The community-wide exhibition, 'Expressions - en plein air - 2022' will be on display at the ACWL-Nuveen through Saturday, September 10th. This is the fourth year we have called on West Michigan artists of all ages to participate in this exhibit celebrating creating art outdoors. At the ACWL-Nuveen we take the show seriously but lighten up on the rules regarding what is considered "plein air". Many people associate "plein air" artwork with landscape painting - we stretch the rules to include any type of artwork that has been initiated outside. Artists can then fine-tune and finish their work indoors. We admire the determination, patience, and challenges of creating art out in the elements and love to showcase the diverse results. This year's exhibit has a bit of something for everyone. On display is an eclectic mix of imagery and mediums from traditional oil and watercolor paintings, to houses for small garden fairies.
With the help of the public, the ACWL-Nuveen presents four different awards for this exhibit: People's Choice, People's Choice Runner Up, Youth Artist, and an ACWL-Nuveen Award. This year's People's Choice winner was Steve Deupree's oil painting, Two Dunes. Donna Levandowski took Runner Up People's Choice with her acrylic Monet's Garden. There will be two youth winners this year, Anna Blastic's The Closing Carnival, and Maren Brocklehurst's My Family's Grave. Big River Estuary by Jessica Willis was chosen for the ACWL-Nuveen Award. The artwork will be on display through September 10 with a public reception and awards presentation on Friday, September 2 from 5:00-7:00 pm.