En Plein Air Texas 2026 returns to San Angelo, Texas, this fall with “Spirit of the Ranch,” an exhibition and art sale featuring four nationally recognized plein air artists. Presented by the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts, the exhibition showcases paintings created during the artists’ three-week Ranch Fellowship on West Texas ranches.
The En Plein Air Texas 2026 opening events take place October 22–25, with Spirit of the Ranch remaining on view through January 3, 2027. The celebration also includes an artist panel, community paint-out, and opportunities to purchase original plein air paintings.
This year’s selected artists are Natalia Nosyk, Nancy Tankersley, Richie Vios, and Beth Bathe, who had the rare opportunity to slow down, live on a working West Texas Ranch, and paint directly from the landscape over an extended three-week residency.
Event Details at a Glance:
- Event: Spirit of the Ranch 2026 Exhibition & Art Sale
- Location: San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts, San Angelo, Texas
- Opening events: October 22–25, 2026
- Exhibition: October 22, 2026–January 3, 2027
- Community Paint-Out: October 24
- Artist panel: October 23
- Website: samfa.org/epat
- Featured artists: Natalia Nosyk, Nancy Tankersley, Richie Vios, and Beth Bathe
- Natalia Nosyk: An award winning impressionist artist, Natalia explores the interplay of light and shadow in her work, blending reality with the abstract in her compositions. Her plein air paintings are a celebration of light, and nature’s beauty. Natalia is a member of the National Union of Artists of Ukraine, and of New York’s prestigious Salmagundi Art Club.
- Nancy Tankersley: A contemporary impressionist, Nancy is active in the current plein air movement, and is one of the founders of Plein Air Easton. She is a Signature Member of the American Impressionist Society, the American Society for Marine Art, and the Mid-Atlantic Plein Air Painters.
- Richie Vios: From architect to accomplished watercolorist, Richie has studied and refined his grasp of plein air into a unique mastery of light and shadow. Traveling all over the United States, he brings masterful control to his canvas. He is a signature member of the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association, the Southwest Watercolor Society, and the Outdoor Painters Society.
- Beth Bathe: Featured in PleinAir Magazine‘s 2025 August/September issue, Beth uses her graphic design background to create her unique signature style. Part watercolor, part oil, her work calls to mind old photographs, as she captures the way light and shadows play on our emotions. Beth is an Art Ambassador for Royal Talens North America, a member of the Salmagundi Art Club, as well as being a Signature Member of the Mid Atlantic Plein Air Painters.
The paintings produced during the residency culminate in Spirit of the Ranch, a curated exhibition and sale presented each fall at the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts, celebrating the enduring tradition of plein air painting while supporting its future.
Original Plein Air Paintings Available for Purchase
The public is invited to the Spirit of the Ranch opening and art sale on Thursday, October 22 at the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts. Alongside the exhibition, additional ranch paintings by the Fellowship Artists will be available for purchase in the Grand Hall through Sunday, October 25. Paintings created by local high school students during a workshop with the Fellows will also be on view and for sale.
On Friday, October 23, the exhibition and Grand Hall sale will continue. That evening, the four Ranch Fellowship Artists will participate in a panel discussion reflecting on their time, work, and adventures on the ranches. The discussion will be moderated by Tim Newton, a past En Plein Air Texas juror and judge.
On Saturday, October 24, help set a world record! Community members of all ages and experience levels are invited to participate in the EPAT Community Paint-Out in downtown San Angelo. SAMFA hopes to set a world record for the most people painting plein air at once in one venue. Check-in begins at 8 AM at the museum, 1 Love St, and awards for top entries in age-based categories will be announced at 1 PM. Participants are encouraged to bring their favorite painting supplies and join this creative West Texas moment.
The Spirit of the Ranch exhibition and art sale will continue during regular museum hours on Saturday, October 24, and Sunday, October 25. The curated exhibition itself will remain open through January 3, 2027.
En Plein Air Texas is generously sponsored by H-E-B, Elta Joyce McAfee, Douglas & Tina Bean, Lori Francks, Tom & Fran Gregg, George Shankle & Ellen Lassetter, Charles King & Patti Jones, John & Sharon Alexander, Steve & Mary Boster, Steve Eustis, Keith & Colin Mortimer, Russ & Deborah Weatherford, Chauncey & Susan Mansell, John & Molly Walker, Ann Guinn, and anonymous sponsors.
What is En Plein Air Texas?
En Plein Air Texas (EPAT) is a nationally recognized plein air art program (through the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts) that has evolved from a top-ranked competition into an immersive Ranch Fellowship experience rooted in time, place, and artistic exploration.
Browse more plein air painting events at OutdoorPainter.com.
Looking for MORE 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.
Blog post prepared for the web by Cherie Dawn Haas, Editor of Plein Air Today
