Twenty artists from the Mid-Atlantic area have been out and about this week painting scenes of Gloucester County as part of the Gloucester Arts Festival’s inaugural plein air painting event. The festivities culminate in a gala opening of an exhibition of the artists’ endeavors, the “Heart of the River Collection,” at Arts on Main on Friday.

Those attending will meet the artists and preview approximately 100 of their paintings, including those created during Gloucester Arts Festival, and will have the first opportunity to purchase those paintings.

The event’s juror, Robert Mayo of Gloucester, whose art career spans that of museum curator and director, gallery owner, art dealer and collector, historian and lecturer,  will be in attendance. Those attending will also be able to meet Gary Pendelton, plein air artist and president of the Mid-Atlantic Plein Air Painters Association, who wrote the book “100 Plein Air Painters of the Mid-Atlantic,&rdqu...