Opening Weekend Program (Please Note: This schedule is subject to change)

Thursday, October 10 4:00 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. “Artists at the Cutting Edge: The OPA and the Rebirth of Representational Painting with OPA President Kurt Anderson OPA Location: Beverly McNeil Gallery

OPA President and Signature artist Kurt Anderson will give an overview of the current scene in representational oil painting, and speak to its significance as the most vital and burgeoning movement in contemporary art. He will show how most of the leading painters today are part of a distinct lineage, master to pupil, intent on maintaining and expanding the great traditions in painting. And he will speak to the OPA's important role as the leading showcase and advocate for this art.

President of the Oil Painters of America Kurt Anderson OPA is a distinguished painter who has won top honors from many of the nation’s leading art organizations and publications. He is the author or co-author of eight books on painting. In addition to having a BA in art, and a master’s degree in accounting, Anderson spent four years as an apprentice in a traditional atelier, making him part of a master pupil lineage that can be traced back to the eighteenth-century master Jacques Louis David. 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Regional Opening Reception & Awards Ceremony Location: Beverly McNeil Gallery Please join us in celebrating this year’s Eastern Regional Exhibition which represents the highest level of excellence in oil painting by artists from across the Eastern half of the United States and Canada. Master Signature artist and Juror of Awards Roger Dale Brown OPAM will announce this year’s award winners at approximately 7:00 p.m.

8:00 p.m. Artists’ Gathering at the Babalu Tapas & Tacos - Lakeview Location: 2808 7th Avenue S. #117, Birmingham, Alabama Cost: Separate checks will be issued and will include an automatic 20% gratuity

Good time ahead! Kick back, relax and enjoy the camaraderie with fellow artists at this Latin-inspired restaurant that features a wonderful selection of fresh menu options. Located right around the block from the Beverly McNeil Gallery makes joining in the fun easy. Separate checks will be issued, and a 20% gratuity will be added to all checks. Go to www.eatbabula.com to see their full menu selections. Be sure to let us know you are coming! See registration info below.

Friday, October 11 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Painting Demonstration by Roger Dale Brown OPAM Location: Beverly McNeil Gallery

A celebrated teacher, OPA Master Signature artist Roger Dale Brown has led close to 100 workshops from Maine to Montana in the United States, and abroad in Ecuador, Italy and Scotland. His teaching includes live demonstrations as well as on-location, figurative, studio and still-life classes. Roger has been honored to serve as juror for art and plein air competitions for OPA, the American Impressionist Society and others across the country. When not traveling to paint or teach, he lives with his artist wife in Franklin, Tennessee.

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2019 Eastern Regional Program – continued Among his many awards, Roger has received Best of Show in the Barnes and Farms National Juried Art Show, Museum Purchase Award at the Easton Plein Air Competition, Award of Excellence in the Master Category at the American Impressionist National Show, as well as the Gold Medal Award from the Hudson Valley Art Association. His work has also been accepted in national juried exhibitions with both Oil Painters of America and the American Impressionist Society where he received Artist Choice Award. He was also a finalist in the Art Renewal Center Salon. Roger has frequently been published including International Artist, American Artist, American Art Collector, Plein Air, and the Artist’s Magazines. Roger's oil paintings hang in the permanent collections of Tennessee State Museum and other museums throughout the United States and are held in several prominent galleries around the country.

11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thanks a Brunch for Coming! Location: Beverly McNeil Gallery

In true Southern hospitality, Beverly McNeil would like to thank all the OPA artists attending this year’s exhibition with a scrumptious brunch. Please join Beverly and her amazing staff for delicious food and lively conversation!

1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Painting Demonstration by John Michael Carter OPAM Location: Beverly McNeil Gallery John Michael Carter OPAM first began his studies in drawing at the age of 15 with his father E.L. Carter, a commercial artist. He attended the American Academy of Art in Chicago and then moved to Los Angeles where he attended the prestigious Art Center College of Design. There he received a background in the major classical schools of painting and graduated with a B.F.A. Degree. In addition to Carter’s love of figurative painting, he enjoys the street scenes and landscapes he discovers in his travels here and abroad. He has been a frequent guest instructor at art workshops across the country, including the Scottsdale Artist School, the Dallas Arts League and the Cincinnati Art Club. His thorough classical training and experience in drawing and painting gives him the technical expertise to provide artists with superb instruction. He is a Master Signature member of the Oil Painters of America and was OPA’s National Exhibition Gold Medal recipient in 2004. He is the Immediate Past President of OPA.

Lodging and Travel Information Travel: The closest international airport servicing Birmingham is the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport. Hotel: A small courtesy block has been made at the:

Free breakfast, high speed internet and parking. Outdoor pool and fitness room. Standard Double and King: $124 + applicable taxes Room availability is based on a first-come, first-served basis. Please call 205-870-7822. This rate is only available until September 18, 2019, or until the block is full. Be sure to let them know you are with OPA to secure this special rate.

All events are free and open to the public, except for dinner at Babalu Tapas & Tacos on Thursday evening. Please email Rosemary Murray at mail@oilpaintersofamerica.com to let her know you are coming and what events you will be attending. If you are bringing a guest, please be sure to provide us with their first and last name.

Registration Information

Hampton Inn Birmingham/Mountain Brook (3 miles from the gallery) 2731 US Highway 280 South Birmingham, AL 35223 Reservations: 205-870-7822