Paint Grand Traverse 2026 has officially come to a close after an extraordinary eight days celebrating plein air painting, community connection, and the natural beauty of Northern Michigan.
From the organizers:
Thirty-one nationally recognized plein air artists gathered throughout the Grand Traverse region in Michigan to capture the area’s landscapes, waterfronts, neighborhoods, and communities through their artwork. From quiet morning painting sessions to conversations with visitors and collectors, the festival highlighted the power of art to connect people and celebrate a shared sense of place.
“As I reflect on this year’s event, I find myself especially grateful—not just for the artwork created, but for the people who made it possible,” says Kristi Wodek, Managing Director at Crooked Tree Arts Center – Traverse City. “Together, artists, volunteers, sponsors, staff, home hosts, collectors, and thousands of visitors created something far greater than an art competition. They created a community connected through creativity, generosity, and a shared pride in Northern Michigan.”
This year’s festival awarded more than $17,000 in cash prizes and awards, recognizing exceptional works created throughout the week. Award selections were made by juror Elizabeth Pollie, an accomplished representational painter, illustrator, and educator whose career spans decades.
Pollie earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts from The College for Creative Studies, where she later taught, and worked as a nationally awarded freelance editorial illustrator before turning her focus toward representational painting. Her work explores the extraordinary found in everyday life and has received numerous awards, media recognition, and inclusion in collections throughout the country.
Award highlights included Best of Show recipient Neal Hughes for “Harbor Night,” along with additional honors recognizing outstanding works across the festival’s exhibitions and competitions.
Behind the scenes, Paint Grand Traverse was powered by an incredible network of community support. More than 350 volunteer hours and 250 staff hours helped bring the festival to life, while 22 home hosts welcomed visiting artists and 30 community sponsors provided essential support. The week also featured six free artist demonstrations, a watercolor workshop, and a Pint-Size Paint Out introducing young artists to the joys of plein air painting.
Crooked Tree Arts Center extends its deepest gratitude to the artists, volunteers, sponsors, home hosts, community partners, and attendees who made Paint Grand Traverse 2026 a memorable celebration of art, creativity, and connection.
Paint Grand Traverse 2026 Award Winners
Crooked Tree Arts Center congratulates the award-winning artists recognized during Paint Grand Traverse 2026, celebrating exceptional plein air works created throughout the weeklong festival.
Small Wonders Exhibition Awards
First Place: Thomas Moberg
Second Place: Jeff Suntala
Third Place: Crista Pisano
Honorable Mention: Jimmy Navarro
Fresh Paint Party Awards
Best of Show: Neal Hughes, Harbor Night
Merit Award (2nd Place): Kari Ganoung Ruiz, Contemplation
Merit Award (3rd Place): Lyudmila Tomova Clark, Golden Hour at Mama Lu’s
Merit Award (4th Place): Richie Vios, Market Day
Artists’ Choice Award: James Sampsel
Honorable Mention: Mark Vander Vinne, Nothing But Blues
Honorable Mention: Lynn Lewis, Blue Haze
Honorable Mention: Jeff Suntala, Zoltar Has Big Plans
Award of Recognition: Debra Howard, Botanical Garden
Award of Recognition: Jeff Steiner, Green Waters of Fishtown
Award of Recognition: Stephen Wysocki, Dune View
Special Artist Awards
(Body of work)
Award for Outstanding Plein Air Painting by a Female Artist: Crista Pisano
Award for Outstanding Plein Air Painting by a Male Artist: James Sampsel
Outstanding Michigan Plein Air Artist Award: Mark Mehaffey
A complete list of Paint Grand Traverse 2026 award recipients is available here.
Looking for ways to improve your painting skills?
Don’t miss your opportunity to create lifetime memories at the Plein Air Convention & Expo! All training sessions are indoors on giant, high-def screens, with incredible paint-outs in the afternoons. Beginners and pros feel right at home, so register at PleinAirConvention.com to join us.
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Blog post prepared for the web by Cherie Dawn Haas, Editor of Plein Air Today
