Seurat Sunday is an event for plein air artists (in the open air or painting outside), photographers, and nature-lovers of all ages are invited to relax and delight in the beautiful grounds of Caledon State Park and let nature be your muse.

Interior trail perfect for painting or photographing

When, where and what

On Sunday September 11, 2016 from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. the Fredericksburg Center for the Creative Arts (FCCA) and Caledon State Park will present: 

Seurat Sunday – Artists in the Park 2016

Close up of a Hummingbird Clearwing Moth

What you will find

Colorful butterflies, beautiful wildflowers, amazing sunsets, flowering shrubs and trees, meadows full of wildflowers and animals are just a few of the inspirational things you will discover to paint, draw or photograph at Caledon State Park.

Maybe you will even spy a Scarlet Tanager before they head back to South America or a clever Hummingbird Moth.

 Photo of Caledon State Park digitally altered by Carolyn R. Beever

Background

The first Seurat Sunday was held in 1980 at the Fredericksburg Center for the Creative Arts (FCCA) and was named after a painting, Sunday Afternoon on the Isle of Grande-Jatte by Georges Seurat, French Impressionist (1859-1891). Initially the event was started as a fund raiser. Seurat Sunday moved to the Belmont Estate (Gari Melchers Home and Studio) in Falmouth, Virginia in 1982. The event was expanded in cooperation with Belmont Estate and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

It became a wine and art event including artists working plein air, a wine tasting, musicians and a guest art lecturer. Among others, Phyllis Whitley, Paula Raudenbush, David Berreth, Cathy Herndon and Anita Holle have served as organizers of the event over the years.

At its peak, there were 125 guests at the event at Belmont. Seurat Sunday at Belmont was suspended after 2009. The renewal of the event in 2012 at the new location of Caledon State Park offers a second life for a popular event.

What to bring

Please bring your own supplies for drawing, painting and photography. Light refreshments will be served in the Visitor Center at 4:00 p.m. Admission/Parking is free for participants. But there is a Parking fee of $4/vehicle for spectators/non-artists.

How to register

Pre-registration is requested by September 10, 2016. For more information or to pre-register, call (540) 663-3861 or click here.

Nature's paint brush

How you can help

This is also the National Day of Service and Remembrance. Please bring a canned food item to donate and help Caledon State Park and The Salvation Army will collect the canned food for the local food bank. 

Caledon State Park is located along the Potomac River in King George County, Virginia. Click here for a Google map. For more information about all the programs and events at Caledon State Park, please click here.

It's as plein as the nose on your face,

Pack a picnic and come out on Seurat Sunday