Capitola Plein Air Art Festival: 2018

This fall, forty professional artists will arrive in Capitola to paint the town … literally! It’s Capitola Plein Air 2018, back for its fourth year! Artist set up their easels on the wharf, shore, and streets of our beautiful town, to paint live for three days. You’ll find hundreds of paintings on display, for sale, and entered into competition on Sunday, Nov. 4. Then you can take home a piece of Capitola culture, vote for your favorites for the People’s Choice Award, have a delicious meal from the food truck, or get creative and make some art yourself!

Watch Them Paint

Forty professional artists set up easels all over Capitola, painting for three days (Thursday, Friday and Saturday – November 1, 2, & 3) in the open air. Working in oil, pastel, watercolor, and gouache, the artists capture moments in time, changing light, and beautiful scenes both dramatic and simple.

On Saturday, November 3, the public is invited to take a stroll from Depot Hill, down to the village, onto Capitola Beach, along the Esplanade, Wharf, and Riverfront to catch the artists in action. They will all be out painting during the hours of 10-2, rain or shine.

About a third of the artists participating live and work in Santa Cruz County, including some local favorites — Marie Gabrielle, Mike Bailey, Maggie Renner Hellmann, Charles Prentiss, Ed Penniman, Sally Bookman, and others. 2017 Grand Prize winner, Wendy Brayton, from Petaluma, will be competing again this year. A complete list of participating artists is on the Capitola Plein Air website (capitolapleinair.com).

Exhibit, Competition and Sale

On the fourth day of the festival, the hundreds of paintings they have created are on display and for sale during the exhibition at New Brighton Middle School Performing Arts Center from 11-4 with free admission.

Those who come to the sale get to vote for the People’s Choice Award, view and purchase their favorite (and possibly award-winning!) artworks, and meet the artists.

Noted pastel artist Terri Ford will be judging the competition, with the top two winning artworks purchased by the City of Capitola for their public art collection. The Honorable Mention, People’s Choice, and Artists Choice award winners will be for sale to the public.

Make Art

Linda Cover, who’s Watershed Arts (at the Tannery in Santa Cruz, see lindacover.org) providing art classes for kids and adults, will be facilitating an all-ages, hands-on art project to take home. Her projects have been a hit every year!

Music And More

The trio Acoustic Madness (@acousticmadnessmusic) will perform an eclectic blend of music during the Sunday exhibition, covering rock, pop, country, folk and alt-country favorites. A Mediterranean -inspired menu for lunch and treats will be available from Zameen food truck (zameencuisine.com).

Nov. 3 from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. will be the peak hours for viewing artists in action throughout Capitola. The exhibition, competition and sale at New Brighton Middle School Performing Arts Center 250 Washburn Ave is Nov. 4, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

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The Capitola Plein Air Art Festival is a free event, presented by the Capitola Art and Cultural Commission. For more information, go to capitolapleinair.com