Olmsted Plein Air Invitational | 4/13-4/21 | Atlanta, GA

Spring in the Air

Thirty top tier painters gather in Atlanta to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Olmsted Plein Air Invitational

Each year, a group of select artists from around the country convene in Atlanta to capture the splendor of springtime in the region during the weeklong Olmsted Plein Air Invitational. Taking place April 13 through April 21, this year marks a milestone for the event as it celebrates its 10th anniversary with an exciting line-up of painting outings, competitions, daily talks, demonstrations, receptions and gallery tours that provide ample opportunities to mingle with the artists and learn about their work.

Artists participate in the 2023 Community PaintQuick held in Atlanta’s Olmsted Linear Park.

The invitational kicks off on Saturday, April 13, with a sunrise PaintQuick competition in Olmsted Linear Park, located in the heart of the leafy Druid Hills neighborhood where the event originated, and now a gathering spot for artists and the public during the invitational. Other highlights of the week include painting on the Chattahoochee in nearby Roswell, Georgia; a day at the Atlanta History Center; the BIG Petite Reveal and more.

Richie Vios’ watercolor Ponce Market received the 2023 Award of Excellence

The Olmsted Plein Air Invitational exhibition gallery will open on Tuesday, April 16, featuring 150-plus previously completed works by the artists. Over the course of the week the exhibition and sale will grow to 350 works with fresh paintings added daily. At the end of the event, artists will select their best work and submit it for the competition, which will be judged at the Artist Award Ceremony and Soirée on Saturday, April 20, from 6 to 9 p.m.

Olena Babak, Wild Beauty, oil, 12 x 24"

“The Olmsted Plein Air Invitational is the only top tier show in a major metropolitan area,” says invitational director Phil Cuthbertson. “We have beautiful parks, streams, rivers, vistas and urban settings. Plus, it will be spring and there is no place lovelier than Atlanta in the spring.”

For a detailed schedule of events, visit www.olmstedpleinair.com. —