Escalante Canyons Working Art Festival
Everett Ruess Days
September 24-25, 2010 in Escalante, Utah
(Plein Air Competition: September 19-23, 2010)
Woodblock printby Everett Ruess Circa 1930 PLEIN AIR COMPETITION 2009
This year we had 114 painting entries this year, up form 96 entries last year. Plein air paintings are painted on location, outdoors, and in a short amount of time. The quality of the art entries this year was superb. |
Artists from all over Utah and several other states participated in the competition. We awarded $7,500.00 in prize monies to the artists,
making it worthwhile for the artists to compete. Most of the artists reported feeling that they benefited financially as well as artistically
from the experience of painting in the Grand Staircase -Escalante National Monument, Dixie National Forest, Bryce Canyon National Park,
and Capitol Reef National Park. Artists had a sense of camaraderie and enjoyed the added benefit of painting with each other.
There were some great discussions around campfires about the nature of art, painting techniques and style,
and the beauty of the fantastic landscape around Escalante. This year we initiated what hopefully will become a regular feature of the festival,
an all day workshop on Wednesday, where the artists can paint together.
Beginning this year you can register online for the painting competition, as an artist/vendor, or make a donation to Escalante Canyons Art Festival.
Check out the appropriate pages. If you want, you can still print the forms and mail them to us.
We are please to announce that we are offering a new award this year. In co-operation with the National Forest Service Red Canyon Visitors Center
(http://www.fs.fed.us/r4/dixie/recreation/vc/redcanyonvc.html),
are pleased to be offering a student award. The award will be a one-man show at the gallery at the Red Canyon Visitors Center.
The paintings can be sold through "Bryce Canyon Natural History Association". The space is large enough for between 10 and 20 small paintings.
The required subject matter is Red Canyon, Bryce Canyon, and Scenic Byway 12. The paintings need to be completed and properly framed in the months
between the festival, and the opening of the exhibit the following spring. This is a great opportunity for a young artist, and the award is open to all
registered students in who compete in the Escalante Canyons Art Festival plein air competition in 2010.
Complete details will be made available to the student artists at a later date.
This year we are planning a one-day "Paint Out" event open to any registered artist. The artists will paint together, in one spot for several hours,
probably from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM on Wednesday, September 22. A $250.00 cash prize will be awarded to the artist who does the best painting or drawing
as chosen by his peers. Artists will choose the winner by casting a vote at 5:00 PM. This is in addition to the other awards given out during the festival.
See the Special Events page for more details.
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“PAINTIN' FOOLS” BY STEPHEN ELKINS THEY'RE SO COOL. THEY'RE PAINTIN' FOOLS, THOSE PLEIN-AIR PAINTERS I KNOW. THEY PAINT IN THE SUN AND THEY SAY IT'S FUN. IT'S NOT FOR THE FAINT-HEARTED, THOUGH. THEY'LL DRIVE MILES AND MILES STILL WEARIN' THEIR SMILES TIL THEY FIND JUST THE RIGHT SCENIC VIEW. THEY'LL BOUNCE UP AND DOWN AND NOT EVEN FROWN ON WASHBOARD ROADS, AND NO LOO. THEN THEY'LL WALK ANOTHER MILE MORE OVER ROCKS, THROUGH BRUSH AND BRAMBLE TIL THEY GET TO THE PLACE WHERE THEY CAN FACE THE SUBJECT AT JUST THE RIGHT ANGLE. THEY'LL PAINT FOR HOURS UNLESS IT SHOWERS IN WIND AND SUN AND SHADE. GO AHEAD, INTERRUPT THEM. IT WON'T CORRUPT THEM AS LONG AS YOU SAY, "THAT'S GREAT." THEN AFTER FOUR OR FIVE HOURS MORE YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT YOU SEE. THEY'VE CAPTURED THE ESSENCE AND THE FLOURESCENCE OF THAT MARVELOUS SCENERY. OH, THEY'RE SO COOL, THOSE PAINTIN' FOOLS, THOSE PLEIN-AIR PAINTERS I KNOW. THEY PAINT IN THE SUN AND THEY SAY IT'S FUN. IT'S NOT FOR THE FAIN-HEARTED, THOUGH. |
Jared Barnes painting on Highway 12
Rob Wilson & Jennifer Gubler at Devil’s Garden
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