Through the Garden Gate | June 2027
Offsite Plein Air Event | June 5 & 6, 2027
An open-air celebration of plein air painting
This month's exhibit steps outside the gallery walls. Through the Garden Gate is a two-part event: a plein air garden tour weekend where artists paint on site in private and local gardens around Greensboro, followed by our July gallery exhibition, Plein Air Perspectives, with juried awards and public voting. Visitors walk the garden trail to watch artists at work, vote for their favorite garden, and then see the finished pieces hung at the gallery the following month. Garden tour tickets benefit Earlier.org, a Greensboro nonprofit funding research toward an earlier breast cancer test.
How It Works
Open call, $50 entry fee covers up to 3 stamped canvases
All competition work is painted on site at your assigned garden during tour weekend
Bring 2 to 4 finished pieces to display and sell at your garden. Garden sales are 100% yours.
Optional Sunday Quick Paint, June 6, 2 to 3 PM: a timed 1-hour paint on one 11x14 canvas, $15 to enter. The winner is chosen by Facebook vote and takes home $150.
Every participating artist is guaranteed at least one piece in the July show
Applications reviewed by Craig Richards, resident Plein Air Coordinator
Save the Dates
Application Deadline: May 1, 2027
Garden Assignments Announced: May 10, 2027
Canvas Stamping Opens: May 10, 2027 (accepted artists, at the gallery)
Garden Tour Weekend: Saturday, June 5 (10 AM to 4 PM) & Sunday, June 6 (1 to 4 PM), 2027
Garden Gate Celebration: Sunday, June 6, 5 PM at the gallery, Best Garden winner announced
Rain Date: June 12 & 13, 2027
July Show: Plein Air Perspectives
Drop-Off: June 27 & 28, 2027
Exhibit Runs: June 30 to July 31, 2027
First Friday Awards Night: July 2, 5:30 to 8:30 PM
Second Saturday: July 10, 11 AM to 5 PM
Third Thursday: July 15, 5:30 to 8:30 PM
Art Pick-Up: August 1 & 2, 2027
Sign Up
Artists: Applications are open now through May 1, 2027. The $50 entry fee covers up to 3 stamped canvases. Craig Richards reviews every application, so put your best work forward!
Garden Hosts: Have a garden worth painting? Open your gate to a small group of plein air artists for one magical weekend. There's no cost to host, and your address is never published online.
Garden Tour Tickets: Coming soon through our nonprofit partner, Earlier.org. Every ticket supports research toward an earlier breast cancer test. Check back here for the ticket link!
Event Documents
Read the details before you apply. Agreements are preview copies. Approved artists and selected garden hosts receive the final version to sign.
For Artists: Call for Artists (PDF) | Artist Participation Agreement (PDF)
For Garden Hosts: Call for Gardens (PDF) | Garden Host Agreement (PDF)
For Visitors: Visitor Waiver & Release (PDF)
