Show Preview | Plein Air for the Park

Moose, WY
Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center, July 13-17

Jim Wodark, High Country Gem, oil, 20 x 24.

This story was featured in the July 2016 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Get the Southwest Art July 2016 print issue or digital download now–then subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss another story.

Universally revered Grand Teton National Park is home to a dazzling array of flora and fauna, pristine lakes and streams, forested buttes and striking granite peaks. So it comes as no surprise that the Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters has chosen the heart of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem once again as the backdrop for its fifth annual “wet painting” art show and sale, Plein Air for the Park, which is held in partnership with the Grand Teton Association.

For two weeks beginning July 4, 30 RMPAP members position their easels around the park and the Jackson Hole area as they set out to capture the exquisite alpine surroundings (paintings shown here are representative of the artists’ works). Joined by guest artists Michele Byrne, Molly Davis, Lamya Deeb, Gary Huber, Peggy Immel, Shanna Kunz, and Jim Wodark, the group is expected to produce 250 or more works for display in the 1,200-square-foot gallery space at the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center. A portion of proceeds from art sales benefits the GTA’s educational, interpretive, and scientific programs.

“Each year we see the artists explore the park more and more, even hiking into the back country,” says Colorado landscape painter and RMPAP president Stephen C. Datz. “Their works show surprising aspects of the park. It’s more than just the postcard view. It’s a different snapshot every year.”

Patti Andre, Old Homestead, oil, 16 x 12.

Jennifer L. Hoffman, of Jackson, WY, has participated in Plein Air for the Park every year since it started. “I’ve lived in this valley for 20 years, and I never get tired of painting the landscape here,” says Hoffman, whose favorite subjects include the wide-open views of the National Elk Refuge and Antelope Flats and the braids of the Snake and Gros Ventre Rivers. “I couldn’t paint it all in multiple lifetimes,” she adds. Guest artist Jim Wodark is painting in the park for the first time but feels joy in painting the West. “I’ve seen so many iconic images of the Tetons,” says the Colorado native, who now resides in Southern California. “I’m really excited to see what this part of the country looks like and how I can translate it into great paintings.”

Created to increase art awareness in the Rocky Mountain region and support educational initiatives in the park, this art show with a purpose includes artists’ demonstrations, a youth paint-out, and a Quick Draw and Sale. A gala opening reception takes place at the visitor center at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 13, to kick off the show. Visitors can meet the artists, enjoy catered fare, and learn about a new book that chronicles the life and art of RMPAP member and plein-air master Gregory McHuron, who passed away in 2012.

The full exhibition and sale is open to the public from noon on July 13 until 4 p.m. on July 17. The artists continue painting and adding new works to the exhibit after it opens, so it’s worth coming back two or three times, says Datz. “Work you see on Wednesday will be different on Saturday. It’s a very dynamic show.” —Kim Agricola

contact information
www.rmpap.org