Plein Air Invitational
June 5 - June 13, 2026
The 2026 Plein Air Week: Celebrating 10 years of Exceptional Art and Inspiring Artists!
We invite you to take a look at the wonderfully talented, exceptional artists competing in this year’s competition. Coming from all over the country (and internationally!), the artists will be painting our local scenery…rivers, farmland, marine views, and gardens, competing for over $25,000 in prize money as part of the 2026 Heart of the River Collection. View the collection at The Fine Arts Museum of Gloucester, June 15th through the 27th. Thirty highly acclaimed and award-winning plein air artists will participate. Visit our Meet the Artist page to find out more!
Over five days, they will portray the amazing countryside and people at work on boats and farms in the 2026 Heart of the River Collection. Find out more about becoming a Patron to enjoy exclusive opportunities to interact with the artists and to purchase the paintings during the Collector’s lottery. Patron’s tickets will be available starting January 1, 2026.
A Week of Events!
June 5 ~ Brews Brine & Wine
June 6 ~ Paint Main & Symphony Under the Stars
June 9 ~ Mathews Paint Out & Reception
June 11 ~ Patron Preview Party (Patrons Only)
June 13 ~ Plein Air Gala
Joe Gyurcsak, 2026 Plein Air Judge
Meet the Judge
We are pleased to announce Joe Gyurcsak as our Plein Air Judge for 2026.
Joe is not only an accomplished and respected painter—he’s also one of our favorite former Plein Air artists, making his return especially meaningful. His deep understanding of painting on location, light, and place brings invaluable insight to this year’s competition.
Having Joe step into the role of judge feels like a full-circle moment—and a perfect fit as we celebrate a Decade of Art.
He paints a broad range of subject matter including interiors, still life, figure and landscape painting. He has a keen sense for capturing the essence of his subject matter with a bold and candid approach. He exhibits in galleries across the country his award winning paintings continue to pique the interest of collectors nationwide.
“My paintings express a sense of light, atmosphere and mood; they transcend the techniques that were employed to create them and breathe the very light and atmosphere they were painted in. I like to capture the fleeting moments of life; the sublime manifestations of light and color, their aesthetic influences on the subject.”
“For me, a landscape does not exist in its own right, since its appearance changes at every moment; but its surroundings bring it to life - the air and the light.”
— Claude Monet