Plein Air on the Art Walk

Join us for an informal plein air art-making event exploring the wonderful sculptures and nature along the ACWL-Nuveen Art Walk. Located on the Hart-Montague Bike Trail, the Art Walk features 19 public artworks within a 3-mile stretch. The Sailboat/Trees sculpture by George Ramsay located in Covell Park will be our home-base for the event with ACWL-Nuveen providing a canopy tent with coffee, water and snacks. We will kick-off the day with a demonstration by award-winning plein air painter, Eric Michaels - https://ericmichaelsfineart.com/ at 9:00am. After the demo participants will have approximately 3 hours to create. We'll meet back up at 1:15 to share artwork and to draw the raffle prize winners for two Blick Art Materials $50 gift certificates.

We will have an assortment of art supplies for you to experiment with, but we encourage you to bring your own. You'll also want sunscreen, a sun hat, and possibly a chair. While we'll be starting the day at Sailboat/Trees, you are welcome to spread out and find another spot along the Art Walk to create. Take a look at the Art Walk map for inspiration!  

Approximate Schedule:

9:00 - Meet at Covell Park for a demonstration from plein air painter, Eric Michaels.

10:00 - 1:00 - Head out to paint, sketch, and create along the Art Walk. We HIGHLY encourage you to include at least one of the Art Walk sculptures in your artwork, but it is not required.

1:15 - Meet back at the ACWL-Nuveen canopy tent in Covell Park to share your artwork and for a chance to win a $50 Blick Art Materials gift coupon! https://www.dickblick.com/

We'll have a list of local restaurants for you to visit after the event - there are a lot of great options in the White Lake area!

Parking & Accessibility: The best parking will be at the Whitehall Rail Trail Parking lot or the Chamber of Commerce Parking lot (124 E. Hanson St. Whitehall). Sailboat/Trees is situated between the two parking lots linked by a flat paved trail that is wheelchair accessible. Bathrooms: There are porta-johns outside of the White Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, a public restroom inside and behind the ACWL-Nuveen (106 E. Colby St.) and a public restroom just a bit further along the trail behind Montague Foods. 

Following the event, we hope you'll consider including your finished artwork in our annual Plein Air Exhibition, which will be on display at the ACWL-Nuveen from July 26 through August 31. There is no fee to participate! We will have more information about the exhibit at the Plein Air on the Art Walk event. 

Event minimum: 5

Event maximum: 20

About the Demonstrating Artist:

Eric Michaels is a signature member of the Oil Painters of America, the National Watercolor Society, The Pastel Society of America, Plein Air New Mexico and The Outdoor Painters Society. His paintings hang in private, corporate, museum and state collections; including the Albuquerque Museum of Fine Art, the Americana Museum, the Booth Museum, the Haggin Museum, the A.R. Mitchell Museum, the Institute of American Indian Arts, Phillips Petroleum, IBM, Honeywell-Sperry Inc., Puma International and the New Mexico State Governor’s Collection.

Michaels has exhibited at the Royal Watercolour Society in London and has been a regular exhibitor in the Artists of America, the Great American Artists and the “Quest for the West” exhibition at the Eiteljorg Museum.

The most distinctive feature of Eric Michaels's work is its international flavor. The subject matter spans four continents and both hemispheres. Painting in these various locations enables him to achieve an understanding of local light conditions and to participate in the native experience. He is also renown for his epic paintings in both the Historical and Western genres.

Michaels was born and raised in Illinois. His formal schooling concluded with a B.F.A in art. After a short stint as a commercial illustrator, he turned to a career in fine art and now resides in Whitehall, Michigan. Extensive worldwide travel provides him with constant inspiration.

ACWL-Nuveen events are supported by CatchMark Technologies, the Nuveen Benevolent Trust, the Michigan Arts & Culture Council, and the National Endowment for the Arts