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Saturday, October 29, 2011

Sedona Plein Air Festival - Day 7, and Zion National Park!



"That's a wrap," as they say. For most artists, the painting was done with, and they rested before the Gala. (But I spent the day packing for my Zion event, about which I'll write more in a moment.) Artists gathered at the Sedona Arts Center at 4 p.m. to preview the show and to vote for Artist's Choice. SAC occupies two buildings with a parking area between them; artists and their work were split between the two. I made several rounds of the galleries looking at work. There were many excellent paintings, and it was hard to choose just one.


At five, the ticket holders arrived, and the celebration began. Rene at Tlaquepaque, one of the fancier restaurants in town, catered the event under tents set up in the parking area between the galleries. (Tickets were $100 the day of the Gala.) I was in the upper gallery with artists J through W, and I spent a nice time talking to some of my collectors and the other artists. Festivities ended at seven.

Today, Saturday, is the public sale, which runs from 10 to 3. If you're in the area, stop by and say hello - and buy a painting!

After the public sale, I'll head right home to resume packing for Zion. This is "In the Footsteps of Thomas Moran," the third annual invitational plein air event at Zion National Park. (For details, visit www.zionpark.org.) I'll get there Sunday evening with the event starting Monday and running through the following Sunday. There are several workshops and free demonstrations throughout the week, followed by a Quick Draw and auction on Friday. The event culminates in a Buyer's Preview Gala on Friday night and a public wet paint sale on Saturday and Sunday.

Invited artists include:
  • Mark Bangerter
  • Joshua Been
  • Arlene Braithwaite
  • Doug Braithwaite
  • Royden Card
  • Michelle Chrisman
  • John Cogan
  • Bets Cole
  • Bill Cramer
  • Cody DeLong
  • Dennis Farris
  • George Handrahan
  • Brad Holt
  • William Scott Jennings
  • Michael Chesley Johnson
  • Donal Jolley
  • Roland Lee
  • Gloria Miller Allen
  • David Nakabayashi
  • P.A. Nisbet
  • Sheila Savannah
  • Kathleen Strukoff
  • Anne Weiler-Brown
  • Seth Winegar