$15,000 in awards and prizes were up for grabs during the latest installment of the Bucks County Plein Air Festival, held June 5-11 in Newtown, Pennsylvania. There were some big bucks collected by some big names you’ll recognize.
Abundant sunshine and a welcoming atmosphere resulted in hundreds of outstanding paintings during the 2017 Bucks County Plein Air Festival. Fifty artists from 20 states and Canada were selected to participate in 2017. Their challenge? “To capture the essence of the area, in that certain light; from the broad rolling hills, dotted with livestock and farms, woods with hidden covered bridges and streams, to the quaint towns and river villages, seemingly untouched by the passage of time,” organizers suggested.
Proceeds from the festival benefit the Alan Fetterman Arts Scholarship at Bucks County Community College and the Central Bucks Chamber’s Bucks Fever program. In 2017, jurors included Andy Evansen, president of Plein Air Painters of America, Lisa Tremper Hanover, director and CEO of the James A. Michener Art Museum, and Bucks County artist Alan Fetterman.
The big winner was Jason Sacran, who took Best in Show honors, earning the artist a $5,000 cash prize. Renowned watercolorist Stewart White was the Second Place winner, heading home with $3,000. Patrick Saunders took home Third Place, which included a $1,500 prize, while $1,000 was awarded to Simon Mauer for taking the Bucks County Resident Artist Prize. Susan Lynn was this year’s People’s Choice winner, earning her $500. Honorable Mentions, each carrying a $500 prize, were awarded to Michael Solovyev, Jill Basham, Christine Lashley, Dorothy Hoeschen, and Helena VanEmmerik Finn.
Saturday’s Quick Draw event saw $1,100 in cash prizes awarded. Christine Lashley earned the $350 First Place prize while Peter Yesis took the $200 Second Place award and Patrick Saunders earned the $100 Third Place award. $50 Honorable mentions went to Jill Banks, Jane Ramsey, and Patty Voje. A second Quick Draw event was hosted on Sunday as well; This time Alison Menke earned top honors. Monique Sarkessian and Rick Kochenash landed Second and Third place, respectively, and Honorable Mentions went to Natalia Andreeva, Kirk Larsen, and Randall Graham.
To learn more, visit Bucks County Plein Air Festival.
