Louisa Lorenz from Bountiful, Utah explains her technique to admirers at a “quick paint” plein air competition in Capitola Saturday afternoon. The competition was part of the annual Capitola Plen Air art festival hosted by the Capitola Arts and Cultural Commission. (Aric Sleeper/Santa Cruz Sentinel)
CAPITOLA — The annual Capitola Plein Air art festival, which spanned from Oct. 30 to Nov. 5, included about 40 artists from all over the state and country, who spent a week painting Capitola Village and the surrounding land and seascape “in the open air.”
“We had 70 applicants this year but we could only take 40,” said Capitola Arts and Cultural Commissioner Laurie Hill. “And 35% of the 40 artists that we have are brand new to the event and many are from out of town.”
The annual outdoor art festival is hosted by the Capitola Arts and Cultural Commission and culminates Sunday with an exhibition and sale of the artists’ best works created throughout the competition. Although the big exhibition and sale is held Sunday, the festival included a “quick paint” competition Saturday where the 40 participating artists had just two hours to complete a painting before it was judged and hung up for sale, still slightly wet.
“Today’s event is a sliver of the week-long event,” said Capitola Arts and Cultural Commissioner Jenny Shelton. “They have one canvas and two hours to paint and that really challenges them to make use of time. They have to get the painting hung by one o’clock or it’s not in the competition.”
Chad Hunter of Manteca and his daughter Louisa Lorenz, who traveled all the way from Bountiful, Utah, to join her father in the open air art festival had yet to paint next to each other during the week-long event, but both decided to paint the same scene near Zelda’s for the quick paint competition Saturday.
“We were looking around for a spot and she stopped,” said Hunter. “Then I stopped further down, but I moved back here.”
“He said I want to paint here, too,” said Lorenz. “And I said, let’s do it together. This is our first competition together but we have both done plein air separately quite a bit. It’s been a long and tiring week, but it’s been really fun.”
Hunter mentioned that the quick paint competition has its own unique challenges and forces artists to pay attention to every movement they make.
“It makes every stroke count,” said Hunter. “Tomorrow, it would be great to win an award or sell a painting, but it’s just fun for us to be out here together.”
Local artist Michel Hausman of Hausman Studio in Soquel was using oil paints to capture the liveliness of Capitola Beach during the quick paint competition Saturday.
“I’m really trying to portray the fun that people have when they come to the beach,” said Hausman. “I’m an oil painter, which is a nice medium because you’re able to move your ideas around and if you don’t like it, you can wipe it off and start it over again, so it lends itself to quick painting.”
Redwood City resident Mark Monsarrat, who has participated in the Capitola Plein Air for multiple years, planted his easel farther inland than most and was capturing a street scene in Capitola Village.
“What I love about plein air is that it allows you to travel to beautiful places in our wonderful country,” said Monsarrat. “You get to experience them and paint them, and then to compete for prizes and awards and maybe make some sales is very helpful, too. It’s a tough way to make a living.”
After the two hours were up, the winners were chosen. The quick paint competition includes an artist’s choice award, which went to artist Wendy Brayton along with the award for best oil painting. Artist Najeeb Abdulrahiman won the award for best watercolor and best overall and the award for best pastel went to Joan Hellenthal.
The Exhibition and Art Sale will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at Jade Street Community Center, 4400 Jade St., Capitola. The “best in show” painting will be purchased for $1,800 by the city of Capitola and displayed as part of the city’s public art collection. A $1,000 second place prize and other ribbons will be awarded.
“This event really brings a vibrancy into Capitola,” said Shelton. “All these new sets of eyes come and see our little village from a new point of view.”
More than 100 framed paintings will be on display for the competition, exhibition and sale. The public is also invited to vote for the people’s choice award. The Sunday exhibition will include music by Cement Ship, art activities by Linda Cover and Palace Arts, and food from the Ate3one food truck.
If you go
What: Capitola Plein Air Exhibition and Sale.
When: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
Where: Jade Street Community Center, 4400 Jade St., Capitola.
Cost: Free to attend but the purchase of art is encouraged.
