August 14 – 18, 2024
Now celebrating 19 years, the Art League of Ocean City’s
annual outdoor painting festival, “Artists Paint OC,”
is happening Aug. 14-18 in the resort,
giving you the opportunity to select from hundreds
of just-created original landscape paintings of iconic coastal scenes.
2023 1st Place, Dennis Young
For five days, 50 artists compete for the top prizes of cash and prestige as they spread out across the area to paint famous vistas. These “plein air” artists are professionals; many are award winners in multiple competitions.
There are two opportunities to buy the original art. You are invited to the free “Wet Paint Sales” on Saturday, Aug. 17, from 5-7 p.m. and on Sunday, Aug. 18, from 1-3 p.m. Both sales are held at the waterfront Ocean City Center for the Arts, 502 94th St. bayside, and both are free to attend. Every painting is one-of-a-kind and ready to hang.
2024 Best Nochternal winner, Betty Huang
“If you’re looking for a permanent and unique memory of your time in Ocean City, this is an opportunity to find a treasure no one else but you will have,” Rina Thaler, executive director of the Art League, said. “This event only happens once a year, and our Arts Center is the only place you’ll find literally hundreds of original paintings to choose from.”
Quick Paint award winners L to R with: OCDC Executive Director Zach Bankert; 1st Place, Dennis Young; 2nd Place, Rajendra KC; 3rd Place, Fred Jackson; HM, William Schulze.
The “Wet Paint Sales” at the Arts Center are a chance to mix and mingle with the artists, and enjoy light refreshments, live music, and a cash bar. The juror for this year’s event is Dutch artist Carole Boggemann Peirson who has been a professional oil painter since 2005 and is mostly known for her East Coast landscapes. Peirson moved to the United States from her native Netherlands in 2000 when she and her husband tied the knot and now lives on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.
The easiest time and place to watch the artists paint is on the Boardwalk on Sunday morning, when they’re concentrated in the immediate area near South Division St. In two hours, from 9-11 a.m., the artists race to complete a painting of an iconic Boardwalk scene, frame it, and run it to the Arts Center on 94th St. Peirson will judge the paintings, with cash prizes awarded by the Ocean City Development Corp. The art goes up for sale to the public at 1 p.m., while the paint is still wet on the canvasses.
Participating Artists 2024
Carolyn Aberbach ● Lissa Abrams ● Jon Bandish ● Bruno Baran ● Judy Benton ● Pamela Betts ● Alexandra Bradley ● Jacqueline Bruce-Yamin ● Andrea Burkom ● Erica DeHart ● Siobhan Duggan ● John Eiseman ● Nancy Fine ● Rhonda Ford ● Gerilyn Gaskill ● Kathy Gibson ● Jill Glassman ● Scott Henderson ● Catherine Homens ● Betty Huang ● Kathy Huegel ● Fred Jackson ● Frederick Johnson ● Leo Kahl ● Rajendra KC ● Barbara Kern-Bush ● Ed Lewandowski ● Bruce Ley ● Mimi Little ● Liz Maynes ● Katherine Miller ● Madeline Patsel ● Martha Pileggi ● Jose Ramírez ● Jim Rehak ● Eva Rotolo ● Maggii Sarfaty ● John Schisler ● Jessica Schlegel ● Ricky Sears ● Debbie Shapiro ● Al Richards ● Rebekah Simonds ● David Simpson ● Linda Steere ● Barbara Stepura ● Gail Stern ● Nancy R. Thomas ● Joel Trotta ● Mary Veiga ● Cheryl Wisbrock ● Judy Wolgast ● Dennis Young
Quick Paint OC
- 8-8:30 am – Artists check-in in front of Thrasher’s Fries on the boardwalk and get paper/canvas stamped. Onsite registration available.
- 9-11 am – Artists paint against the clock in the downtown area – from beach to bay and inlet to N. Division St.
- 11 am – Cease painting and return to the OC Center for the Arts to set up artwork for judging and sale.
- 12:30 pm – Judging of artwork.
- 1pm – 3 pm – Off-the-easel art sale, with live music and mimosa cash bar