WindMark Beach Hosts “Great Paint Out”

The St. Joe Company's WindMark Beach community held its annual Plein Air arts event, The Great Paint Out, on May 9-10, at the Gallery in WindMark Beach's Town Center. The event, sponsored by the Gulf Alliance for Local Arts (GALA) and JOE, featured nationally acclaimed artists, who captured the beauty of the Forgotten Coast with paint and canvas.
On Friday evening, May 9, more than 150 guests attended to meet more than 20 artists, and previewed the works of art in the Plein Air JOE collection. On Saturday, May 10, art by local artists was displayed throughout the Village Center. Visitors watched three nationally acclaimed artists - Brett Weaver, Gene Constanza and Diane Scott - paint in conditions ideal for capturing shifting color and light.
"The Great Paint Out is a tradition at WindMark Beach and in Port St. Joe. It's a privilege to be surrounded by the so much natural beauty, and each year we welcome the artists into the community to share it with us. The paintings in the Plein Air JOE collection are proof that Northwest Florida is the ideal location for outdoor painting," said Joe Renfro, VP/General Manager, Gulf County for JOE.
Painting in plein air, or outdoors, emerged in the 19th century, when expanding railroad networks made it easier for French artists to get to the countryside from their city studios. At the same time, the invention of paint tubes made formerly cumbersome paints more portable. With painting directly from nature suddenly so much easier, artists began experimenting with capturing the changing quality of light throughout the day, which led to the impressionist movement.
The Great Paint Out took place at the new Village Center at WindMark Beach, located in the historic town of Port St. Joe off Highway 98, 39 miles east of Panama City and 22 miles west of Apalachicola.