PLEIN AIRE COTTAGE ARTISTS AND THE ULTIMATE LIFETIME HONOUR

Twenty seven years ago at Indian Rocks Beach, Florida three painters who loved to paint outdoors, en plein aire, met and their friendship began. Violetta Chandler, Mary Rose Holmes and Helen Tilston were captivated by the beauty of the old fashioned seaside town of Indian Rocks Beach. They took their French easels to the streets and painted the historical cottages, where many were being demolished, without thought and modern huge homes were being installed in all the space provided and no regard for flora nor fauna. To quote Mary Rose Holmes "If you smash a tree one can plant another but if you smash/demolish a cottage it is gone forever" "We painted canvases both vertically and horizontially and even trip tychs" said Violetta Chandler. "Many homes catch our attention but special homes capture our heart" as said by Helen Tilston. Florida Trust For Historic Preservation honoured The Plein Aire Cottage Artists with an Achievement Award in 2006. This award is the first to artists and is reserved for planners, architects and designers. Tilston, Holmes and Chandler received an invitation to exhibit their art at the State Capital (when Gov Jeb Bush was in office). In 2006 while painting in Tuscany, the artists were invited to exhibit at the juried invitational Florience Biennale. A lifetime invitation has been extended to The Plein Aire Cottage Artists to exhibit. Each year The Plein Aire Cottage Artists annual art show at Indian Rocks Beach is an event not to be missed. All paintings are. one of a kind, painted en plein aire. We do no reproductions of our work. The energy and love of the oil painting contains the love of Mary Rose, Violetta and Helen. It is a living piece and when it goes to your possession then a part of your DNA is in the painting. (not so with reproductions) Violetta Chandler, Mary Rose Holmes and Helen Tilston aka The Plein Aire Cottage Artists have been granted the ultimate honour and The City of Indian Rocks Beach are installing 27 large replicas of our paintings throughout the City of Indian Rocks Beach. These paintings are being installed in the exact spot they were painted or close by. 18 of these paintings are currently installed for viewing with the remaining being installed as I write. We thank the major museums, directors and City of Saint Petersburg and Tampa for recognizing and honouring The Plein Aire Cottage Artists with this enormous honour. To our knowledge only one group of artists have been bestowed and that being The Fauv Movement in Collioure France, where the paintings of Mattisse and the Faux movement are permanently displayed. A big thank you to all of you for continued support and to our collectors who pay us the ultimate honour by displaying our original oil painting in your home. We are eternally grateful...