Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival
Jackson Hole, WY
Welcoming a shift in weather from the dull heat of summer to the crisp notes of autumn is the Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival, a celebration of art filling the streets of the scenic mountain town of Jackson, Wyoming. Complemented by the surrounding hues of golds, burgundies, umbers and saffrons of fall, the festival comprises a variety of events including the Western Design Exhibit + Sale; the Palates & Palettes Gallery Walk, where guests can peruse galleries that will be staying open late while having wine and hors d’oeuvres; and the Quickdraw event in Jackson Town Square during which each artist has 90 minutes to create their work before it goes to a live auction. Dozens of other events will be happening throughout the 12-day event, which runs September 4 to 15. The event culminates with Jackson Hole Art Auction on September 13 and 14.
Two artists will be featured at this year’s event—kathryn Mapes Turner and John E. Simms—in honor of the event’s 35th year. “We selected two very popular and accomplished local artists to feature this year, and we are thrilled to share their work with festival goers,” says Maureen Murphy, director of special events for the Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce.
Turner is known for her delicate, almost ethereal depictions of landscapes and wildlife
in oil and watercolor. “It is a tremendous honor to be chosen as the featured artist for the 2019 Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival. I am a native of Jackson Hole, so for as long as I can remember, I have admired the featured artists because so many of them have inspired me with their work,” says Turner. “The entire Jackson Hole art community can be proud of the strong reputation of the festival. It is a celebration of the high quality of art that is created and found in this valley.”
In her featured painting, Of Earth & Wind, a white horse gallops toward the viewer, kicking up a flurry of dust that fades into the
backdrop of the Tetons. “This image speaks of my childhood upbringing on the Triangle X Ranch, a historic dude ranch in Grand Teton National Park. Each day, our herd of horses are run in from and out to their pasture. It is a remarkable sight and one that I continue to find spectacular each day. My goal for this painting was to capture the movement, power and grace of the horse,” she says.
Simms’ sculptures often don’t fit the typical idea of sculpture, especially in the field of Western art. His works are more abstract than literal, with sleek, smooth forms that suggest the likeness of a particular beast. Featured in this year’s event is a series of eight, geometric bison sculptures, each unique in their materials. “I am of course very pleased to have been selected as the featured sculptor for the 35th annual Jackson Hole Art Festival. [I was] surprised because I had always thought the festival was more about traditional sculpture, and my pieces often transcend the norm.”