Paul Valentine on location in Surry last year

OVERVIEW:

Paint the Peninsula Week is a group art show/fundraiser with proceeds shared between the artists and the Blue Hill Library. The show is not juried and anyone over the age of 15 may register and participate.

Artists will have one week (from Friday, June 27th to Friday, July 4th) to complete up to two works of art (one day per work). Works will be submitted at the library from 9:30-3 on Saturday, July 5th. The artwork will be displayed in the library from July 14th to July 19th for in-person viewing and on an online auction website where bids can be placed. Bidding will take place solely on the auction site.

• Open Registration begins: May 7th
• Registration Closes: WHEN WE REACH 90 ARTISTS or June 20th, whichever comes first

Approximately 80% of the submitted works typically sell during the event. Artists set their own minimum bid price and designate a percentage to donate to the library as a charitable donation which is tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law. Since this is a fundraiser, we encourage artists to donate 50% of the sale price or more.

YOU MUST REGISTER TO PARTICIPATE:

All artists who wish to participate in Paint the Peninsula Week must register online in advance. Open registration begins on Tuesday May 7th and closes no later than Friday, June 20th. IMPORTANT NOTE: Due to display space restrictions, registration will shut down when 90 artists have registered.

Registering artists who have participated in the last few years have already provided an artist statement/bio, and will have an opportunity to review their statement at art check-in. New registering artists who have not already done so must provide a short artist statement/bio during the online registration process. It is a fantastic way for bidders to get to know you! We encourage you to provide a link to websites or social media accounts that highlight your other work.

If you have any questions about registration, please contact Leda Beth Gray, Development and Communications Coordinator, email: development@bhpl.net or phone: 207-374-5515, ext. 16.

DATES AT A GLANCE:

Registration

• Open Registration begins: May 7th
• Registration Closes WHEN WE REACH 90 ARTISTS or June 20th, whichever comes first

Painting

• Week of Painting: June 27th to July 4th (a single day per painting)
• Art Check-In: July 5th, 9:30 AM – 3:00 PM

Event

• Online Bidding & In-Person Viewing: July 14th to July 19th
• Bidding Ends at 7:30 pm on July 19th
• Party: July 19th 5:30-8 pm
• Unsold Art is displayed until: July 24th (though you can pick up your unsold art earlier, if you choose)

INSTRUCTIONS AT A GLANCE:

• Works must be no larger than 20” x 20” (including any optional mats or frames)
• Artists may submit up to two works. Only one work, chosen by the artist, will be displayed in person at the library. Your second work will be available for viewing on request. Photos of your work(s) will be displayed online on the auction site.
• Works on paper need to have a stiff backing for display purposes (though they don’t need to be matted or framed).
• Your artist statement should be submitted during registration, unless you have submitted a statement in a prior year. All statements will be reviewed with you at the art check-in.
• Artists are requested to take their own photographs for use on the auction website. All photos must be rectangular or square (1:1, 4:3, 16:9 aspect ratio). 

DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS:

MAKING & SUBMITTING ART:

You may make your artworks anywhere on the Blue Hill Peninsula, including Orland, Surry, and Deer Isle.

We ask that you create one or two works of art between June 27rd and July 4th in a timeframe of one day per work.

Although you may produce up to two works during the week, only one work will be displayed in the library. Both works will be available for bidding and viewing on the online auction site. The artist decides which piece will be displayed at the library.

Many artists choose to paint or draw landscapes outside, but there is no limit on what you can do: views from your window, still lifes, portraits or abstract works are all welcome!  For reasons of space, we ask that your paintings be no larger than 20” x 20”, including any mat or frame. And although mats and frames are not required, we also ask that you put a stiff backing (board or foam core, simply attached) on any works on paper, for their protection.

Additionally, we ask that artists photograph their own work(s). Please plan to take a well-lit photograph. Each photograph should be square or rectangular (please avoid “tall and narrow” or “short and wide”). Please email high-resolution versions of these photographs to us at paintthepeninsula@bhpl.net.

Work will be displayed on small easels on counters throughout the library, so it is very important to keep the edges of your canvas free of paint. Again, a stiff backing should be included for works on paper so they remain upright on the easels.

YOU DO NOT NEED TO CHECK IN BEFORE YOU BEGIN TO PAINT. We use an honor system to ensure you are creating your work(s) within one day per work between June 27th and July 4th.

PLEASE BRING YOUR FINISHED WORK TO THE LIBRARY (5 Parker Point Rd, Blue Hill) between 9:30 am and 3:00 pm ON SATURDAY, JULY 5th. We MUST have all works at the library by 3:00 pm to carefully store the works prior to installation. No late submissions, please.

PRICING YOUR WORK(S):

Please be aware that volunteers are not able to recommend minimum bid prices. Minimum bids generally range from $50 up to $750.  Most are between $75 – $300. Lower starting bids do seem to encourage more bidding.

ONLINE BIDDING AUCTION SITE:

All bidding will take place on the online auction site, Auctria. Your high-resolution photograph(s) of your painting(s) will be displayed on the auction site along with your artist statement, artwork, and the minimum bid price. The auction site will be active between 9 AM, July 14th and 7:30 PM, July 19th.

 PAINT THE PENINSULA WEEK:

The artwork will be displayed and available to view at the library from July 14th until July 19th during library hours. During this time, the public can view the works in person as well as online at the Auctria auction site. There will be a link to the auction site on the BHPL website to direct potential bidders there.

The library will produce an event guide with bidding instructions, a list of all participating artists and acknowledgment of all event sponsors. Your painting will be clearly labeled with your name, both at the library and online.

Please understand that the mounting of this show is very complicated, requires many volunteers, and is done in such a way as to not disrupt the day-to-day functioning of the library. Every effort is made to display the work in a coherent, respectful manner.  We are not able to rearrange the artwork to meet artists’ requests.

The week, and auction, will conclude with a party on Saturday, July19th, 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. The auction will end at 7:30 PM, during the party, and winning bidders who are at the party are welcome to take their artworks home with them, that night, once they have paid online or in person.

Works not sold during the auction will remain at the library for sale at their opening bid price until July 24th. Artists are free to take their unsold works home at any time.

PAYMENT TO ARTISTS:

Artists will be sent a check within three weeks of their artwork being paid for by the winning bidder. The percentage you choose to donate to the library at check-in registration will be deducted from the final sale price, and you will receive a donor acknowledgement letter for tax purposes.  We will also send you the name and address of the person who purchased your work, if we have it, unless explicitly requested otherwise by the winning bidder.

Thank you ahead of time to all participating artists for creating new work and for your generous contributions to BHPL.  We are excited for the return of Paint the Peninsula!

Register Now!