Paint Webster FAQ

A French term, en plein air, simply means to paint outdoors. The concept of plein air was developed to encourage artists to paint landscapes directly on the canvas in the location, rather than taking sketches back to their studios.

At minimum, you need to supply your own canvas, paint, brush, and water. Every artist and every medium will have different needs. Consider bringing a chair, stool, easel, blanket, or umbrella for sitting and resting your artwork. Check out this video from Webster Arts Board Member Marilynne Bradley on how she prepares for Paint Webster.

You will need to make sure of two things when bringing your work back to the gallery: first, Watercolor Paper and Paint Boards need to be framed. Second, your frame and wrapped canvases must be wired. Webster Arts has a hanging system that requires wired backs in order to hang your work. This is easy enough to prepare for - simply wire your canvas or frame prior to the event. If you do not want to use a frame, make sure that your canvas is gallery wrapped - see the next question for more info on gallery wrapped canvas. Click here for a wiring tutorial.

Gallery Wrapped canvas is not simply a stretched canvas; a gallery-wrapped canvas is cleanly and tightly wrapped around all four sides of the stretching frame, it is stapled on the back with neat folds, and typically has a continuation of the artwork or a dark wash on the sides. Gallery Wrapped canvas does not need to be framed like other boards and papers. Youth participants are not bound to these rules.

Anyone! Paint Webster is open to artists of all abilities and ages! And you do not have to live in Webster Groves to participate, you simply have to paint a real scene from inside of the Webster Groves city limits on the day of the event. Click here for a map of Webster Groves.

The three business districts in Webster Groves sponsors three of our awards - the Old Webster district is located along Lockwood Avenue; the Old Orchard district is located along Big Bend Blvd between Laclede Station Road and Lockwood Avenue; The Crossroads district is located at Big Bend Blvd and Elm. There are some fantastic scenes to paint in these areas, so be sure to scout them out!