Three Wyoming artists are part of the growing movement to use plein air painting to help raise awareness and funds to preserve undeveloped land. How can painters help?
Paintings can make a difference in open-space conservation just by reminding people of the beauty of the land. But when artists band together expressly to pursue this goal, bigger things can happen. Just ask Kathryn Mapes Turner, Jennifer L. Hoffman, and Bill Sawczuk. Seven years ago they formed Trio Fine Art, a collaboration of the three Jackson-based artists, specifically to paint landscapes in the area. This year, they will present “View22: Painting Jackson Hole’s Open Spaces,” a blog, fundraising art show, and series of plein air painting demonstrations aimed at land conservation. The project is a collaboration with the Jackson Hole Land Trust. The trio will paint Land Trust property around Jackson Hole through the summer and fall, culminating with a show that opens on December 6 at Trio Fine Art, located in Jackson, Wyoming.
“We are honored that the artists of Trio Fine Art came to us with this project,” says Laurie Andrews, executive director of the Jackson Hole Land Trust. “They have a keen understanding of how the valley’s protected open spaces affect their daily lives, and we hope that with their help, the View22 project will spark this awareness throughout our community.”
In addition to a Facebook page, the project has a blog with posts by the artists describing their painting experiences at the various locations.
