Plein Air for the Park" reception July 13 at GTNP Craig Thomas Center

Jennifer Hoffman, The Clouds Roll In, 12x12 inches

On Friday, July 13th, the Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters (RMPAP) "Plein Air for the Park" Gala Opening Reception and Sale takes place at Grand Teton National Park’s (GTNP) Craig Thomas Discovery & Visitors Center (CTDVC) 7:00 - 9:00 pm, with presentations of artist awards at 7:45 pm. New works painted in the Park over the preceding two weeks will be exhibited; award-winning paintings will become part of GTNP's permanent collection. Forty percent of the proceeds from the sale of works at the show will benefit Grand Teton National park through the Grand Teton Association (GTA), the Park's supporter and provider of Park-related educational, interpretive and scientific materials and programs.

The show is open to the public during the CTDVC's regular business hours all day Saturday and until 4 PM on Sunday, and all works are for sale. GTA will have docents manning the gallery during those hours.

Plein Air for the Park" will hold a Quick Draw on Thursday, July 12th, at CTDVC, 4-6:00 pm--beneath a Tetons late afternoon summer sky. Free and open to the public, the Quick Draw will feature 32 of the event artists completing a painting, start-to-finish, in two hours. Paintings may be purchased at the Quick Draw, for fixed, full retail prices. Quick Draw works may also be included in the exhibition and sale taking place at CTDVC July 13th - 15th.

“We want to make sure that patrons attending the QD know that if they see a painting they like at the QD, they may purchase it,” says RMPAP President Steve Datz. “They can do this by flagging down a docent. The artist will advise them of the price and title, and will have a frame and wire ready for the finished painting. Patrons MUST be present to purchase QD works, and must take their new purchases with them at the conclusion of the QD. Since these will be wet paintings, we will not be able to store or ship them. The QD is a sale, as opposed to an auction.”

Datz notes that this entire show will be created during the 12 days prior to the opening.

“That’s about 130 paintings that didn’t exist on July 1,” he says. “That’s no small thing. In a way, you can look at that body of work as a "snapshot" of GTNP during that time. It's a cross section of all the various aspects of light, weather, landscape, and activity, whether wild or human, in the Park during that 10 day slice of time. I expect it will be quite a diverse and impressive exhibition, and I am hopeful that it will be as surprising as it is delightful.”

Jackson Hole artists Jennifer Hoffman, Erin O’Connor, Kathryn Mapes Turner, and Lee Riddell will all have works on display.

"My people, my tribe!" exclaims O'Connor. " This is a collection of the most talented artists I know, with both styles and humors running the gamut. Imagine the challenge: paint your own immersion in the Jackson Hole landscape, no matter the weather or circumstances, in a matter of days. Imagine the kind of people who can pull that off. They are dedicated, determined souls with astonishing skills and a willingness to let Mother Nature run them ragged. I've participated in the RMPAP national events for 10 years, and I've yet to decide which is best - the amazing artwork that is created in these wild places, or the wild laughter and camaraderie of the artists creating."

Hoffman notes that as long as there’s even been an idea for it, artists have been intimately involved in the creation and preservation of National Parks.

“I am honored to take part in this rich history and to be able to share my passion for art and nature in a way that will benefit a place that I love,” she says. “I think it will be a special experience for park visitors to see artists creating works on location from start to finish – it’s the kind of thing that becomes a lifetime memory.”

“In thinking back to the contributions of Thomas Moran, John Clymer and Conrad Schwiering, it is easy to see that here has been a long history of artists in this area,” says Turner. “Their art made a significant impact on our understanding of this place. Landscape artists have a special relationship with the land, so I see this event as a celebration of our magnificent valley.

Riddell views RMPAP's event as a celebration of the place she's called home for over 35 years. Always excited to see how artists interpret the Park and its surroundings, Riddell takes pleasure in understanding what moves artists and how their feelings are put into their paintings; she looks forward to meeting RMPAP's artists and taking part in her first Quick Draw.

"I am honored to be one of the 'invited guest artists' this summer, and am looking forward to painting with Jen, Kath, Erin and Greg, as well as friends who are RMPAP members not living in Jackson," Riddell says. "And, it will be fun to meet members I do not know yet. I learn so much from other painters!"

At Grand Teton Association: Jan Lynch - 307-739-3406

For more information log onto http://www.rmpap.org/, or contact RMPAP's Steve Datz: steved@acsol.net Phone: 970-640-1879. Grand Teton Assoc.: 307.739.3406

"Plein Air for the Park" July 1-15 in Grand Teton National Park

"PLEIN AIR FOR THE PARK" the Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters (RMPAP) 11th Annual National Paint-Out and Exhibition, takes place July 1-15 in Grand Teton National Park (GTNP). The two-week paint out brings together 44 professional artists from around the country, an event that is the first of its kind at GTNP. Beginning July 1st, participating artists (including several Jackson-based painters) will paint in GTNP and the Jackson Hole area.

Artists will conduct painting demonstrations at the Craig Thomas Discovery & Visitors Center (CTDVC) and on the Jackson Lake Lodge’s Grand Room deck, overlooking Mt. Moran, each day from July 7-11. Times are 9-11 AM and 4-6 PM, with the exception of Sunday, July 15, when only a morning demonstration is planned.

Celebrating the Grand Teton Association's 75th Anniversary and GTNP's rich tradition of landscape painting, the event is a fundraiser to benefit GTNP. In addition to multiple opportunities to watch plein air artists in action as they work on paintings start to finish, "Plein Air for the Park" will hold a Quick Draw on Thursday, July 12th, at CTDVC, 4-6:00 pm--beneath a Tetons late afternoon summer sky. Free and open to the public, the Quick Draw will feature 32 of the event artists completing a painting, start-to-finish, in two hours. Paintings may be purchased at the Quick Draw, for fixed, full retail prices. Quick Draw works may also be included in the exhibition and sale taking place at CTDVC July 13th - 15th.

All "Plein Air for the Park" events and demonstrations are free and open to the public.

The RMPAP exhibition will be displayed in the CTDVC's extensive gallery space, home to the Park’s permanent art collection. On Friday, July 13th, a Gala Opening Reception and Sale takes place at CTDVC, 7:00 - 9:00 pm, with presentations of artist awards at 7:45 pm. Three new works from each participant, created during the event's two weeks, will be displayed. Several awards will be given, with two of the award-winning paintings becoming part of GTNP's permanent collection. 40% of the proceeds from the sale of works at the show will benefit Grand Teton National park through GTA, the Park's supporter and provider of Park-related educational, interpretive and scientific materials and programs.

Stephanie Brennan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees & Officers at the National Museum of Wildlife Art, is this year's judge.

Participating Jackson artists include Jennifer Hoffman, Gregory I. McHuron, Erin O'Connor, Kathryn Mapes Turner and Lee Riddell.

RMPAP's exhibition concludes Sunday, July 15th, at 4:00 pm.

“It is an enormous pleasure to be working with the Grand Teton Association and Grand Teton National Park this year,” says RMPAP President Stephen C. Datz. “Grand Teton is a singularly beautiful park with a rich artistic history. The opportunity to continue that tradition, expand public awareness and appreciation of plein-air painting, and in doing so benefit the exceptional efforts of the GTA on behalf of the Park is a genuine privilege."

GTNP Superintendent Mary Gibson Scott adds, "Grand Teton National Park has served as inspiration for artists throughout the ages, and we're thrilled to bring the RMPAP to the Park for this special event. Grand Teton Association began collecting works of art on behalf of the Park over 50 years ago and this collection has become a valuable part of Grand Teton's legacy. We truly appreciate the Association's efforts in bringing landscape and wildlife painters to Grand Teton in 2012 to carry on the tradition."

About RMPAP: A uniquely close-knit association, RMPAP was formed in 2001 by a small group of artists intent on increasing public awareness and enthusiasm for plein air painting within the Rocky Mountain region and "fostering camaraderie, friendship, and professional development" among its member artists. The group’s membership consists of 50 professional North American artists.
Grand Teton Association: http://www.grandtetonpark.org./

For more information on "Plein Air for the Park" events, contact Stephen Datz: (970) - 640-1879 or steved@acsol.net. See the full schedule at http://www.rmpap.org/national_show/

Cokeville Arts Council sponsors plein air painting workshop with Kathryn Stats

The Cokeville Arts Council is pleased to announce a two-day plein air painting workshop July 19-20 with one of the finest landscape painters in the West, artist Kathryn Stats. This oil painting workshop will include demonstrations, group and personal instruction, and a critique. Kathryn will show students how to set up a good composition, use proper values, get light into your painting, and color mixing.

Kathryn’s earliest lessons came from the books of such painters as Emil Gruppe and John F. Carlson; she later studied with Utah artists Ken Baxter and Frank Erickson. Her love of color, unerring sense of proper light and skillful brushwork make her strong, deliberate paintings feel effortless. Her floral studies and the distinctive landscapes that have become the hallmark of her work are in private and public collections worldwide. Cost for two days: $160

This workshop will be held in conjunction with the Western Wyoming Plein Air Competition (July 18-20) and the Minerva Teichert Invitational Art Show (July 19-20). FMI: http://www.cokevillewy.com/

To register or for more information, please call 307.220.8542 or email charlesdayton@allwest.net.

Simpson Gallagher Gallery hosts Sept. 22 reception for "Wipfler and the Boys: A Reunion of Friends"

http://www.simpsongallaghergallery.com

Plein air painting demo Sept. 10 at String Lake in Grand Teton National Park

String Lake (courtesy GTNP)

From Tammy Christel at Jackson Hole Art Tours:
Jackson Hole artist Erin C. O’Connor will give a free plein air painting demonstration at String Lake, Grand Teton National Park, on Saturday, September 10, 2011, 2:00-5:00 pm. O'Connor's appearance winds up the Grand Teton Association’s 2011 "Artists in the Environment" plein air series, and coincides with the opening days of 2011’s Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival.

O'Connor finds her greatest inspiration by painting directly within the environment. Noted for her participation in many prestigious plein air events, she is represented in collections and exhibits throughout the country. Since being awarded the 2009 Joshua Tree National Park “Artist-in-Residency” post, she has taken part in numerous Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters (RMPAP) events, most recently being awarded "Artists' Choice, Best Body of Work" by her peers at RMPAP's Pagosa Springs, Colorado competition. Plein Air Magazine’s Spring 2011 issue named the artist one of "Today's Masters."

"To gain the endorsements of your fellow artists--there's no higher accolade," O'Connor says.

O'Connor came to Jackson 25 years ago, and stays because it's a place where she and so many others are free to "follow their bliss." As an artist, you can never paint as much as you'd like, she says. O'Connor sees the world around her afresh daily. It's a point of ecstasy or a point of madness--but for her, wanting to paint everything you see--and seeing everything as a painting--is a gift.

O'Connor drew and painted from the time she was little.

"When I first started painting en plein air I'd say I strove more to capture details and "true" colors than I do now," she notes. "Now, I don't get as wrapped up in those details. It's the essence behind the details I want to capture. That was never a conscious decision--you're not going to change the way you paint, it's as unique as your signature. My style is not really contemporary, not really traditional. The “Taos Ten” greatly influenced me, and the California Impressionists--the people in the U.S. who were painting outside. It was their clarity of light and brilliant color."

Describing herself as essentially a "solitary individual," O'Connor has lately been painting hay bales--"round bales, square bales, hay loaves, hay laying on the ground, in stripes and in piles!" Painting alone allows her to stay in her "zone," frees her to get into her signature style. Summers, O'Connor works as a landscaper. The job gets her outside, and she can think about how to access certain scenes.

"I'm not above stopping on the Wilson Bridge and placing orange cones around me so I can paint!  But there's usually an easier way," says a smiling O'Connor.
A few years ago, while painting at String Lake, a Western Tanager flew down to perch on the artist's easel.

"I don't know if it was attracted to the colors of the paint or if it was a mooch! It was a great experience," recalls O'Connor. "There's so much going on at String Lake. There are the mountains, so dramatic. There's the lake itself, quiet and serene. It's shallow enough to see logs beneath the water's surface, everything is so interesting, there's so much to choose from. And it's an honor to be asked back to "Artists in the Environment."

About the Series: “Artists in the Environment” is funded by the Grand Teton Association, an organization whose purpose is to promote appreciation, understanding and enjoyment of Grand Teton National Park and the Greater Yellowstone Area. Free to all, with Park entry fee or pass. Viewers are invited to bring a chair, a snack, and those who would like to are welcome to paint alongside the artist.  Look for the big, bright "Artist's Demonstration" banner!

For artist contact information, email Tammy Christel at tammy@jacksonholearttours.com; www.grandtetonpark.org

Scott Christensen conducts free plein-air painting demo Aug. 13 at Grand Teton NP

The Grand Teton Association invites the public to join world-renowned artist Scott Christensen on Saturday, August 13, 2011, 2-5 pm, for a live plein air painting demonstration at Grand Teton National Park's Cathedral Group. The event is free and open to the public. 

Largely self-taught, Christensen became an artist via a circuitous route. Born in Lander, Christensen quickly developed his aesthetic. It was not until college, however, that he would recognize nature as his muse. While attending Nebraska’s Chadron State on a football scholarship, Christensen sustained a severe neck injury that left him unable to compete.  Christensen sought solace in fly fishing, and he visited his grandfather, a wheelchair-bound amateur oil painter. The scent of oils stirred Christensen’s imagination, and he took a leap of faith, enrolling in art classes. In 2007, he moved from Jackson, Wyoming, to Victor, Idaho, and built a studio. That studio has become a salon of sorts, a gathering place for peers.  

Christensen is influenced by such masters as Isaac Levitan, Alphonse Mucha, Joaquin Sorolla and Anders Zorn. The latter’s luminous work inspired Christensen’s limited palette. Equally present in Christensen’s paintings are the effects of literature, music and football.

Christensen’s paintings are included in significant venues, such as the National Academy of Western Art; Prix de West Invitational at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum  in Oklahoma City, OK;  the Gilcrease Museum in Tulsa, OK; National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson, WY; Denver Art Museum; Kimbal Museum; Salmagundi Club in New York; Autry Museum; the Salon d' Arts at the Colorado History Museum; and GTNP's Craig Thomas Visitors' Center. 

About the Series: “Artists in the Environment” is funded by the Grand Teton Association, an organization whose purpose is to promote appreciation, understanding and enjoyment of the Grand Teton National Park and the Greater Yellowstone Area. Free to all, viewers are invited to bring a chair, a snack, and those who would like to are welcome to paint alongside the artist.  Look for the big, bright "Artist's Demonstration" banner!   

Contact for Scott Christensen: Rick Jamison   rick@christensenstudio.com   707.494.7649

http://www.grandtetonpark.org/

Update on Western Wyoming Plein Air Competition

News from Charles Dayton about the Western Wyoming Plein Air Competition July 20-23 in Cokeville:

Artists may paint anywhere in Western Wyoming with at least one painting within 20 miles of Cokeville. Artists may turn in up to four completed, framed and ready-to-be-hung works for the competition and show. All work must be done en plein air without the assistance of photography and must be started and completed on July 20th - July 22nd. The ‘Paint Out’ will be followed by a Reception and an Award Ceremony for the artists and their guests on Friday, July 22nd. The Western Wyoming Plein Competition will culminate in a show and sale held in conjunction with the Minerva Teichert Invitational Art Show.

Entry Fees: $10 for each surface pre-registered on or before July 15th, 2011, $15 entry fee for each surface registered at the competition.

Pre-registration by mail: All pre-paid, pre-registration forms are due before July 15th, 2011.

The Wyoming Plein Air competition will take place in Cokeville. Local lodging includes the HideOut Motel (307) 279.3281 or the (307) 279.5201.

FMI: 307.459.4195 or charlesdayton@allwest.net.

"Weekend of Workshops" June 10-12 in Buffalo

Jenny Wuerker will teach plein air workshop June 11

A Weekend of Workshops

June 10-12, 2011

Lobban Artists' Row, Buffalo WY

Choose from: Blacksmithing, Plein Air Painting, Ceramics, or Zumba

Plein Air "Wuerkshop": June 11, 2:30 - 8 p.m. Call 307-217-1322. $50 fee. 

Get Hooked on Blacksmithing: June 11, 9-4pm. Led by Dave Osmundsen of Arrowhead Forge. Call 307-684-2338.

Perfecting Porcelain with Martha Grover: June 10-12. Call 307-684-4555.

ZUMBA: June 11- June 12. Call 307-250-3815.

"Artists in the Environment" Plein Air Summer Series announced by Grand Teton Assn.

The Grand Teton Association presents the 2011 “Artists in the Environment” Plein Air Summer Series schedule:

Greg McHuron

Date: June 11, 2011

Location: Chapel of Transfiguration

Time: 4:00 - 7:00 pm

Plein air painter Greg McHuron (shown in photo) co-founded “Artists in the Environment” with landscape artist Conrad Schwiering, and has been painting in the Western United States for over 35 years.  Represented in galleries and museums throughout the West, he is a signature member of the Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painter Association and Artists for Conservation.

Greta Gretzinger

Date:  July 9, 2011

Location:  Mormon Row

Time:  2:00-5:00 pm

Greta Gretzinger is known for her large scale murals depicting wilderness landscapes and wildlife.  Based in Idaho and the Jackson Hole area, Gretzinger’s lively and illustrative portraits of Western life appear in public spaces and local parks throughout the region.  

Scott Christensen

Date: August 13, 2011

Location: Cathedral Group

Time: 2:00-5:00 pm

One of the country’s most distinguished plein air artists, Scott Christensen's work is part of Grand Teton National Park’s Craig Thomas Visitors’ Center prestigious permanent collection. Christensen’s paintings are included in significant national venues, such as the National Academy of Western Art, Prix de West Invitational at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum  in Oklahoma City, OK,  the Gilcrease Museum in Tulsa, OK, National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson, WY, Denver Art Museum, Kimbal Museum, Salmagundi Club in New York, Autry Museum, and the Salon d' Arts at the  Colorado History Museum.

Erin C. O’Connor

Date:  September 10, 2011

Location:  String Lake

Time:  2:00-5:00 pm

Artist Erin C. O'Connor finds her greatest inspiration by painting directly within the environment. Noted for her participation in many prestigious Plein Air events, she is represented in collections and exhibits throughout the country. O’Connor was awarded the 2009 Joshua Tree National Park “Artist-in-Residency” post. 

Information: Tammy Christel. Email:  tammy@jacksonholearttours.com   Phone:  307.690.1983

Call for entries: Wyoming Plein Air Competition

From the 2011 Arts & Cultural Events page of the Town of Cokeville's web site:

Please join us for the Western Wyoming Plein Air Competition, July 18-22 in scenic Cokeville, Wyoming. Cokeville is located in Southwestern Wyoming.  This ranching valley is filled with varied subject matter -– cowboys, cattle, horses, rivers, streams, waterfalls, sage, cottonwood trees and rocky mountains. 

Artists may paint anywhere in Western Wyoming with at least one painting within 20 miles of Cokeville.  Artists may turn in up to four completed, framed and ready-to-be-hung works for the competition and show.  All work must be done en plein air without the assistance of photography and must be started and completed on July 18th - July 22nd. The ‘Paint Out’ will be followed by a Reception and an Award Ceremony for the artists and their guests on Friday, August 13th. The Western Wyoming Plein Competition will culminate in a show and sale held in conjunction with the Minerva Teichert Invitational Art Show.

To enter

Entry Fees: $10 for each surface pre-registered on or before July 15th, 2011, $15 entry fee for each surface registered at the competition. Pre-registration by mail: All pre-paid, pre-registration forms are due before July 15th, 2011.

Location

The Wyoming Plein Air competition will take place in Cokeville. Local lodging includes the HideOut Motel (307) 279.3281 or the (307) 279.5201.

Contacts

To request a registration form, please call 307.459.4195 or email charlesdayton@allwest.net.

Call for entries: "Prairies to Peaks, A Plein Air in Wyoming"

“Prairies to Peaks, A Plein Air in Wyoming”

August 1-13, 2011

Exhibition through September 30, 2011

Please enter this event showcasing the vast and diverse landscapes in Wyoming captured in the Plein Air style.

$4,200 in cash prizes

Entry deadline May 2, 2011

Juror is Sterling Hoffmann. Plein Air Workshop with Sterling Hoffmann, Thursday, Aug. 11, and Friday, Aug. 12. $225 pre-registration  Limited to 20 participants. Send with your entry (due May 2) or $250 thereafter.

Info at:

“Prairies to Peaks, a Plein Air in Wyoming”

 Deselms Fine Art & Custom Framing

 300 East 17th Street

 Cheyenne WY 82001

 307 432 0606

 www.DeselmsFineArt.com

Wyoming Plein Air Exhibit opens Aug. 14

You've seen the artists arounds town the past couple weeks.

And now the exhibition opens:

Third annual Wyoming Plein Air Exhibit will be held in Cheyenne August 14-September 30.

Artists from across the U.S.A. come to paint pictures of Cheyenne and Wyoming, culminating in a Gala Opening on 14th August 2010. Also a Quick Draw and Auction of the Quick Draw Paintings on the final Saturday. Entrants and sponsors will be advised as we have more details. Plein Air judge is John Encinias

This event is co-hosted by the Link Gallery (organizer and sponsor) and DeSelms Fine Art, also one of the sponsors.

For more information, please contact the Link Gallery by e-mail thelinkgallery@gmail.com. For a list of participating artists (once they have been selected) and more information view the Wyoming Plein Air page here.

AVA Community Art Center, Fall Class & Event September Schedule

509 West Second Street, Gillette, WY
307-682-9133

Grade School Kids Club Fall Session (Sept 4,17,24)
Parent and Child Class (Sept 14,21,28)
Yupo for Kids (Sept 14,21)
Pottery in the Morning with John Werbelow (Sept 15,16,22,23,29,30)
Kids Clay Class with Kate Payne (Sept 17,24 Oct 1)
Little Tikes (Sept 18,25)
Plein Air with Nancy Brown (Sept 19)
Vase Class (Sept 22)
September Luncheon with Stain Glass Artist Linda Lang (Sept 23)
Flower Press Class (Sept 24)
Community Art Show Work Due(Sept 25)
7th Annual Mini Art Auction (Sept 25)
Ikebana Floral Arrangement (Sept 29)
Early Release Day (Sept 30)

www.avacenter.org