Submitted photo Friday Painters Joanna Morrison, Claudia Giannini, and Mary Wirick working during a recent Plein Air session in preparation for the Art Exhibition.

The Friday Painters are hard at work making final preparations to again participate as an integral part of the annual Back Alley Tour and Tea held each year at the War Memorial Building on German Street in Shepherdstown. Their art exhibit will be open from 10 a.m. on Friday, May 19 until 6 p.m. on Sunday evening, May 21.

This informal group of local plein air artists, who spend each Friday morning working together to capture some of the beauty that surrounds the Eastern Panhandle, has been at it for a long time.

Mike Austin, one of the members, shared, “Our little group of artists work in nearly every media. We grew out of a water color class conducted nearly 30 years ago. The students enjoyed working together so much that when the class ended, they just kept going. In some respects it is a unique ‘organization’, if that word can be used to describe us. There is absolutely no structure, rules, officers or dues. New members come and go in an interesting process of renewal. Love of art, creativity and friendship is the glue that holds us together,” he continued.

Austin went on to say, “You will see the works of 14 Friday Painters on exhibit in this show. Commissions on art sales are part of the fund raising effort that enable the Shepherdstown Community Club to maintain their historic building in the center of town and Morgan’s Grove Park.”

The FP artists will also hold a normal painting session on Friday morning in the exhibit hall on the first floor of the War Memorial building commensurate with the 10 a.m. opening.

The public is invited in to visit with them while they work as well as view some of their creations. An opening reception will be held from 6 until 8 p.m.

If more information is desired about either the art show or the Friday Painters, please contact Austin at 304-876-0598 or michael.austin@ frontiernet.net.