The 2023 Quickdraw will be held at Sunset Park, 1813 Hwy 98 in Mexico Beach this year, featuring a wide range of exceptional subject matter sure to challenge and delight all artists. 

Note: All of Forgotten Coast en Plein Air events run on Eastern time, so events in Mexico Beach will be one hour earlier than local time. For example, an event starting at 2:00pm Eastern, will actually start at 1:00pm Mexico Beach (Central) time.

All completed work will be displayed on site for judging and sales. Enjoy beautiful scenery and plan to attend the reception at the The Joe, 201 Reid Avenue in Port St. Joe that afternoon from 4pm-6pm to hear the Judge's comments and see the works chosen for display. 

ARTISTS REGISTRATION: 

Online registration closes on Thursday, March 16th at midnight EST. On site registration begins at 8:00 am EST on the day of the event and the registration fee is $20. This event is open to anyone over the age of 14 who wishes to participate and has their own supplies and easels. You will choose either the Professional or Open Class for the competition. Artists may use any medium, but must paint in the plein air tradition. Canvases must be blank, and design work cannot begin prior to the 9 am horn. 

DATES AND TIMING: 
Saturday, March 18 - 8:00 am - 8:45 am EST:  Artists check in at the registration desk, pay if they haven’t already paid online, have their blank canvases stamped, and pick up their title & price label.  No canvas will be stamped if painting/design has been begun prior to the starting time.  Deadline for pre-registration is Thursday, March 16th.

Saturday, March 18 - 9:00 am EST:  A horn will sound and artists may begin painting en plein air style on any subject.  The Quickdraw artwork must be created during the Quickdraw time frame.  Any violators will be banned from future events.

Saturday, March 18 - 11:00am  EST:  The closing horn will sound and the Quickdraw artists bring their just completed artwork and easels to the exhibit/sale area for the judging and sale.  Artists are responsible for returning on time even if they are not within hearing distance of the horn.  There is little turnaround time, so please be prepared with a title and price when the Quickdraw volunteer visits you and establishes your catalog number.

All artists must be set up for judging by 11:30 am EST. Judging will begin at 11:30 am EST and end at 12:30 pm EST. The Quickdraw Awards are announced and ribbons are awarded. The judge will make comments about the winning paintings selected and a reception will be held that afternoon at The Joe, 201 Reid Avenue in nearby Port St. Joe, from 4pm-6pm. 

A special exhibition of a limited number Quickdraw works will be selected and hung at the CRTC and the wet room as a feature of the 2023 event. Please note that all paintings must be properly framed and wired, ready to hang. Volunteers will be available to assist, but artists must provide their own frame and framing materials ... so plan in advance and bring one with you. The exhibit will be open each day from 11 am to 5 pm, March 19-26, 2023. It will close at 3:00 pm on the 26th. There is no additional charge to participate in the exhibit and sale if your painting is selected by the judge.

Each artwork is required to be for sale and to have a title and a price written on the provided label.  Each participating artist should consider Forgotten Coast en Plein Air his or her gallery.  There will be a 50% commission collected from the proceeds of each Quickdraw sale to fund this event; any violators will be banned from future events.  Proceeds from our annual plein air event are shared with communities in Franklin and Gulf counties.