Featured Artists Paint in Featured Locations
Over 30 juried artists will be painting throughout Talbot County creating work en plein air.
Monday-Wednesday Plein Air Easton artists will be divided across 4 locations – Easton, Tilghman, Oxford and the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. Painting on their own schedules and capturing the landscape as it inspires them; consider spending these days choosing one of these picturesque places and take the time to explore them and support their local businesses on your own and at your own pace (while using all of your good social distancing practices). You will likely spot artists at work along the way!
Hoping to catch a specific painter? Check out the schedule where each one is encouraged to paint! Learn more about each place below and reach out to Talbot Tourism and Economic Development for advice about how to enjoy your time.
Easton – The home and heart of Plein Air Easton and the Avalon Foundation, the town is as sophisticated as it is lively. Tour the freshly restored Art Deco, Avalon Theatre, a world-class performing arts venue.
Renowned art galleries and impeccably curated museums make Easton the heart of the Eastern Shore's arts and culture scene. This mini-metropolis draws international artists, musicians and cultural connoisseurs to a series of acclaimed festivals each year. And it's a foodie town to boot, chock-full of hidden culinary gems. Come for a show, stay for a week. This art lovers' retreat is rated among the Top Ten Best Small Towns and Top 100 Small Arts Communities in America. Opening Monday, July 13 be sure to visit the Plein Air Easton Exhibition Hall.
Oxford - Like an old-fashioned postcard, Oxford is picture-perfect. Surrounded by water with Town Creek to the east and the Tred Avon River to the north and west, Oxford's waterways bustle with the passing of yachts, sailboats, powerboats and its own Oxford-Bellevue Ferry (America’s oldest privately owned ferry route established in 1683). Author James Michener even penned the novel Chesapeake in this peaceful nautical oasis. Take a stroll back in time as you navigate the tree-lined streets, peppered with historic homes and picket fences, charming inns and taverns, and a local ice cream creamery. It's a quiet escape with water views around every turn.
Tilghman - A quintessential historic American working waterfront village, Tilghman Island is just off the beaten path on the southernmost tip of Talbot County. Watermen reign, pristine landscapes abound, and crowds only exist at the annual seafood festivals and docking contests. Nestled between the Chesapeake Bay and the Choptank River, the island offers serene vacations marked by fishing, crabbing, boat rides and relaxation. This waterman's territory brims with unmatched hospitality and is just the place to leave your stress behind — and sample the Chesapeake Bay's best seafood.
Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum – A favorite place for plein air painters. The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels was once the site of a busy complex of seafood packing houses, docks, and workboats. Today, there are 35 buildings, 10 of which house exhibitions that are open to the public. Ten exhibition buildings trace the geological, social, and economic history of the Chesapeake Bay through the age of sail and the steamboat era to the advent of the gasoline and diesel-powered engines. The Museum’s Howard Chappelle research library holds more than 10,000 volumes. The Museum’s collection of Chesapeake Bay watercraft is the largest in existence numbering about 85 boats. Eleven of the collection’s largest vessels are on floating display at the Museum’s docks. The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum is the only museum devoted to interpreting the entire maritime region of the Bay. The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum will offer special discounted $10 tickets for those wanting to explore the museum on the days where Plein Air Easton painters will be at work. The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum is always free to its members.