A Little More About WPAP 2016

9" x 12" Oil on Panel

There's a little more to add about this year's Wasatch Plein Air Paradise, Midway's yearly plein air competition and art show. You can read my earlier post about it here. It's unfortunate for me that after dropping off my entries last Thursday afternoon, my busy schedule kept me away from the opening and Friday's Heber City paint out. Saturday morning I returned for the Midway paint out. 

In the regular competition, painters have all of Wasatch County to paint in, and several days to do it. For the paint outs, painters have a much smaller area to paint in, and from seven in the morning 'till two in the afternoon to complete their painting. 

After looking around a little, I chose a spot to paint near the covered bridge. There, at the edge of a weedy field, was a row of trees. I found a place where a large hole in the tree-wall allowed a view of the mountains beyond. This would be my entry for the paint out.

In the awards ceremony that afternoon, I was awarded second place in the Midway paint out competition for my painting. A photo of that piece is shown at the top of this post. Besides the paint out entry, I had entered three paintings into the main competition a couple days earlier. I had also put an older painting into the "studio" exhibit. One of the paintings had sold Thursday evening and two more sold Saturday afternoon. Besides that, I had gotten a commission for a painting from a couple who were disappointed they had missed buying one of my already sold paintings.

The show ran until Monday afternoon, the 4th of July. I had planned to paint earlier in the day and go to the show early that afternoon, but lost track of time while painting. When I finished and checked the time it was an hour past the show's closing! I tossed everything into the car and quickly drove to the exhibit, where I found the doors locked! I was worried I wouldn't be able to pick up my unsold paintings for a while. Another painter showed up, also late, to pick up his unsold work. Not knowing what else to do, we tried knocking enthusiastically on the door. It worked. The show organizers let us in. There I found I had no paintings to pick up. They had all sold.

11" x 14" Oil on Panel

I always enjoy participating in the Wasatch Plein Air Paradise, and the opportunity it provides to paint, exhibit, and sell artwork in such a wonderful place for painters as Heber Valley, Utah. This year was my best ever there. Many other painters did well, too. So grateful for those who organized and put on the show, and for the collectors who came and left with a little framed piece of Midway to brighten their homes!

The second picture in this post is of the painting that made me late.