The Friends of the Walton County Coastal Branch Library are honored to host award-winning artists of the Emerald Coast Plein Art Artists Group from July 11 – August 31, 2023. The Emerald Coast Plein Air Group are artists of all skills and media who enjoy painting/drawing together once a week outside. They all enjoy the lovely Emerald Coast and try to capture some of the essence of it in their painting. Their artwork follows a long history of Plein Air painting across the world. The artists whose work will be on exhibit include the following:
Deborah Scott is a local artist who enjoys painting the lovely Emerald Coast-from the beaches to the flowers. She has been painting for several years and enjoys sharing her work. She has attended several art workshops in the area, and across the southeast. She organizes Plein Air group painting sessions with multiple area painters.
Inlet Beach Artist Stephanie Bloyd derives inspiration from Florida’s natural surroundings. Her love of nature and the outdoors led to a career in natural resources that spanned over 30 years. Stephanie chooses a creative path using primarily oil and acrylic painting.
Stephanie’s artwork has been on display at Synchronicities Art Gallery, The Salt Shed and Company, The Foster Gallery, The Joe Center for the Arts, The Panama City Center for the Arts, and the Mattie Kelly Arts Festival. Her works have been accepted into several exhibits, including the 58th , 59th and 60th Bay Annual Competition & Exhibition, the inaugural Bay Audubon Arts & Photography Exhibition & Competition, the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County’s Juried Members Special Exhibitions, and #ArtCityPC.
John Groan is a self-taught artist living and painting in Destin, Florida. As an adjunct to his career as an executive chef, John began studying art in the mid-1980’s. This endeavor eventually lead to a passion for painting the panoramic landscape, seascapes, still life and urban scenes in watercolor.
His firm foothold in the design elements of traditional painting gives him the freedom and knowledge to confidently pursue his vision of Abstract Expression. His artistic goal, is his words, is as follows: “My goal isn’t the literal translation of the vista in front of me, it is to elicit the emotion and atmosphere of the moment.”
Theresia McInnis, whose studio is located in Santa Rosa Beach, has art currently represented at Artful Things in Niceville, and is featured in the summer rotation of artists at the Foster Gallery in Miramar Beach. With a deep appreciation for landscapes, Theresia Skillfully captures their essence using oil and watercolor. Her artistic journey has taken her on plein-air painting adventures both locally and globally, where she has encountered diverse cultures and breathtaking scenery.
Artists interested in being considered for future exhibits, please contact Dorothea Berkhout at berkhout148@gmail.com.
