Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail, the Johnston County Arts Council, the Town of Clayton and Portofino Subdivision are sponsoring plein aire events for the month of September 2009, as part of the "Mountains-to-Sea Trail Celebration and Art Benefit".

The purpose of the Celebration is to raise awareness and celebrate the progress of the Mountain-to-Sea trail construction in Johnston County. Portions of existing Portofino subdivision trails which run along the Neuse River will be incorporated into the Mountains-to-Sea Trail system.

Artists are invited to paint outs on Saturday, September 19 and Thursday, September 24 to paint the trails, landscapes along the Neuse River, and other parts of Portofino. A tour will be conducted at 8:00 AM and painting will begin around 9:00 AM. Golf carts will be available to shuttle artists to their chosen locations. Rain dates are Thursday, October 1 and Saturday, October 3. Special arrangements for painting at other times can be made.

The Mountains-to-Sea Trail Celebration and Art Benefit is scheduled for October 18, from 2:00—5:00 PM at the new Portofino subdivision located on Highway 42 East, outside of Clayton, NC.

On October 18, works completed at the paint outs and others* will be displayed in a spacious equestrian center where a silent auction will be held in conjunction with family focused events and entertainment, all scheduled as part of the Mountain-to-Sea celebration. Artists will need to bring display easels for their work along with identifying tags and the starting bid for the work. Results of the auction will be announced at the conclusion of the Celebration (around 4:00 PM).

Please join us for this unique opportunity to paint plein aire, display and market your art work, and support the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. Please call Don Stephenson (919-553-2987) for additional details and to reserve your spot.

*Up to three works per artist may be displayed for the silent auction. Hopefully most of these will come from the paint outs although studio works will be accepted as long as they have a "trails" theme or reflect some aspect of outdoor beauty and the spirit of trails.

Related Links

1. http://www.johnstoncountyarts.org