Betty Ann Morris and Trish Hurley, both of Newport, work on their paintings along the seawall at Atlantic Beach Club, in Middletown. Below, Tom Deninger, of Bristol, a teacher for “Painting on Location,” works along the Cliff Walk.

The Providence Journal / Frieda Squires

NEWPORT

“Wet Paint” is usually a warning.

But in Newport, it’s also an invitation.

Once a year, for a brief specified time, amateur and professional artists are invited to quickly create original pieces of art. Then, before the paint is even dry, they submit their works to be auctioned off — all in one evening — to benefit the Newport Art Museum.

“Wet Paint,” the fundraiser’s name, is a novelty in the genteel and sophisticated world of carefully crafted and costly art. Not surprisingly, it spawns a lot of zaniness during the week it goes on, with artists in a frenzy to complete paintings and deliver them to the museum and museum staff in a harried race to hang the artwork in time for the auction.

For some, it can even inspire a bit of artist trash-talking. That’s what you might have overheard yesterday had you been strolling or painting along the Cliff Walk, an artist’s dream location. There, two professional artists got together to hold their annual “Wet Paint” art class, with some of the works created going to the auction. As they painted scenes of the China Tea House, they talked to the students about their techniques.

“I keep hearing what he’s doing over there,” says John MacGowan, of Newport, leaving his easel to look over the shoulder of Bristol artist Tom Deininger. “Oh, that,” he says dismissively, “That’s just a scrape-off.”

A few moments later, MacGowan, back in front of his oil seascape, talks about how he prefers “a fat toothbrush-y paint” and then begins to list “My favorite painters…”

“You’re favorite painters stink!” Deininger interrupts.

While such banter pales in comparison to anything you’d hear on the floor in the NBA these days, even the oft-bickering Matisse and Picasso would probably have been dumbstruck. That’s the kind of playfulness “Wet Paint” inspires.

Each year, MacGowan and Deininger, longtime friends and colleagues celebrate Wet Paint by holding a class. Some or all of the paintings the two artists produce during the day are donated to the museum, and their students are encouraged to submit their works too.

“By and large most are amateur enthusiasts,” MacGowan says of the contributors.

Meanwhile, artists throughout the area are welcome to join in. In past years, artists were asked to begin and complete their works, all on the same day. But this year, to give painters a little more scheduling flexibility, they have a week to start and complete their paintings.

Today is the deadline to drop off artwork. The silent auction begins tonight from 7 to 10 p.m. and continues tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. A live auction for the paintings that generate the greatest interest during the silent auction will begin at 2 p.m. tomorrow.

With well over 300 paintings submitted last year, the additional time this year is expected to swell the number of entries to 400 or 500, says curatorial assistant Tara Elliott.

“Either that or the pieces will be bigger and better,” she says.

Already yesterday, she and her fellow staff members were busy preparing to display the artwork that began trickling in. Today was expected to be an art onslaught.

“It’s really kamikaze,” says Elizabeth Keithline, assistant to the curator. “It’s hang, hang, hang.”

“We get covered with paint,” says staffer Pamela Stanek, adding, “I don’t know where we are going to put them all.”

But that’s not for the artists to worry about. They have bigger concerns. Like composition. Changing light. And the conflicting opinions of dual (and dueling) teachers.

“Are you going to integrate the sea?” MacGowan asks Cathy VanLancker, a Middletown resident who teaches at Moses Brown School.

“No, Tom told me not to,” she says.

Hers is the largest painting in the group, a more abstract view of the Cliff Walk seashore, from their vantage point near Marine Avenue.

“I love these two guys,” she says. “This is my fourth year.”

She and others expressed a quandary of “Wet Paint.” They don’t want to have anything shown that they think is so bad they’d die of embarrassment. On the other hand, if they create something great, it’s hard to part with. But Carol Shelton, of Warwick, doesn’t feel that way.

“I love detachment from this,” she says. “I love to give it away. When you have a whole house full, what do you do with all of the stuff?”

While some bargains can be had at the silent auction, the best works and those created by the best known artists can lead to lively bidding at the live auction, especially with the encouragement of auctioneer Mike Corcoran. Bidders are often more generous because it’s a benefit.

“We’ve seen double digits. It’s unusual, but very exciting,” says MacGowan.

“The auction is a lot of fun,” says Kathie Semenchuck, 60, of Middletown.

Admission to the auction is $50 for members of the nonprofit museum and $65 for nonmembers. Admission is free for “Wet Paint” artists and one guest. The live auction takes place under a large tent on the museum lawn.

While nearing their lunchtime break yesterday and the completion of their first paintings of the day, Deininger goes over to MacGowan to compare their scenes of the China Tea House, perched in the distance above the rocks on Cliff Walk. Like the sun struggling to burn through the hazy milky sky, a rare moment of sincerity shines through between them.

“Let’s see how you did, John,” Deininger says. “That looks very good.”

rsalit@projo.com