It’s no secret that downtown Cary supports public art. From the award-winning and esteemed Lazy Daze Arts & Crafts Festival to permanent and temporary works around town, art is embedded in the fabric of the community.
Over the next several days, artists will take to the streets for Cary Art Swarm, a celebration of what making art really means. The centerpiece of the event is plein air painting, with artists setting up outdoors and in the Cary Arts Center and Fine Arts League of Cary Gallery to paint local landmarks and other scenes in a public setting.
“Art Swarm celebrates the creative process and allows visitors to see artists making their art in the studio and out on the street ‘en plein air,'” says Sarah Redpath, FALC board chair. Visitors can buy art directly from artists or at the sidewalk sale or final exhibit at the FALC Gallery (110 E. Park Street). During the four-day event the public is welcome to sign up for workshops, attend the Thursday Art movie night, a showing of Basquiat at The Cary, peruse the sidewalk sale, and attend the awards reception. Come and get your Art Buzz on at Art Swarm!”
Look for the artists between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, October 14-17. Visitors are encouraged to interact with the artists, observing different techniques from portraiture to abstract painting.
From noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, works created during the week will be available for purchase at the Sidewalk Art Sale outside Vino & Tap.
On Sunday, the FALC Gallery will host a juried exhibition and awards ceremony from 3-5 p.m., free and open to the public.
Want to join the Swarm as an artist? Registration for exhibiting artists closes Wednesday, October 14, at noon, but non-exhibiting artists can register at any time, and all skill levels are welcome.
More than a dozen workshops give experienced and aspiring artists a chance for more hands-on instruction. Examples include:
Transforming Magazines into Art: CitriSolv Image and Mixed Media Creations
Oct. 15, 1:30-4:30 p.m. at the FALC Gallery
CitriSolv cleaner dissolves printing inks, allowing participants to create unique textures, patterns, and effects from recycled National Geographic magazines
Registration fee $65 per person.
Painting a Portrait from a Photograph
Oct. 16, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Cary Arts Center
Learn how to transfer images to paper and canvas, what makes a good photo reference, and the basics of mixing skin tones with oil and acrylics.
Registration fee $125 per person.
Urban Sketching: Character, Conflict, and Setting
Oct. 17, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the FALC Gallery
Use a cinematic approach to create dynamic sketches that tell a story.
Registration fee $125 per person.
