Peak Art Adventure Announces Plein Air Art Event Winners and Prizes

By
Mountain Jackpot
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Peak Art Adventure
The Peak Art Adventure has brought artists together from July through August with two local featured events: the Peak Art Adventure Plein Air Event and the Peak Art Adventure – All About Pikes Peak Gallery Show.
Both events were hosted by Reserve Our Gallery and Destination Art School. Sponsors for the event included Signature Sponsor – Park State Bank of Woodland Park, Event Coordinating Partner – the Pikes Peak Plein Air Painters, Regional Sponsor – the Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak Region, Media Sponsor – Plein Air Magazine, and other award Sponsors – The Mountain Artists Organization, Tweed’s, the Mayor of Woodland Park, and national art suppliers: Meininger’s Art Materials, Chartpak, Blick Art Materials, and Royal Talens.
Peak Art Adventure brought artists together from around the country to plein air in the PikesPeak Region from July 23 through August 2. The Plein Air Event and competition is held annually in Woodland Park and the experience includes Destination Paint Outs for painters who enjoy group painting opportunities. Destinations highlighted in this event included Aspen Valley Ranch, Manitou Lake, the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Trout Creek Ranch, Shining Mountain Golf Course which sits in front of Pikes Peak, the Gazebo in Green Mountain Falls, and Memorial Park in Woodland Park between July 23 and August 2. This year’s event also offered participants a series of free workshops, called Art Talk, which featured Master Artists from the region, Chuck Mardosz, Scott Yeager, Augie Setter and Michael Gault.
The event’s conclusion came with an awards ceremony held at the Ute Pass Cultural Center. Participants submitted their art to be put on display for judging and inclusion during the evening’s Gala, held in early August.
Judge for the event was Colorado artist, Chuck Mardosz. Mardosz in a 40-year resident of Colorado. He is a representational oil painter whose magnificent paintings have gained him an international reputation and strong following. He’s won numerous awards from Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters, Salon International, American Plains Artists, Artists Of the West and Arts for the Parks for his work and has been featured in Southwest Art and Western Art Collector.
List of Winners & Prizes:

Park State Bank Choice Award with $300 cash was presented by gallery owner, Gayle Gross and went to Linda Shelly for her Watercolor, “Trout Creek Ranch Barn”.

The Quick-Draw winner from the Vino and Notes event was Ken Hartman. His painting received a $75 gift certificate from Meininger’s Art Supply.

The Mayor’s Choice Award was presented by Woodland Park Mayor, Kelly Case with $300 cash provided by Mayor Case’s real estate company went to Laura Lee Drumwright for her oil painting, “Peaceful Moment in the Sunshine”.

The Mountain Artists’ Choice award for $200 cash was presented by MA President, Nancy Stannard and went to Margaret Frey for her oil painting, “Life Giving Falls”.

Tweed’s Home Furnishing’s Choice Award went to Tom Lockhart for his oil painting, Manitou Cattails.

The Patron’s Choice award was presented to Sharon Stephenson-Black for her acrylic painting “Blowing in the Wind”.

The Pikes Peak Plein Air Painters’ Choice Award went to PPPAP member, Jacqui Gould for her oil plein air painting “Dappled Light”. She received a Featured Artist Show of her work on OutdoorPainter.com from Plein Air Magazine with a $1000 value and a $200 cash prize.

The First Place Award for the Emerging Artist Category went to Julia Robinson for her painting, “Cloud Watch”. The prize for this award was a Virtual Event from Plein Air Magazine, valued at $900, a digital/print subscription to Plein Air Magazine valued at $50,  and a $75 gift certificate from Meininger’s Art Supply.

The Advanced Category First Place Award went to Jacqui Gould for her oil painting, “Lake Manitou Run Off”. The prize for this award was a Virtual Event from Plein Air Magazine, valued at $900, a digital/print subscription to Plein Air Magazine valued at $50, and a$100 gift certificate from Blick Art Supplies.

Artist, Rita Cirillo took home the Professional Category’s First Place Award for her oil painting, “On Rampart Range Road”. The Professional award included a Featured Artwork show on OutdoorPainter.com valued at $1000, a digital/print subscription to Plein Air Magazine valued at $50, and a $100 gift certificate from Chartpak.

Michael Gault’s oil painting “Lew’s Place” received the First Place Award for the Master Category. The Master Artist received a half page ad in Plein Air Magazine valued at $2400, a digital/print subscription to Plein Air Magazine valued at $50, and a $250 gift certificate from Chartpak.

And the Best of Show Award went to the oil painting, “Fast Water” by local artist Scott Yeager. The Best of Show Award received a half page ad in Plein Air Magazine valued at $2400, a digital/print subscription to Plein Air Magazine valued at $50, and a $250 gift certificate from Royal Talens.

Host and event coordinator Gayle Gross commented, “the event was a great example of her vision to bring artists and art lovers together in the Pikes Peak region. The group events allowed the artists to do what they do best and they always drew public and tourist attention to the cultural event, making the event a true Destination Art project. When asked what’s next? Gross replied that plans are already underway for the 2026 Peak Art Adventure which is scheduled for the end of July-beginning of August. The event doubled in size from the 2024 event, and she expects a similar growth spurt for the next event. Her plans to expand the event will focus on adding more awards for each category and also for finding additional sponsorships for other recognition options and to add additional Art Talks and possibly workshop options to entice artists to the Pikes Peak region for a Colorado plein air event vacation!”

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