The Washington Area Historic Foundation has added a new element to its annual homes and garden tour: art and artists.

Five local artists have signed on to paint the day away during this weekend’s tour. Most will be painting en plein air, a French phrase meaning to paint outdoors, capturing architectural details of homes or flowers in bloom in gardens.

“This is a new adventure. They asked if I would be willing to participate and I thought, ‘Why not?’” said Kay Woolard, owner of Art on Market in downtown Washington.

Woolard will spend Saturday painting at Elmwood, the circa-1820 Italianate home on West Main Street. She said plein air painting is a bit of a new thing for her, and has no plans to try to paint Elmwood’s entirety. Rather, she’ll focus on the details.

“I’ll try to do a good job and support the home and garden show as well,” Woolard laughed.

Woolard joins fellow artists Nancy Scoble, Brenda Haislet, Art Tyndall and Patricia Zeggert. Scoble will be painting at the Henry Bridgeman home, owned by Jerry and Sue Creech; Haislet will be set up in Justin and Monica Ferrari’s West Second Street garden; Tyndall, will be at the Fenner T. Phillips home, owned by Scott and Mary Pat Musselman; and Zeggert, will be at the West Second Street home of Dr. Fred and Cheryl Austin.

The foundation’s annual Spring Homes and Garden Tour features eight homes and two gardens this year, all of which are located in the downtown Washington historic district. The tour is self-guided, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

According to WAHF’s Dee Congelton, proceeds from the tour go back into the community, to support projects like the renovation and upkeep of Harding Square, located at the end of Market Street, and the city-owned Festival Park.

Tickets c an be purchased at the Washington-Beaufort County Chamber of Commerce, Washington Visitors Center, Coffee Caboose and Little Shoppes of Washington. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 the day of the tour.