The fifth annual Waldoboro Paint the Town is Sat., Aug. 21, and for the first time, the event features a sell-out crew of 45 artists from around New England.
The artists will spend Saturday on location painting views of Waldoboro. Their productions will be auctioned off that night at the VFW Hall on Mill Street in Waldoboro starting at 7 p.m.
Beginning at 6 p.m., there is a reception and a chance to meet the artists and view their work. According to insiders, there will be a surprise event at about 6:50 p.m.
For each piece sold, 75 percent of the sale goes to the artist – much more than artists normally receive for their work.
The rest of the proceeds from the event are divided equally between the Medomak Valley Community Foundation, the Medomak Valley Land Trust, The Waldoboro Library and the Waldoboro Lions Club.
“This is an opportunity for artists to paint at venues that they might not otherwise have access to,” said John Blamey, who founded the event and will likely make an appearance at the auction. “It also puts Waldoboro on the map as a place to come paint.”
The auction, which everyone involved agrees is a highlight of Paint the Town and is generally a good time, attracts a variety of different people.
There are locals, who come out to support the nonprofits and mingle with friends and meet the artists, but especially in recent years, the auction has also attracted some serious collectors, said Charlotte Davenhill, owner of Tidemark Gallery in Waldoboro.
Tidemark is currently hosting a show featuring paintings by the artists participating in Paint the Town.
“Everyone’s there to enjoy company and have a chance to get a great deal on some really great art,” Davenhill said.
For collectors, Paint the Town is a rare opportunity to buy truly fresh art.
Traditional wisdom, said Jefferson artist Carol Wiley, is that even at a fresh-paint event like Paint the Town, all art should be matted, framed and generally as finished at possible when it goes up for auction.
“Just a tip for the artists: From my experience at Paint the Town, the collectors really like to see the art untouched and completely new,” Wiley said.
When the artists arrive Saturday morning, they will be shown a variety of views throughout Waldoboro. The Medomak Valley Land Trust works with landowners to get access to private property and provides guides to show the out of town artists around.
Many of the artists will choose a view that day, but some artists, like Wiley, choose their own venue prior to the event.
“It takes some of the guess work out, knowing where I’m going to be and what paints to bring,” Wiley said.
This will be Wiley’s fourth year participating in Paint the Town as an artist, and the second year that she’s worked organizing the event. Wiley is the contact point for artists from the time they sign up until they set out to paint.
“This has really become a significant event for both Waldoboro and the artists that participate,” Wiley said. “For artists, it’s about the camaraderie with the other artists.”
Paint the Town is an event that celebrates artists and is designed and carried out with artists in mind. Artists work mostly in seclusion, and Paint the Town is a rare chance to paint alongside other artists, Wiley said. “For most, the 75 percent is a nice surprise and a bonus,” she said.
As an artist, Wiley said Paint the Town is successful because it’s such a well-run event. For a $20 sign up fee, artists get breakfast, lunch and the opportunity to paint in a new place or an old favorite.
“You leave at the end of the day feeling good about yourself as an artist,” she said.