Plein Air in the Tetons

Submitted by Gary on Mon, 11/28/2016 - 14:28

An Early Start

Blue Sky Breaking Through

In Riotous Profusion

In July 2016 I was invited to participate a second time as a guest of Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters in the 5th Annual Plein Air for the Park event. Each year the event helps raise funds for the Grand Teton Association, a non-profit educational group which works with the National Park Service to develop educational outreach programs and fund research into issues that affect the park environment and its resources.

This year was special in that it was the 100th anniversary of the Park Service and parks everywhere were drawing record numbers of visitors, many from foreign countries. For about two weeks around 30 artists painted "en plein air" from Jackson, Wyoming north to the southern border of Yellowstone Park. We put on painting demonstrations for the public as well. A gallery-style show was hung at the Craig Thomas Visitor and Discovery Center in the park and work was sold off the walls for five days.

In the end many thousands of dollars were raised for the association. I sold four pieces myself and won Honorable Mention award for An Early Start, shown at the left. That view was done around 6:30 a.m. from the Colter Bay Marina and it took some endurance to do it in the frigid morning air. The view looks up Paintbrush Canyon in the Teton Range. Other popular subjects included wildflowers which seemed to be at their peak.

A few weeks after the show ended I received the exciting news that the board of Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters had unanimously voted me full membership in the prestigious painting group. That means I'll be back in the Tetons painting up a storm again in July 2017. July is busy but a great time to visit the park for the best weather and wildflowers. I hope to see you there! You'll find complete information about next year's event when it gets closer on the web site of the group.