Announcing: 2023 Plein Air Festival

Published July 8, 2023

We’ve Got Wonderful News For You!

Because last year’s International Watercolor Society (IWS) Plein Air Festival was so successful, we are doing it again this year – only bigger and better!

The dates for this year’s Festival are Friday, November 10 – Sunday, November 12, so mark your calendars now! And this year, our homebase will be the Fabrica Aurora, and all registration, exhibitions, demonstrations and events will be held at the Galeria San Francisco there, which will offer much easier access and parking for everyone!

Plus, this year we will be expanding the number of participating artists from 30 to 40 — and our prizes will be even better!

Just like last year’s Festival, there will be demonstrations on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. And the Awards will be presented at the end of the Festival on Sunday.

We are currently in the process of updating our website, but by mid-July, you’ll be able to review this year’s schedule on our website: www.iwssma.org

And we’d like to invite you to participate either as an artist, or volunteer!
We will need a few volunteers over the course of this year’s event:

On Thursday, November 9th, we will need help with artist registration — and with the Opening Night Gala reception.

On Friday, November 10th, we will need a few volunteers at San Miguel’s wonderful botanical gardens, El Charco del Ingenio, to assist artists while they are painting, and to assist with the demonstrations we’ll be having there. We will also need a few volunteers in the Galeria San Francisco to help frame and hang paintings that afternoon.

On Saturday, November 11th, we will need volunteers at the gallery to frame paintings and display art works, to assist with demonstrations and later that evening, to help out at our Gala Reception at Bill and Howard’s lovely home, Piedras, in Atascadero.

And on Sunday, November 12, we will need volunteers to frame and help with displays, and to assist with demonstrations and help during the judging and awards ceremony.

If you would like to help us on any or all of these days, please email us back and tell us your volunteer preferences. It’s lots of fun to show off our beautiful city to these visiting artists, many of whom come from the US, Canada, Mexico, and afar! Just ask anyone who volunteered at last year’s Festival!

We want and need your help at what has now become an annual event that celebrates San Miguel, watercolor, and the universality of art, so please let us hear from you!

Best,

Linda