Show Preview: Aspen Plein Air - Southwest Art Magazine

Aspen, CO, Mill Street Mall, July 7-13

Greg Barnes, Morning in Aspen, pastel, 9 x 12.

This story was featured in the July 2012 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Order the Southwest Art magazine July 2012 print edition here, or purchase the Southwest Art magazine July 2012 digital download here. Or simply click here to subscribe to Southwest Art magazine and never miss a story!

This month the Wheeler Opera House in Aspen partners once again with the Sheridan Arts Foundation, the nonprofit arm of the Sheridan Opera House in Telluride, for the third annual Aspen Plein Air celebration, art show, and sale. The event immediately follows the Telluride Plein Air celebration and features many of the same artists. A total of 15 plein-air painters are participating in the invitational show, including returning artists Michele Byrne, Joshua Been, and Susiehyer, whose works from last year are shown here.

“Aspen has been a wonderful venue for the past two years from a plein-air standpoint,” says participating artist Greg Barnes. “From the cafes to the fountains to the colorful flowers everywhere, the street scenes are endless. Then there’s the majesty of the Maroon Bells and its surrounding flora, fauna, and waterfalls, where you can explore forever. Painting from sunup to sundown is pure pleasure in this wonderful setting.”

The group paints in and around Aspen July 7-11, a time of year that Colorado artist Joshua Been says is “stunning” in the Rockies. “The natural landscape is dynamic and vertical with snow still around on the north-facing slopes, cascades running strong, and rivers running cool and clear,” he says, adding, “all with mountainous backdrops and stands of spring-green aspen trees.”

An exhibition and sale of the pieces created during the week takes place July 12-13 at the Mill Street Mall. Artists are limited to hanging eight paintings at a time, so new artwork is continually on display throughout both days. A Quick Draw competition and sale is on July 11 from 3 to 4:30 p.m. at the Mill Street Mall. “Proceeds will go to support great projects like the Sheridan’s Wild West Fest and the Wheeler’s Mountain Summit Festival, both locally created productions that embrace the ethos of their towns,” explains Gram Slaton, executive director of the Wheeler Opera House.

Participating artist Tammie Lane has lived in Aspen for almost 30 years and is excited to return to the show this year. “It is a really wonderful event with some of the top plein-air painters in the country,” she says. “I feel honored to be a part of it and hope lots of people attend this year.” —Lindsay Mitchell

contact information
970.728.6363
 www.aspenpleinair.com
www.sheridanoperahouse.com

Featured in the July 2012 issue of Southwest Art magazine–click below to purchase:
Southwest Art magazine July 2012 digital download
Southwest Art magazine July 2012 print edition
Or click here to subscribe to Southwest Art magazine and never miss a story!