9/14-19: 5th Floyd Plein Air Biennial
FLOYD, VA – The 5th Floyd Plein Air Biennial, presented by the Floyd Center for the Arts, will bring 30 juried artists from 10 states to Floyd County September 14–19, 2026, for six days of painting, exhibitions, demonstrations, and special events. Clark Gas & Oil Co. returns as the lead sponsor of this year’s Biennial, helping bring artists and the community together for this celebration of art and the landscapes of Floyd County.
Throughout the week, Floyd will become an open-air studio as artists set up their easels along the Blue Ridge Parkway, on local farms, beside rivers, in downtown Floyd, and throughout the surrounding countryside. Working outdoors and on location, participating artists will capture the landscapes, architecture, farms, and community that make Floyd distinctive. More than 100 new paintings are expected to be created during the week, culminating in exhibitions and sales at the Floyd Center for the Arts.
Visitors are encouraged to find artists painting throughout the week and experience the plein air process firsthand. The Biennial also includes free artist demonstrations, wet paint sales, special gatherings, the Friday Night Quick Draw, and the Public Gala Celebration & Art Sale.
The week begins Monday, September 14, with artists painting at the Floyd EcoVillage, followed by the Meet-the-Artist Reception & Small Wet Painting Sale from 6–8 PM at the Floyd Center for the Arts. Free and open to the public, the reception offers an opportunity to meet the participating artists and see paintings created during the first day of the event.
On Tuesday, artists will paint along the Blue Ridge Parkway from the Smart View area toward Mabry Mill. Wednesday takes artists into the Poor Farm Road area and Riverstone Organic Farm, followed by a free painting demonstration with nationally recognized plein air painter Kyle Buckland at 3 PM at the Floyd Center for the Arts. Buckland won First Place at the inaugural Floyd Plein Air Biennial in 2017 and returned as Festival Judge in 2024.
Thursday’s painting locations include The River Property and Honeypot Farm. That evening, artists, patrons, and supporters will gather at the Floyd EcoVillage & Event Center for the ticketed Plein Air Soirée from 6–8 PM. The evening will feature heavy hors d’oeuvres by Maples Restaurant & Tavern, live music by Jennifer Brooke and Mike Mitchell, and an exclusive Small Art Sale featuring donated works by participating artists. Proceeds from the Small Art Sale support the Floyd Center for the Arts Education Program.
On Friday, September 18, artists will spread throughout downtown Floyd and surrounding locations before Festival Judge Deliece Blanchard presents a free painting demonstration at 1 PM at the Floyd Center for the Arts. Blanchard, an award-winning painter from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, was recently honored with the 2026 Outstanding Achievement in Landscape Award at the American Women Artists National Juried Exhibition.
Friday evening brings one of the week’s most energetic events, the Friday Night Quick Draw, held from 6–9 PM in downtown Floyd during the Friday Night Jamboree. Both Biennial artists and members of the public are invited to participate, with just three hours to create a painting from start to finish as visitors watch the works take shape throughout downtown Floyd.
The Biennial concludes Saturday, September 19, at the Floyd Center for the Arts. The day begins with the opening of the Quick Draw Exhibition in the Falcon Gallery, followed by a free outdoor painting demonstration with Biennial Chair Joli Ayn Wood at 10 AM.
From 5–6 PM, Patron Pass holders and ticket holders will receive early access to the week’s newly created artwork during the Collectors Preview in the Hayloft Gallery. At 6 PM, the doors open to everyone for the Public Gala Celebration & Art Sale, a free event featuring the week’s paintings, food, beverages, a cash bar benefiting the Center, and the presentation of awards at 7:30 PM.
“Plein air painting is about experiencing a place in the moment, and Floyd offers an incredible variety of landscapes, light, and character for artists to explore,” said Joli Ayn Wood, Chair of the 5th Floyd Plein Air Biennial. “Throughout the week, the community has the unique opportunity to watch paintings come to life across Floyd County and then see those works come together in the gallery. We’re excited to welcome these 30 artists to Floyd and share that experience with everyone.”
The 5th Floyd Plein Air Biennial is proudly supported by lead sponsor Clark Gas & Oil Co., with generous support from Floyd EcoVillage, OmniBuild General Contractors, Center for the Arts at Virginia Tech, Montgomery Museum of Art & History, Finn Graphics, Blue Ridge Florist, Virginia Tourism Corporation, Dixon Ticonderoga, Williamsburg Artist Oil Colors, Golden Artist Colors, Art Supplies Wholesale, Guerrilla Painter, Judson’s Art Outfitters, Ampersand, Virginia Commission for the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Many events throughout the week are free and open to the public. Tickets and Patron Passes are available for the Plein Air Soirée and Collectors Preview.
For the complete schedule, participating artists, Patron Passes, tickets, and visitor information, visit FloydArtCenter.org/plein-air.
About the Floyd Center for the Arts
The Floyd Center for the Arts connects people through visual arts, handmade craft, and music, honoring living traditions while embracing innovation. Located at 220 Parkway Lane South in Floyd, Virginia, the Center offers exhibitions, classes, workshops, community events, and opportunities for artists and audiences throughout the region.
