St. Augustine Art Association

95 Arts Alive – STAAA Celebrates 95 Years!

September 2, 2021

95 Years ago on January 18, 1924, a handful of visionaries founded an art group that over time grew into a vibrant and influential force for the arts–the St. Augustine…

An Interview with the Artist – Jeff Markowsky, En Plein Air

May 17, 2019

If you’ve been to the St. Augustine Art Association gallery this month, you’ll recall seeing the oil painting above. Jeff Markowsky of Savannah, Georgia, won the $1,000 Clark & Alice Alger Best in Show Award for Ingrid at Rest, a piece that illustrates the hidden beauty of a local boatyard. Markowsky also received the PleinAir Magazine Advertising Award from the national publication for plein air painters. Markowsky worked from dawn to dusk during the 3rdAnnual St. Augustine Plein Air Paint Out, producing an impressive body of work that celebrates the nation’s oldest city. Visitors can see Ingrid at Rest, along with Markowsky’s other works, in the plein air exhibit, Where Art Meets Historyon display through May 26, 2019.

On “Point” with Ballerinas – Degas Circle of Friends

May 17, 2019

This month, Ballet Dancer with Fan, by Louis Kronberg is the focal point of a special exhibit of ballerina paintings created during the 3^rdAnnual St. Augustine Plein air Paint Out. As people gathered at the Lightner Museum After Hours Social to celebrate the opening of the Edgar Degas: Circle of Friends exhibit, Sarah Owens from The Perla Ballet of the St. Augustine Dance Conservatory took center stage on the Mezzanine. More than a dozen plein air artists captured her likeness in the same spirit and style of Edgar Degas.

2018 Year in Review

December 19, 2018

A Note from the Director This year the St. Augustine Art Association reached new heights in promoting the pursuit of artistic excellence, thanks to you! Student, emerging and established artists shared…

STAAA’s Parade of Art: Lure of the Sea

November 9, 2018

Lure of the Sea Maritime art has been a popular genre for centuries throughout Europe and the New World. Early images of ships and the sea were often a social…

STAAA’s Upcoming 95th Anniversary

November 7, 2018

Members of the St. Augustine Art Association paint en plein air at the Fort. ca. 1950

On a cold night in January 1924, a handful of artists and writers gathered around the fireplace in the historic Fatio House to form an art group that would become known as the St. Augustine Art Association. Identified early on as the Galleon Club, a reference to the town's Spanish heritage and symbol of discovery, these visionaries hoped to create an environment that would encourage artists of all genres to participate in the expressive arts. Who could have imagined their humble beginnings would grow into a world-class destination for fine artists with the St. Augustine Art Association at its cultural epicenter? This season, the St. Augustine Art Association celebrates its 95th Anniversary with an array of art happenings at the Art Center and around town.

From Humble Beginnings to Art Epicenter: St. Augustine Art Association 95th Anniversary

September 20, 2018

This season (2018/2019), the St. Augustine Art Association marks its 95th Anniversary with an array of art happenings at the STAAA Art Center and around town, starting with a Parade…

2018 St. Augustine Plein Air Paint Out

May 14, 2018

The Art of Open Air Painting in St. Augustine - by HistoricCoastCulture.com

St. Augustine has long attracted and inspired artists with its historic, coastal and architectural beauty. We spoke with two artists participating in the 2018 Plein Air Paint Out, to learn their methods and inspiration in the nation’s oldest city. Mary Hubley is a coastal artist based in St. Augustine. Florida. Her paintings are about living at the seashore, walking the beach, and breathing salt air. Profiled in the “Best of America Artists” books, she gives classes and workshops, does frequent plein air painting, and sells her work through prominent Southern art galleries. See more at maryhubley.com. Paul Ladnier, Professor Emeritus, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, Florida, taught painting and drawing for more than forty years. The recipient of many awards, he has participated in numerous group shows and is an invited artist to many plein air competitions and events, including the prestigious Publisher’s Invitational. Paul continues to paint, exhibit his works, teach privately, and conduct workshops in plein air painting and figure drawing and painting.

Q: Tell us about your artistic style and process. What goes into making a piece like you are creating for the Plein Air Paint Out?

Emmett Fritz Exhibit Curated by Flagler Student Intern

November 2, 2017

Emmett Fritz: A Centennial Collection November 3rd - January 28, 2018

This October marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of one of St. Augustine’s most beloved “plein air” painters, Emmett Fritz. To commemorate this centennial, Flagler student Bailey Poole has curated an exhibit titled “Emmett Fritz: A Centennial Collection,” which will be presented at the St. Augustine Art Association between Nov. 3 and Dec. 31. (extended through January) The exhibit will not only offer a glimpse into Fritz’s life, but will also include new acquisitions by the artist from the art association’s Permanent Collection, as well as paintings on loan from local and regional art collectors.

An Artful Touch

September 25, 2017

The St. Augustine's TOUCH Braille Trail gives people of all abilities a unique way to access art and history

A walk around the picturesque Plaza de la Constitución is a feast for the eyes. Gilded architectural treasures, historic monuments, expansive harbor vistas and an exquisite collection of history statuary whet the visual appetites of countless passersby. Now, close your eyes. Imagine experiencing the beauty of St. Augustine as a blind person. That's a challenge the St. Augustine Art Association met when the nonprofit arts organization created the TOUCH St. Augustine "Braille Trail," an installation of bronze Braille markers for the citywide public works of art.