The Experience, Alameda: Frank Bette Center for the Arts Plein Air Exhibit

Plein air painting—French for ‘open air’—is the practice of creating art outdoors, directly from life. Rather than working from photographs or memory, artists respond in real time to shifting light, moving clouds, and the energy of a place as it unfolds.​

40 artists descended upon Alameda for a weeklong plein air painting competition, bringing their easels to capture everything this city loves about their community. Artists painted across the island, drawing inspiration from Alameda’s Victorian homes, lush gardens, docks, boats, and working waterfronts.

Join them for the opening reception and see the award-winning art and more on Saturday, August 8, from 3-5pm.

Arijit Dutta, a practicing architect, won ‘Best of Show’. His interest and knowledge in landscape photography influence his watercolor landscapes.

About Frank Bette Center for the Arts

Established in 2002, the Frank Bette Center for the Arts is a nonprofit, volunteer-run creative community. Carrying forward the legacy of Frank Bette, who believed deeply in the power of art and community. Upon his passing in 1999, Frank bequeathed his beloved home as “a place for meetings, readings, showings, and other creative doings.”

Frank Bette Center for the Arts is committed to three objectives: Support Personal Artistic Growth, Enrich the Art Experience of Everyone in Our Community, and Cultivate Appreciation for the Value of the Arts. Check out their full list of classes.