Painters gather in Converse this weekend for biennial competition, sale

Sep. 23—CONVERSE — Painters have been trickling into Converse this week to capture autumn's first golden and burnt sienna leaves on their canvases.

Their work will be on display Saturday afternoon for First Brush of Fall, a biennial painting event organized by Converse art lovers in conjunction with the Indiana Plein Air Painter Association.

Although the paint out is advertised as a one-day event, the artists have begun rolling into town as early as Wednesday in recent years, hoping to scope out locations.

Avon Waters, one of the event's founders, took visiting painters for a ride in Mississinewa Lake on Friday.

"They'll get a look unavailable to other artists," Waters said.

With a pontoon full of easels, brushes, markers and pastels, the group hoped to capture scenery that would otherwise be inaccessible.

It was a fairly connected group. Some had been painting with each other for decades.

Disembarking, the group cracked jokes. A few sang the first few lines of a shanty.

Pointing toward the forest-filled shore, Waters told the painters the surrounding area was once farmland. He also noted the highway was about a mile away, making it a difficult location to paint for those who didn't have boat access.

Setting anchor in Liston Creek, the artists got to work — tripods were unfolded, some rough draft sketches were made and a few of the artists took photos in case they needed to finish the painting on land.

They had just over an hour to paint the scene. Waters planned on taking them to another cove for a second painting.

Although Waters is an artist, he decided not to bring a canvas for the boat outing — he wasn't sure if he'd be too busy keeping an eye on the boat. Instead of painting, he supplied the group with a jazz playlist and conversations.

Sitting toward the front of the boat, Rick Wilson started with a few dark, wavy lines. As time moved on, a few artists who were able to see his work complemented his methods — the clear sky was quickly filled in and peaked between branches of trees with a few brush pokes.

By the end of the hour, his work was signed and tucked neatly away.

Wilson explained he started painting when he was a child and always preferred nature scenes.

Waters said he had been hoping to take a boat-full of painters out for years. This year was the first time he had the opportunity to do so, thanks to the donations of other artists.

"I hope this is worth it," Waters said. "I hope I didn't waste anybody's afternoon."

Looking out toward the opening of a river, Wilson told him, "This is already worth it."

Jeffery Baumgartner, another artist on the boat, explained events like First Brush of Fall have been increasing in popularity over the past couple of decades.

With events popping up in each state, it isn't unusual for Baumgartner to travel the country with his paint supplies and run into a friend.

"Everybody travels across the country and meets up to paint," he said.

He attributed the rise in plein air interest to Eric Rhoads, publisher of PleinAir Magazine.

Remembering a Rhoads-hosted paint out several years ago, Baumgartner said the spirit of the event was to roll out of bed each morning and paint alongside friends. Drama and worries that would take the painters' focus away from the event were prohibited.

He likened the paint out to First Brush of Fall.

"Sitting in Converse, the spirit is kinship," Baumgartner said. "Hopefully, not competition."

Other than the camaraderie, Baumgartner said he enjoys seeing each of the stylistic differences at the plein air events.

By the end of the first hour, he pointed out each of the artists' work was distinct, ranging in color palates and styles — such as impressionism and expressionism — even though they each had been painting the same scene.

Over the humming and chirping of bugs, Waters explained First Brush of Fall began in 2015 when the Indiana Plein Air Painter Association was looking to set up events north of Indianapolis.

Other than growing and becoming a biennial event, rather than annual, it hasn't changed much, Waters said. A handful of farms that allowed artists to paint on their land the first year still bring out antique farm equipment whenever First Brush of Fall comes along.

He predicted somewhere between 50-60 artists come to the Converse paint out, sometimes arriving from other states.

Professional and amateur artists display their work alongside one another's during a Saturday judging competition. Five unranked winners will be awarded $500 at the end of judging.

Most of the painters also sell their work Saturday afternoon, Waters said. He predicted there would be at least 100 paintings to choose from.

Moving to their next location, a dune-like bit of land that jutted out across from the marina, the pontoon painters spoke over the humming motor and splashing water to compliment each other's work.

James Bennett III can be reached at 765-454-8580 or james.bennett@kokomotribune.com.