KT Gallery hosted this year’s Plein Air Competition in conjunction with the Helper Arts Festival 30th anniversary.
Plein Air painting tends to be a much more complex artistic experience than many anticipate, as artist are required to paint in the open air.
Beginning on August 14, artists were required to have their canvases stamped to ensure they were submitting the same canvas into the competition. Over the next three days, artists were given the opportunity to explore the Carbon Corridor, as they set out on an adventure to find the landscape that captivated their artistic senses.
Plein Air pieces were required to be framed and wired to hang upon entry and were required to be submitted by 1:00 p.m. on Friday, August 16.
Bridger Barksdale coordinated this year’s Plein Air competition, with help from Karen Templeton who helped hang all of the art pieces, create labels and provided food.
Barksdale began the awards ceremony thanking all of the sponsors for this year’s event and introduced this year’s judge, nationally recognized American landscape painter Charlie Hunter, who traveled all the way from Vermont via Amtrak.
Hunter joked about making the trek on the Amtrak and reminisced about his first-time passing through Helper and what a neat town he thought it was. Unfortunately, during his first visit, many of the stores on Helper Main Street were closed or vacant. Hunter then expressed how joyous he was to witness all of the hard work that has put into Helper, giving ode to art being Helper’s economic driver.
“Humans have been smooshing paint on cave walls and smooshing paint on other stuff since humans became sentient beings. There’s that need for beauty in such and ugly world,” expressed Hunter.
Hunter went on to emphasize the way that art is able to bring people with different backgrounds and even people with different political views together through the beauty of art.
As Hunter pointed around the room giving recognition to the many art pieces hanging on the wall that simply did not exist three days ago. Recognizing the many visitors who weren’t from the area, who traveled far and wide, to the locals and to the artists who participated, all coming together, for art and the beauty of art.
Hunter then moved into the competition’s Honorable Mentions, with the first Honorable Mention being awarded to Sarah Wilson and the second one being awarded to Helper’s very own CJ Hales.
Phil McCuistion was awarded the third place win for his beautiful landscape piece. Hunter paying mind to the softness that McCuistion was able to capture in his painting.
Louisa Lorenz was awarded the second place award along with a $1,500 check with her gracefully done sunflower. “You created a world out of three sunflowers, three and a half sunflowers,” expressed Hunter.
First place won a $2,500 check from The Helper Project, along with all of the bragging rights. It was awarded to Rob Adamson with his overlook of Helper town, giving spotlight to Helper’s trains, buildings and beautiful landscapes.
Carbon County native Jared Noyes was awarded People’s Choice award for his effortlessly done airbrush painting, leaving Hunter questioning whether the piece was done with graphite. Hunter boasted the Noyes’ ability to create a piece that flowed so well. This was Noyes’ first time submitting a piece into a Plein Air competition.
The last award to give be given out was the Artist’s Choice Award, which was awarded to Jacob Gooch, with his piece named “Blue Car”. Hunter paying mention to the moment in time that Gooch was able to capture.
Hunter encouraged spectators and participants alike to go out and buy some art, stating, “Remember most of the great works did not get prizes, pay no attention to what got prizes and what didn’t. Buy what moves you, support art, art makes a difference, bless you all.”
