Santa Fe Plein Air Fiesta
125 W. Palace Avenue, Santa Fe, NM , (970) 317-4022, www.papnm.org
Sorrel Sky Gallery will host the Plein Air Painters of New Mexico’s Santa Fe Plein Air Fiesta. The opening reception and award presentation will take place on May 4 from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at the gallery’s downtown location. An exhibition of award winners and other participants will continue through May 18.
Popularized in France in the mid-1800s, plein air painting has found a loyal following in New Mexico, where beautiful weather, light and landscape offer close to idyllic surroundings. However, shifting light or a change in climate means every aspect of a scene is constantly changing. Paint outs encourage plein air painters to explore a specific region, providing artists the opportunity to paint in groups, on their own. Santa Fe is at the heart of this year’s zone, with a radius that includes Taos, Las Vegas, Albuquerque and Jemez Springs. Artists must submit two plein air works created during the paint out days of April 28 through May 2, as well as one studio work. With 50 participants from across the country, upwards of 180 pieces will show.
Judge of Awards, Stephen Day, represented at Sorrel Sky Gallery, is a full-time artist living in the Southwest, renowned for his plein air paintings of the local landscape. Jurors of Selection include: Stephanie Hartshorn, a member of Oil Painters of America, American Impressionist Society, Plein Air Artist Colorado and Women Artists of the West, among others; Shanan Campbell Wells, owner of Sorrel Sky Gallery; and
Charles Iarrobino, a signature member of Oil Painters of America and American Impressionist Society.