A creative person knows no rest. This was confirmed by the young artists and their teachers who came on June 10, 2026 to the GCB educational center for an International open plein-air contest within the project “In My Homeland”.

 

Observation, the ability to focus on an object, and attention to detail are important for any artist. Observing wildlife during the plein-air work contributes to the development of these skills. In addition, the plein air also helps in the field of environmental education, paying attention to the beauty of the native land, its value and the importance of caring for it. This is exactly what the International Open Plein-air Contest was aimed at.

The young artists from Minsk and Gusev (Kaliningrad region, Russia) art schools and studios started work in the morning, choosing views, sketching, and selecting techniques. Many located on the central alley, from where the main building of the center, the house, and the fountain are clearly visible. Someone chose more secluded places among the trees with interesting angles and views. Several children went to a greenhouse with exotic plants. Just a few hours later, the children presented their drawings to the jury, which included teachers and project experts.

 

The works were evaluated in several age groups and in two categories – "Painting" and "Graphics". There were few graphic works, and all of them were unanimously approved by the jury. But there was a lot of controversy around paintings, especially by authors aged 11-12. Nevertheless, the jury members were able to find something interesting in each work - somewhere a non–standard plot move, somewhere a successful detail, somewhere the ability to cope with the sheet. Since the plein air was small, all the participants received awards – diplomas of various degrees or with encouraging wording. But the main thing that children got was the experience of participating in an open-air contest.

An important addition to the day was a workshop by artist Anna Vygonnaya on the blot drawing method, which helps to develop a sense of stain and imaginative thinking. Under the guidance of the master, the students created several figurative drawings – multicolored watercolor blots, in which they saw and made recognizable images of animals, mythical creatures, people, natural and architectural objects with the help of strokes and lines. Some even managed to reflect in their blots the impressions of their trip to Mir and Nesvizh, where they had visited the day before.

 

The day ended with the awarding of the participants of the plein-air contest, the presentation of diplomas and a small impromptu concert from the center staff.

 

The In My Homeland project will definitely continue the practice of holding educational meetings for artists, both young and adults. The next one, for artists-teachers, will be held from June 20 to 28.