “Evanston Plein Air Festival” sponsored by Evanston Made Presents.

General Show Description: “Evanston Made Presents” is introducing this first-ever Plein Air Art Exhibit and Sale with the aspiration to establish an annual event which demonstrates the thriving artist community on the Northshore of Chicago. The event will take place over 4 days and follow the general approach familiar to artists participating in local “Plein air “events in the area.

• Dates: July 14th – 17th, 2022

• Painting Location: With-in Evanston city limits Map of Evanston

• Awards/Judging: 6 prizes will be awarded.

o Best in show ($250 and more) will be awarded to the work which best demonstrates a mastery of the medium “en plein air” by our qualified judge.

o “People’s choice: Fest-Favorite” award (Sponsored prizes) will be given to the piece which receives the popular vote during the final exhibition.

o Honorable Mention: 4 Selections for Honorable Mention will be awarded.

Entry Information:

• All prospective participants must apply online. All entrants must submit 2 examples of their 2- dimensional work (like that which they may produce during this plein air event). Urban and natural scenes are suggested, please do not include Portraits, Abstracts or Still life. Deadline for Entries is June 30th.

Painting/Drawing Rules during the Event

• Paintings must be original works executed with pigments: acrylic, gouache, Oil, pastel, tempera, watercolor. No digital art or working from photographs.

• Paintings/drawings are to be executed “en plein air,” from direct observation of any subject matter within the City of Evanston. Eighty percent of all paintings should be completed on-site.

• Artwork (unframed) should not exceed 24” in any direction.

• Beginning July 10th through July 16th, artists must check-in and register up to 5 blank work surface(s) at Blick Art Materials located 1755 Maple Avenue during business hours. Alley Gallery located at 1712 Rear 2, Sherman Avenue during business hours will also be registering work.  Artists should pickup their Info Packet at either location when registering.

• Only paintings with visible registration (on the back of the work surface) will be accepted for consideration in awards and for display.

• Painting may be conducted independently beginning on July 14th and ending on Sunday July 17th at Noon. Artist may “sell directly from their easel” at this time. Displays, booths not allowed.

• Art not adhering to these rules and restrictions will not be considered for admission and exhibition or awards.

Please note: By applying and participating in this event, you agree to allow images of you and your work to be used online and in promotional material. Event Sponsors, Evanston Made and the City of Evanston are not responsible for loss or damage to artwork. Sponsors reserve the right to reject any artwork that does not meet our expectations or conform to the norms of the community.

Exhibition & Awards: to participate in awards activities.

• All work submitted for exhibition should be for sale and will be subject to a 30% gallery fee.

• One or Two (2) completed and framed work(s) may be turned in to the event coordinators at Fountain Square Tent on Sunday July 17th between Noon and 1 PM for display and consideration in the awards event to follow.

• All submitted work must be framed and wired with the artist’s name, phone number, email, artwork’s title, medium, location and selling price on the back of the piece along with the clearly identifiable registration stamp.

About Evanston Made: Evanston Made is a membership-based 501(c)3 nonprofit arts organization in Evanston, IL. with a mission to connect artists and artisans to art enthusiasts and to provide community and professional development to our members to further their careers. Membership is open to artists, artisans, makers who make everything from art to clothes to music. We also welcome members who are art lovers and patrons who want to help us carry out our mission.

BECOME A MEMBER TODAY!

• Evanston Made members may display and sell all work online through Shop Evanstonmade.com #Evanstonenpleinair, (https://shopevanstonmade.org/). There is a 30% commission from sales in the ShopEvanstonMade online store.

• Evanston Made membership is available to artists participating in this event but not required. Membership is available for 1 year at $75. https://evanstonmade.org/membership/

About Don Yang: After 7 years of service in the U.S. Army, he pursued his childhood dream of living as an artist by training at the American Academy of Art in Chicago, where he earned a BFA with honors and later an MFA with emphasis on fine art and traditional illustration. After graduating from the Academy, Don has been teaching drawing, oil painting, and anatomy in and around Chicago for the past 23 years, while operating an independent art studio working as a freelance illustrator. Since 2002, Don has been teaching oil painting, figure drawing, and artistic anatomy at the American Academy of Art, where he is also serving as chairperson of Fine Art Department and Foundations Department. He also teaches a weekly portrait drawing class in his studio at the historic Fine Arts Building in downtown Chicago. Painting outdoors in the Chicago area as well as in his studio, he frequently exhibits his work. His paintings and drawings are collected by art enthusiasts throughout the United States and Europe. https://www.donyang.com/

By applying to this exhibit you have read, acknowledge and agree to this prospectus.