by Dawn Russell | Mar 1, 2023 | News & Events
Mark your calendars for this community favorite event May 5-6!
The 12th annual En Plein Air Paint-Off will be held on Friday & Saturday, May 5th-6th.
Artists from across the region will share their talents and capture the beauty of Fuquay-Varina on canvas! Since 2012, Fuquay-Varina Downtown Association has been able to support local artists and provide public art with this event that quickly became a community favorite! Join us downtown to watch as the artist paint in “open air!”
The live auction of their art will be during the Dinner in Downtown on May 20th.
The Artists are out painting and can be found at the following locations. (They may change their location at any time, we can not guarantee they will be there when you arrive)
Flora Pinkham – Caroll Howard Environmental Park – Sponsored By: Fuquay-Varina Garden Club
Galina Stockstill – 707 Holland Road – Sponsored By: Rachel & Fred Walters
Jasmine Hicks – Ben Wiley Apartments – Sponsored By: Fuquay-Varina Mineral Spring Inn
Jermaine Powell – Welcome Home Mural (Main Street & Vance) – Sponsored By: Green Home Solutions
Jim Babinchak – Mineral Springs Inn – Sponsored By: Orlean Newton
Joesph Lahita – Ballentine Farms – Sponsored By: Commissioner Marilyn Gardner
Lyudmilla Tomova – Near Abbey Road at train track – Sponsored By: Senter, Stephens, Johnson, PA
Maria LeFrancois – Train – Sponsored By: Sally & John Stewart
Min Zhong – Centennial Park – Sponsored By: Mollie Stephenson
Monica Jin – Downtown Varina (Broad & Ransdell) – Sponsored By: Nancy Barker Johns
Rocky Alexander – Garden Hut – Sponsored By: Stacey & Chris Simpson
Sam McLemore – KnB’s Marketplace – Sponsored By: The Teacherage
Shirley Hunsberger – Ballentine Farmhouse – Sponsored By: Rachel Cornett
Tonia Gebhart – Behind Bostic & Wilson Sponsored By: Fuquay-Varina Woman’s Club
by amanda | Mar 1, 2023 | News & Events
Come hop around #fvdowntown on Saturday, April 1st from 10am-2pm! 
Visit local businesses along Main & Broad Streets, collect some candy, and hang out with the Easter Bunny & Spring Chick! We can’t wait to see all of your faces!
The Downtown Candy Hop is rain or shine, immediately following the Town of Fuquay-Varina Egg Hunt.
by amanda | Mar 1, 2023 | News & Events
Saturday, May 20th 6pm-10pm
Friends of Fuquay-Varina Downtown gather for delicious food, great company, entertainment, live auction and dancing to celebrate Fuquay-Varina’s two Downtown districts and the people that make it such a special place. This is a ticketed Fundraising and Downtown Awards Event that started in 2013 and has become an anticipated annual event. Wine and beer will be available for purchase. To purchase tickets click the link: https://bit.ly/fvdadinnerindowntown
by Dawn Russell | Jun 19, 2020 | News & Events
Presenting the First Place Winner of the 2020 En Plein Air Paint-Off: Jermaine Powell of JP Jermaine Powell Art Brand.
When the pandemic forced the Fuquay-Varina Community Library to close, Jermaine and his children missed their frequent visits to get books. As we imagined what the Paint-Off event would look like if artists were unable to paint street scenes in downtown, we thought of other locations around town that would be of interest to an artist to paint at home from a photo we could send. When we sent artists the list of possibilities, Jermaine responded within minutes…excited at the opportunity to paint a spot that means so much to his family. He visited the library with his two youngest volunteers, enjoying books in a different, but very special way that will always be a reminder of the times we were in.
The painting is currently displayed at the Fuquay-Varina Arts Center for public viewing as part of the En Plein Air Art Walk & Auction – FVDowntown. It will be available to bid on beginning Thursday, July 16th. A public art canvas will be installed on a downtown building and prints available for purchase.
Jermaine is a past Paint-Off participant and painted at Falcon Park last year. You can purchase prints of the ball game at our Love Local store at www.fuquay-varinadowntown.com
We are forever thankful to Jermaine and the artists that helped us rewrite the story of the 2020 Paint-Off.
Auction Website
by Dawn Russell | Jun 19, 2020 | News & Events
Presenting the Second Place Winner of the 2020 En Plein Air Paint-Off: Lyudmila Lucy Tomova!
“Horses!” “Are there horses at the barn? I would love to paint that! Could I go there and take pictures?” Lyudmila could hardly contain her excitement to be part of the event, much less paint one of her favorite subjects. One of the paintings she submitted to the jury was of several colorful horses. The infamous rescue horses at the Starry Night Barn on James Slaughter Road would become her subjects. Lyudmila connected with the owner and arranged a visit during a riding lesson.
The painting is currently displayed at the Fuquay-Varina Arts Center for public viewing as part of the En Plein Air Art Walk & Auction – FVDowntown. It will be available to bid on beginning Thursday, July 16th. A public art canvas will be installed on a downtown building and prints available for purchase.
Lyudmila is a past winning Paint-Off participant including a patio scene that was selected as one of the downtown banners for the Town of Fuquay-Varina. She recently painted a scene of the mural on Tsuru Sweets & Coffee and had several firefighters pose with a truck for a painting the year before that. You never know what an artist will be inspired by ; ) Both works will be made into public art canvases and installed. You can purchase prints at our Love Local store www.fuquay-varinadowntown.com.
by Dawn Russell | Jun 19, 2020 | News & Events
Presenting the Third Place Winner of the 2020 En Plein Air Paint-Off: Tonia Gebhart – The Barefoot Artist.
In the midst of the stay at home order, Tonia began a host of landscaping projects. Garden Hut was her first choice of the locations proposed to artists, noting “it’s my favorite place!” Visiting with artists as they paint in downtown is one of our favorite parts of the event. Watching the blooms come to life as she joined us live on Instagram was a delight.
The painting is currently displayed at the Town of Fuquay-Varina for public viewing as part of the En Plein Air Art Walk & Auction – FVDowntown. Bidding begins Thursday, July 16th. A public art canvas will be installed on a downtown building and prints will be available for purchase.
Tonia is a past Paint-Off winner. You see her painting of Mack, the FVFD vintage fire truck installed as public art on the side of Chocolate Fix. A few years ago, she painted a beautiful scene at Flowers on Broad Street. That public art canvas has been retired, but prints of Tonia’s work can be found on our Love Local store at www.fuquay-varinadowntown.com. Nelsa, we can’t wait to have a view of the Garden Hut in downtown!
Auction Website
