Blossoms 2024 Plein Air to Prepare
Event: April 12-May 12
Exhibit*: May 18-June 2; The Welcome Center
Reception: May 22; 4-6 p.m. The Welcome Center
*It is free to submit artwork for the exhibit.
During this month-long Plein Air experience, artists of all ages and experience levels are invited to draw inspiration and create art from the beauty of Howard County's blossoming Kwanzan cherry, Native Dogwood and redbud trees. These pink and white flowering trees were planted by Blossoms of Hope, a local nonprofit, over the last 20 years to enhance our quality of life through beautification projects and by supporting our community. Groves of trees are located along our state and county roadways, in parks, at local libraries, as well as at private and government buildings. Many of these trees have been planted in honor and in memory of people's loved ones.
Event
April 12-May 12
The Blossoms 2024 Plein Air to Prepare, taking place throughout Howard County will be held April 12–May 12, 2024 during which is our best estimate of when the trees will bloom (during the second week of April 2024). The 52 Blossoms of Hope tree groves will provide inspiration for artists to create pieces for both the 2024 Plein Air to Prepare Exhibit and the Blossoms 2025 Countywide Art Show (to be held during March 2025).
Upon registration, you will receive the following:
- A site map of all the pink and white flowering tree groves in Howard County
- Entry for the Plein Air to Prepare
- An invitation to the juried Plein Air to Prepare exhibit at the Howard County Welcome Center
- A $5 off coupon for the Blossoms 2025 Countywide Art Show in March 2025
Scholarships
There are student scholarships available--the first 100 students to apply will participate for free. After the first 100, students will receive a 10% discount. Please contact us at info@blossomsofhope.org to receive your scholarship code.
Artist Workshop Schedule
Thank you to our local artists who held demonstrations in our groves over the past two weekends. Those artists include Chelsea Bork, Deborah Maklowski, Katherine Wah, Amanda Milliner, Jon Schubbe, and Cindy Rivarde.
Exhibit
May 18-June 2
The plein air exhibit will be on display at the Howard County Welcome Center in Ellicott City from May 18–June 2, 2024.
The juried exhibit will be limited to 60+ pieces in 2-dimensional art; one entry per person accepted; art may be for sale (with a 20% commission being charged).
Note: Because of space limitations, most artwork shall not exceed 24" x 24" and must be wired and ready to hang.
The reception will be held on May 22, 2024 from 4-6 p.m. Awards for grand prize: $250; 1st Place $150; 2nd Place $100; student awards will also be presented.
If you have questions, contact us at info@blossomsofhope.org.
Only 2-D art will be accepted (although for the 2025 Countywide Art Show all art mediums will be allowed). Registration for the exhibit is a separate call. If you have participated in the Plein Air to Prepare event call, please contact info@blossomsofhope.org to receive your coupon code. If you solely participate in the Plein Air to Prepare exhibit, you will be asked to pay a $20 entry fee.
**Please note CaFE asks you to download your portfolio when signing up for CaFE. You do not need to download your portfolio for this exhibit, just the artwork you would like to enter into the exhibit.
Frequently Asked Questions
During the Blossoms 2024 Plein Air to Prepare, artists are "preparing" for two things:
- The Plein Air to Prepare exhibit, at which artists may* have their work displayed, and
- The Countywide Art Show in March 2025, at which Plein Air participants will be eligible to submit new or resubmit their artwork.
*The Plein Air to Prepare exhibit will be juried, so we cannot guarantee that each artist's work will be featured in the exhibit.
You will need to register for the Plein Air to Prepare event in order to participate in the Plein Air to Prepare exhibit.
You can register for the Plein Air to Prepare event here.
Once an artist announces that they will be doing a workshop in one of our groves, you will be informed by email of the workshop details.
Click here or visit the link below to sign up for artist workshops:
After you have registered for the Blossoms 2024 Plein Air to Prepare on Call for Entry (CaFE), you will receive an invitation register for the Exhibit.
Your submissions should be no larger than 24"x24".
If you have registered for the Plein Air to Prepare event, it is free to submit art to the Plein Air to Prepare exhibit.
If you have not registered, it costs $20 to submit art for the Plein Air to Prepare exhibit.
The Blossoms 2024 Plein Air to Prepare Exhibit will feature approximately 60+ pieces of 2-D artwork at The Welcome Center on Main St. in Ellicott City, MD (one location).
The Blossoms 2025 Countywide Art Show, held during the month of March 2025, will feature hundreds of art pieces, in all mediums, at 26+ different Howard County locations. The theme for this show will be pink and white blossoms. With this event, we are not just honoring the trees but we are bringing the art community together through Howard County.
Sponsorships
Blossoms 2024-2025 Art Show Sponsorships
All of the standard sponsor benefits, plus:
- 12 tickets to the Blossoms 2025 Countywide Art Show reception in March 2025
- A full-page ad in the reception program at the Blossoms 2025 Countywide Art Show
- Logo in the reception program for the Exhibit–2024 Plein Air & Beyond
- Prominent recognition on social media throughout the year(s) including at each of our events and in our monthly newsletters
- Prominent recognition at all Blossoms 2025 Countywide Art Show art installations throughout the county for all shows
- Special invitation to a VIP reception
- Reserved seating at the Blossoms 2025 Countywide Art Show reception program
- Invitation to all countywide art show receptions at all the county galleries during the month of March 2025
- Grand prize winner sponsor recognition
All of the standard sponsor benefits, plus:
- 8 tickets to the Blossoms 2025 Countywide Art Show reception in March 2025
- A half-page ad in the reception program
- Logo in the reception program for the Exhibit–2024 Plein Air and Beyond
- Prominent recognition on social media throughout the year including at each of our events and in our monthly newsletters
- Prominent recognition at all Blossoms 2025 Countywide Art Show art installations throughout the county for both shows
- Special invitation to a VIP reception
- Invitation to all countywide art show receptions at all the galleries during the month of March 2025
- First prize winner sponsor recognition
All of the standard sponsor benefits, plus:
- 6 tickets to the Blossoms 2025 Countywide Art Show reception in March 2025
- A quarter-page ad in the reception program
- Logo in the reception program for the Exhibit–2024 Plein Air and Beyond
- Recognition on social media throughout the year including at each of our events
- Recognition at all Blossoms 2025 Countywide Art Show art installations throughout the county for both shows
- Invitation to all countywide art show receptions at all the galleries during month of March 2025
- Second prize winner sponsor recognition
All of the standard sponsor benefits, plus:
- 4 tickets to the Blossoms 2025 Countywide Art Show reception in March 2025
- An eighth-page ad in the reception program
- Name in the reception program for the Exhibit–2024 Plein Air and Beyond
- Recognition on social media throughout the year including at each of our events
- Recognition at all Countywide Art Show art installations throughout the county for both shows
- Third prize winner sponsor recognition
All of the standard sponsor benefits, plus:
- 2 tickets to the Blossoms 2025 Countywide Art Show reception in March 2025
- A sixteenth-page ad in the reception program
- Name in the reception program for the Exhibit–2024 Plein Air and Beyond
- Recognition on social media throughout the year including at each of our events
All of the standard sponsor benefits, plus:
- 1 ticket to the Blossoms 2025 Countywide Art Show reception in March 2025
- Name in the reception programs for the Exhibit–2024 Plein Air & Beyond and Blossoms 2025 Countywide Art Show
- Recognition on social media throughout the year including at each of our events
All of the standard sponsor benefits, plus:
- 1 ticket to the Blossoms 2025 Countywide Art Show reception in March 2025
- Name in the reception programs for the Exhibit–2024 Plein Air & Beyond and the Blossoms 2025 Countywide Art Show