Thirty-four artists from 20 states will be in San Angelo for the 5th Annual En Plein Air TEXAS (EPAT) October 20–28 to paint in the city and on private ranches. This competition is hosted by the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts (SAMFA) and supports their free educational programming in an 18-county area.
The artists were selected from applicants from 29 states and three countries by juror/artist Don Dewers, of Eliot, Maine. They will spend the week painting around San Angelo, on historic private ranches, and at the world championship San Angelo Roping Fiesta.
The public is invited to meet and watch the artists at several free painting events during the week and may purchase tickets to other special events with the artists. Tickets to all events are available at www.enpleinairTEXAS.com, at event headquarters during the week (417 S. Oakes), or by calling SAMFA at 325-653-3333.
The first day to welcome the 34 competition artists to town is October 20, when they will paint downtown, along the river, and around the museum. Paintings from that afternoon’s pre-event Paint-Out will be showcased behind the museum located at One Love Street from 6:15 to 7 p.m.
The official opening of the week-long competition is Sunday, October 21, and the public is welcome to come to Paint Rock, Texas, that afternoon, where the artists will be painting around the town, at 3 Nail Ironware downtown, and at the historic Indian Pictographs on the Campbell Ranch just north of Paint Rock.
Caption: M. Shawn Cornell, St. Louis, Missouri. Shawn has a serious conviction about painting 100% en plein air and even documents the back of his paintings with the date, time, place, weather, and observations about the day — kind of like a “birth certificate.” Read more about the 2016 First Place winner of the Door County Plein Air Festival and see his paintings at mshawncornellstudio.com.
October 23 the artists will be found painting on site at the International Water Lily Gardens at Civic League Park, 2 S. Park, in San Angelo all morning, and anyone may come watch and talk to the artists. Tickets for a brunch in the park with the artists should be purchased by October 17.
October 26, artists will be in three downtown locations painting for the public to watch from 10:30 to 4:15. Site locations and artist information are available online. Friday night, over 275 paintings from this week of painting on ranches and in the area will be on display and for sale at the Art Collectors STAMPEDE Awards Party & Sale at Fort Concho. Tickets are $100 and include a $100 credit toward purchase of a painting. Over $17,000 in cash awards will be presented this evening by judge Kenn Backhaus of New Hope, Pennsylvania, and it is the first opportunity to see the complete collection of Competition paintings. All painting sales benefit the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts and the artists.
The public and all adventurous artists are invited out to the 65th San Angelo Roping Fiesta at the San Angelo Fairgrounds on Saturday to participate in or watch the 2½ hour QUICK-DRAW Competition beginning at 9 a.m. Over $2,500 in prizes will be awarded, and that afternoon the Competition artists will be painting on site at the outdoor roping arena. All roping paintings are for sale.
October 27–28, the exhibit at Fort Concho is open free to the public and all artwork is for sale. Saturday night, wear your best Western “bling” to the “Adios to the Artists” party in the exhibit buildings with the highlight of the evening featuring the first look at the “Mini-Pearls of the Conchos” — small paintings done this week by the Competition artists. Tickets are $25.
For more information, please visit www.enpleinairTEXAS.com.
 painting competition, hosted by the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts.){kind=link}