The Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters (RMPAP), in partnership with Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) and The Rocky Mountain Conservancy, will hold a series of events to celebrate the national park’s centennial anniversary and commemorate the important role that artists played in the park’s early years.
The special paint-out event, art show and sale will take place Sept. 17 to 28 in RMNP. The RMPAP event series is part of the RMNP year-long centennial celebration from Sept. 3, 2014, to Sept. 5, 2015.
The plein air paint out brings 24 nationally-recognized professional artists from around the country to RMNP. Participating artists will paint for one week in RMNP and the Estes Park area beginning September 17.
The works created during the week will be put on display at the RMNP Fall River Visitor Center at noon on Thursday, Sept. 25. A Gala Reception will be held at 6 p.m. that evening. The art show will run through Sunday, Sept. 28, at 3 p.m. The paintings will be judged by the Awards Judge Derek Fortini, Manager and Curator of Exhibits at the Estes Park Museum.
At the turn of the century, artists were instrumental in creating passionate interest for our national parks. Their exhibits of the majestic peaks and sublime vistas that became RMNP were strong persuasion for its founding and preservation.
“Artists such as Charles Partridge Adams and Richard Tallant were prolific in capturing the landscape of Rocky Mountain National Park with their paints,” explains Fortini, “which in turn promoted the Park throughout the nation via their numerous art patrons.”
Additional RMPAP events include:
• A Quick Draw, where artists have a limited time to create a new painting, will be held at Moraine Park Discovery Center in RMNP at 9 a.m. on Saturday, September 27. The public can watch event artists create paintings from start to finish, and may interact with the artists as they work. At 11 a.m., artists will frame their new paintings and put them on display at the Moraine Park Discovery Center for a one-hour “off-the-easel” fixed-price sale from 11 a.m. to noon.
• Arts in the Parks Programs will be held on Thursday, Sept. 25, Friday, Sept. 26, and Sunday, Sept. 28, from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the RMNP Fall River Visitor Center. The public is invited to join a Park Ranger to discover how artists have used paintings, photos and prose to capture nature’s beauty and inspire the creation of our national parks. Following the 30-minute ranger talk, an RMPAP event artist will offer a painting demonstration.
• On Friday, September 26 from 9 a.m. to noon, RMPAP will host the Historic Stanley Hotel Paint Out. Event artists will gather at the historic Stanley Hotel in Estes Park to perform a group plein air painting demonstration.
All event activities are free and open to the public. A complete and detailed schedule of events can be found at rmpap.org.
The plein air events benefit the Rocky Mountain Conservancy, which will receive 39 percent of the proceeds from the sale of works at the show. Each painting sold during the RMPAP events will include a RMNP Centennial Commemorative Certificate signed by RMNP Park Superintendent Vaughn Baker, recognizing each painting as a piece of the national park’s centennial history. The commemorative paintings will only be available from noon on Thursday, Sept. 25, through Sunday, Sept, 28 at 3 p.m. Buyers will be able to take their paintings with them at time of purchase.
The Rocky Mountain Conservancy, the official non-profit partner of Rocky Mountain National Park since 1931, provides for the preservation and improvement of the park through education and philanthropy. The Conservancy also sells educational and informational materials at the nature shops within RMNP. Proceeds from these sales finance production of new educational and interpretive materials, and support education programs within the park.
“This event feels like a sort of homecoming,” says RMPAP President Stephen C. Datz. “Our very first event as a group took place in RMNP and Estes Park. The efforts of artists played a critical role in the establishment of RMNP. We’re deeply honored to be able to continue in that tradition with these events.”
RMPAP was formed in 2001 by a small group of artists who were intent on increasing public awareness and enthusiasm for plein air painting within the Rocky Mountain region. RMPAP aimed to accomplish this by fostering camaraderie, friendship, and professional development among its member artists. The group’s membership consists of 50 professional artists from across North America.
For additional information on the Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters and their centennial event series please visit rmpap.org.
