Azalea Paint Out
Artists will create works on-site during the Azalea Garden Tour
BY Sara LeWinter
The 2023 Cape Fear Garden Club Azalea Garden Tour will feature at least 20 artists painting outside in private and public gardens throughout New Hanover County April 14-16.
En plein air is French for “in the open air” and was popularized in the 19th century by French Impressionists who painted outside in gardens. The sixth annual Azalea Paint Out happens in conjunction with the Azalea Garden Tour, part of the Azalea Festival.
The artists will be painting in the two public gardens and 11 private gardens that comprise this year’s Azalea Garden Tour, which begins in a private garden on Forest Hills Drive with the ribbon-cutting. Public gardens are Airlie Gardens and the Frank H. Kenan Chapel at Landfall.
Artists who will be capturing garden scenery include P.D. Chisholm, Lyudmila Tomova, Arlene Daniel, Rose Kennedy and David Meffert.
For over 30 years, Chisholm has created artworks across the country. She has studied with several renowned artists including Daniel Greene, Albert Handel, Skip Lawrence, Danni Dawson, Robert Liberaci, Brenda Belfield and Jill Banks. When not inspired by Mother Nature, Chisholm enjoys judging art competitions and teaching as a college adjunct professor.
Born in Bulgaria, Tomova has been creating nature-theme art in oil, watercolor and acrylic for over 25 years. Her “Butterfly Women” series was featured at the North Carolina Museum of Art. Tomova is a member of the Watercolor Society of North Carolina and the Southwestern Watercolor Society.
Born in New Jersey, Daniel remembers loving to draw as a child. She is a member of Women Painters of the Southeast, the American Impressionist Society and American Women Artists.
“Plein air painting is a joy for me and makes my soul sing! The challenge of getting the essence of a painting down quickly with shifting light patterns, weather changes and intrusive no-see-ums is a fulfilling experience that drives my desire to create,” local artist Rose Kennedy says.
An exhibiting member of Cape Fear Studios for more than 12 years, Kennedy remembers always having a love of painting and drawing. Landscapes are her primary source of inspiration.
Working for over 45 years, Meffert creates nature-inspired artworks in oil, acrylic, watercolor and photography. When not in Wilmington, he draws inspiration from the beaches of Denmark. Meffert is a member of the Laguna Arts Plein Air Painters Association, International Watercolor Society and the Wilmington Art Association.
