2013 Grand Canyon Celebration of Art

For the fourth year, I was invited to the Annual Grand Canyon Celebration of Art event and show. The Grand Canyon Association launched this event in 2009 as a fundraiser to develop a permanent art venue at the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. Both GCA and the National Park Service have extensive collections of Grand Canyon paintings, the work of both old masters and contemporary painters. The proposed new public venue will serve as an art museum and gallery to showcase the growing collection of Grand Canyon paintings.The annual event is comprised of both a week long plein air painting event  and a longer art show at the Kolb Studio that also contains larger studio paintings.

This years show opened on September 21 and will run until the end of the year. The opening gala was enjoyed by a sold out crowd of art lovers from around the country. Each years' event has grown in popularity and the amount of art sold for the fundraiser.

As a long-time painter of the Grand Canyon, I find this event to be the highlight of my year.  It is wonderful to paint along the rim and meet so many enthusiastic people who have come to see the artists paint. The weather this year was fabulous and the park was crowded with people from all over the world. On some days it was unusual to hear English spoken. Although I do paint in locations where I can been seen, I also like to get off the beaten path so I can become one with the Canyon. This is when I do my best paintings. Art sales were good for me at this show.  My larger studio piece won the Grand Canyon Squire Premier Hotel purchase award. It will be my honor for this special painting to be a part of their collection and adorn the walls of this fine hotel in Tusayan. I look forward to doing more of these shows in the future.

Facing the Dawn  18x24