OCEAN CITY, MD — August 1, 2025 — The Art League of Ocean City’s annual “Artists Paint OC Festival and Competition” is August 13-17, 2025 when 54 professional plein air artists paint local landscapes in the area. This is the 20th year for the outdoor painting event in the resort with special celebrations planned throughout the festival.
The public is invited to view the art and take home their masterpiece during the “Wet Paint Art Sales” on Saturday, August 16, 5-7 p.m. and Sunday, August 17, 12-3 p.m. at the Ocean City Center for the Arts, 502 94th St. bayside. Admission is free.
“Fifty artists will be capturing a moment in time on canvas, and this is your opportunity – one that only happens once a year – to purchase these beautiful original paintings of iconic local scenes that are hot off the easel at very affordable prices,” Rina Thaler, executive director of the Art League, said. “And this year, we’re celebrating the 20th year of our plein air festival with some special events, including a collectible poster, now on sale at the Arts Center and around town.”
“En plein air” is a French expression that means “in the open air,” used to describe the art of painting outdoors. The annual Artists Paint OC Festival brings in more than 50 plein air painters to the resort, all professional regional artists. Artists will paint Wednesday through Saturday and compete for more than $11,000 in cash prizes, with $2,500 going to the first-place winner.
On Saturday, August 16, the artists will bring their best work to the Arts Center to be judged by juror Sara Linda Poly. The Wet Paint Art Sale begins at 5 p.m., a free celebratory event that brings the artists together with the public with opportunities to purchase more than 250 just-painted landscapes. The party goes until 7 p.m. and includes live music, complimentary hors d’oeuvres, and a cash bar.
Sunday morning’s Quick Paint on the Boardwalk on August 17, sponsored by the Ocean City Development Corp., is an easy opportunity for the public to watch the artists paint. Artists gather on the south end of the Ocean City Boardwalk near Thrashers to paint against the clock from 9-11 a.m. They then bring their work to the Arts Center to be judged by plein air artist Kirk McBride where winners will be announced.
“This is an intense competition where artists are given two hours to capture a scene on the Boardwalk in paint, battling weather, subject matter that moves, and painting among crowds of onlookers,” Thaler said. “It is amazing to see what they capture.”
The public may purchase the Quick Paint artwork or select from hundreds of other paintings from 12-3 p.m. at the Arts Center. The party begins at 1 p.m. with live music and complimentary refreshments. Admission is free.
For the first time, on Sunday morning from 9-11 a.m. at the Art League table on the Boardwalk near Thrashers, art activities for children will be available with opportunities to win prizes, sponsored by Dough Roller.
Sunday also features the third annual “Kids Paint OC” event, featuring the plein air artwork of youth ages 6-17. The children painted outdoors from July 1-31 and brought their work to the Arts Center to be exhibited. Kids Paint OC artwork will be on display on Sunday, August 17, from noon-3 p.m., and $575 in cash prizes will be awarded by judges Tamara Mills, fine art coordinator for the Worcester Co. Board of Education; artist David Simpson; and Sasha Mete, a 2025 Art League scholarship winner. The event is made possible by the Art League with support from the Worcester County Arts Council and John Sisson.
Sponsors for the “Artists Paint OC Festival” are PNC Bank, Charles and Mechelle Nichols, Shore United Bank, Maryland’s Coast, Reese Cropper III, Laura Jenkins, Longboard Café, Emily and Paul Schwab, Town of Ocean City, OCHMRA, Ed and Emmy Challenger, Virginia and Wayne Outten, Betty Huang, Farming Community of Worcester County, Marian Bickerstaff, Berta Maginniss, and the Mid-Atlantic Plein Air Painters Assn.
The artists scheduled to paint and exhibit are Carolyn Aberbach of Bethany Beach, De.; Jon Bandish of Dagsboro, De.; Judy Benton of Ocean City, Md.; Christopher Best of Crownsville, Md.; Genie Blake of Media, Pa; Alexandra Bradley of West Chester, Pa.; Jacqueline Bruce-Yamin of Washington, D.C.; Donna Brumbergs of Frankford, De.; Taylor Collins of Dover, De.; Ann Crostic of Baltimore, Md.; Erica DeHart of Coatesville, Pa.; John Eiseman of Hebron, Md.; Nancy Fine of Hampstead, Md.; and Rhona Ford of Easton, Md.
Also Gerilyn Gaskill of Georgetown, De.; Kathy Gibson of Ocean Pines, Md.; Arthur Gutkin of Millsboro, De.; Catherine Homens of Elkridge, Md.; Patti Lucas Hopkins of Cambridge, Md.; Betty Huang of Easton, Md.; Kathy Huegel of Bethany Beach, De.; Fred Jackson of King of Prussia, Pa.; Frederick Johnson of Greenbackville, Va.; Rajendra KC of Falls Church, Va.; Ed Lewandowski of Bridgeville, De.; Bruce Ley of Lewis Center, Oh.; Mimi Little of Port Republic, Md.; Judith Loeber of Millsboro, De.; Yelena MacLeod of Ocean Pines, Md.; Liz Maynes of Bethesda, Md.; Mike McSorley of Millford, De.; Katherine Miller of Salisbury, Md.; Rebecca Morgan of Berlin, Md.; Martha Pileggi of Milford, De.; Jose Ramírez of Cambridge, Md.; and Jim Rehak of Seaford, De.
And Russell Reno of Ridgeley, Md.; Al Richards of West Chester, Pa.; Gregg Rosner of Selbyville, De.; Eva Rotolo of Lutherville, Md.; Maggii Sarfaty of Easton, Md.; Stacey Sass of St. Michaels, Md.; John Schisler of Georgetown, De.; David Simpson of Parsonsburg, Md.; Helen Smith of Berlin, Md.; Barbara Stepura of White Plains, Md.; Gail Stern of Berlin, Md.; Nancy Thomas of Ridgeley, Md.; Dora Todd of Chincoteague, Va.; Mary Veiga of Baltimore, Md.; Cheryl Wisbrock of Bethany Beach, De.; Lori Yates of Easton, Md.; Dennis Young of New Castle, De.; and Vicky Zhou of Oakton, Va.
The plein air exhibit and sale continue at the Arts Center until September 27.
More information is available at OCart.org or by calling 410-524-9433.
The Art League of Ocean City is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting artistic expression and appreciation for the creative arts in our community through education, exhibits, scholarship, programs, and community art projects. Funding is provided in part by the Worcester County Arts Council, Maryland State Arts Council, and the National Endowment of the Arts, organizations dedicated to cultivating a vibrant cultural community where the arts thrive.
