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Plein Air: the art of painting outdoors, enabling the artist to better capture changing details of weather and light. What better place than Snowmass to host 20 distinguished Colorado artists capturing the splendor of our incredible surrounding landscapes? Starting Monday, August 3, be on the lookout for the artists (including locally-based Amy Biederman, Doug Graybeal, Nika Meyers and Jamie Wall) as they spend their week in the ‘plein air’ of our spectacularly beautiful valley, interpreting the splendor through their award-winning talents.
On Saturday, August 8 and Sunday, August 9, guests and locals are invited to the Events Lawn in Snowmass Base Village to view the artwork and purchase their favorite pieces to take home! Meet the artists and hear the stories behind the varied and distinctive paintings from their days in the field. With all plein air paintings available for purchase, find a unique way to take a piece of Snowmass home to enjoy year-round, and support Colorado art and artists.
Born of the mission to celebrate our special Colorado resources of stunning landscapes and talented residents, the Snowmass Plein Air Festival has brought over forty Colorado-based artists to the Roaring Fork Valley since 2022, capturing incredible landscapes and creating distinctive pieces of art in real time. The festival also gives guests and locals the opportunity to appreciate and purchase this distinctive Coloradoan art.
Utilizing different mediums from watercolor to oil, and ranging in size from small to large paintings, favorite subjects have been pastoral ranches, treasured trails, delicate flora & fauna, local townscapes and the rugged mountains, all of which bring both relaxation and exhilaration through the artist’s use of color, tones and texture, and are a worthy addition to your home.
Best of all, the festival provides attendees the unique and special opportunity to meet the artists and speak with them about their inspiration, their creative process, and their work.
See article from last year’s festival here.
DOUG GRAYBEAL
Aspen, Colorado
Watercolor & Pastel
After practicing the “hard line art” of architecture for forty years Doug decided to more deeply explore the softer “more free flowing” art of watercolors with the vibrancy of pastels. He has drawn throughout his career and taken workshops from Colorado and nationally recognized artists. Doug continues to expand his artistic skills combining pastels with watercolors and participating in Plein Air events throughout Colorado. He is a master signature member of the Pastel Society of Colorado.
KATHLEEN LANZONI
Boulder, Colorado
Watercolor
Kathleen’s artwork has been featured in national and international publications including American Watercolor Magazine, Plein Air magazine, Southwest Art, and Pratique des Arts. She participates in juried exhibits and plein air events, receiving more than 60 awards, and is a signature member of several painting organizations. Her artwork is a realistic yet painterly approach, capturing the nuances and mood of the subject matter through expressive brushwork and luminous color.
JOHN LINTOTT
Grand Junction, Colorado
Oil
Award-winning artists John Lintott lives on Colorado’s western slope with his wife Emily and their three daughters. He worked at Colorado National Monument Association for many years, organizing the park’s Monuments and Canyons Plein Air Event, but now paints full-time from his studio at home. “The effect that light has on an area is fascinating to me. Depending on time of day or time of year, it is amazing that the same place can look so different. I have found that the more I focus on light in my work, the more my ability to describe different scenes becomes a pure lesson in color and value.”
NIKA MEYERS
Aspen, Colorado
Watercolor
Born and raised in the hills of Bridgewater, VT she grew up a visual learner and was fascinated by the natural world. Pursuing art during her college years, she decided to work in the outdoors after graduation, returning to her art career after moving to the Roaring Fork Valley in 2018. Her current process incorporates plein air watercolor painting as a way to deeply observe her environment. She collaborates with local non-profits and organizations, and is a proud resident artist at Aspen’s Red Brick Center for the Arts, as well as the head coach for the DEVO nordic ski team in Aspen.
SCOTT RUTHVEN
Fort Collins, Colorado
Oil
Scott, a Colorado native and full-time painter, has devoted his life to capturing the awe-inspiring landscapes of the American West. Painting directly from life, he brings the raw beauty of nature to his canvas with masterful brushwork and a deep reverence for the land. His evocative oil paintings are widely celebrated and highly sought after, gracing prestigious galleries and museum exhibitions nationwide. Mr. Ruthven is also on the Board of Directors for the American Impressionist Society.
ANITA WINTER
Montrose, Colorado
Watercolor
Anita’s luminous watercolor landscapes reflect her love of the out of doors. She paints en plein, on location, or in the studio. Her work has been widely shown in the United States and she holds signature membership in the Rocky Mountain National Watermedia Society, The Western Federation of Watercolor Societies and The Colorado Watercolor Society. Recent awards include 2nd place in the 2023 National Plein Air Artists of Colorado show, 3rd place in the 2024 State Exhibition of Colorado Watercolor Society, Best of Show at Annual Delta Fine Arts Exhibit and Best Colorado Artist in the National Western Watercolor Society.
JANET ANDERSON
Denver, Colorado
Oil
Formerly an attorney and stay-at-home mother, Janet is now a full-time professional artist whose representational oil paintings reflect the beauty of remote, quiet places and moments of intimate connection. In her fifteen years as a full-time artist Janet has received national recognition for her work, having had paintings juried into prestigious national shows including those sponsored by Oil Painters of America and American Impressionist Society. She was recently named a Signature Member of the American Impressionist Society. An avid outdoors-person, Janet is drawn to landscapes as her primary subject matter, enjoying the beauty of nature while pursuing her passion for painting. She participates in invitational plein air events throughout the country and recently has painted in such remote places as Patagonia and Peru. “Nature is truly the best teacher for a landscape painter, and time spent outdoors is both inspirational and instructional. While I am generally drawn to interesting light effects, I also find inspiration in color and pattern.”
RITA PACHECO
Ridgway, Colorado
Oil
Rita Pacheco is a contemporary impressionist painter residing in Ridgway, Colorado and specializing in oil. She began her formal training at Art Center College of Design, has experience as an architectural draftsman, and continues to hone her craft through daily study in plein air and her in-home studio. In the past several years, Rita has been invited to some of the most prestigious plein air Invitationals in the country and her paintings grace the walls of many homes and businesses across the country and internationally. She is an active member of the Oil Painters of America and the California Art Club. She is represented by the Cimarron Song Gallery in Montrose, Colorado and Lovetts Gallery in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
CHULA BEAUREGARD
Steamboat Springs, Colorado
Oil
Chula is a sixth-generation Coloradan, passionate about painting since the age of 11. At home in the mountains, she uses painting to engage with the landscape. Beauregard is a signature member of the American Impressionist Society and American Women Artists, winning notable awards in each group as well as the Oil Painters of America 2022 President’s Award. Her work can be found in public and private collections. “The Western experience is one of contradictions as we navigate between modern progress and pure wildness. Using the classical approach, I apply the tools that have been tried and tested through the centuries: patterns of light and dark, color theories, and techniques to create illusions of space. However, I find the modern approach lends the freedom I need to express the intuitive sense of place: color fields, expressive mark layering, and textures that unite the painted surface. I honor the infinite Beauty of this land, while striving to contribute a relevant voice in these modern times.”
AMY BEIDELMAN
Aspen, Colorado
Watercolor
Rooted in the practice of plein air watercolor, her work is an intimate response to light, air, and the everchanging moods of the Aspen Valley landscape. She paints not simply what she sees, but what she feels standing within it. Discovering plein air painting allowed her to unite two enduring loves: art and the natural world. A resident of Aspen since 1978, Amy is largely self-taught, guided by curiosity and a commitment to continual study. The rhythm of the seasons and the familiarity of this valley remain her greatest teachers and an endless source of inspiration. In 2010, she launched a greeting card line and since 2015, she has shared her passion for watercolor through teaching. Beyond teaching, she exhibits, participates in regional art shows, creates commissioned works for businesses and private collectors, and supports local nonprofits through the creation and donation of artwork. Amy and her husband, Neal, raised their two sons, Finn and Reed, in the same landscape that continues to shape her work today.
DAVID HARMS
Aurora, Colorado
Oil
A long-time professional musician and actor, it only seemed natural to try his hand at painting too. In 1996 he started oil painting, exploring an assortment of subject matter. But when he did his first plein air landscape in 1999, he was hooked! He credits his development as a painter to the valuable time he’s spent with Michael Lynch and as a volunteer at the Plein Air Painters of America. “I simply love to paint and I’m devoted to improving with each piece. Chasing down the great artists, past and present is a true passion. It never ends and I love it!”
JENNIFER RIEFENBERG
Cedaredge, Colorado
Oil & Pastel
Jennifer paints in various mediums – but is most at home, outside with nature and her paints. A fourth-generation Colorado native, Jennifer is a board member of Plein Air Artists of Colorado and member of the American Impressionist Society, Pastel Society of Colorado, and Oil Painters of America. Jennifer has won numerous awards in local, “I prefer painting from life – en plein air. Painting is exploring and discovering, healing and learning, admiring and preserving. As a painting takes on its own voice, it becomes a living experience with each brushstroke a breath toward its creation. I love to paint and I hope that my artwork communicates the experiences that I have and captures the very essence of the beautiful world through my eyes and interpretation.”
JAMIE WALL
Carbondale, Colorado
Jamie has called the Roaring Fork Valley home for the past nine years. She works as an Event Producer for the Town of Snowmass and outside of her professional work, Jamie finds her creative outlet in watercolor painting, with a special love for capturing the personality and spirit of pets through custom portraits. When she’s not painting, you can find her mountain biking, skiing, camping, or hiking.
DAN AUGENSTEIN
Greeley, Colorado
Oil & Gouache
Daniel has fallen in love with “plein-air” painting in oil and gouache, and has participated in many plein-air events in the western United States. Many of his on-site pieces end up being references for larger studio paintings. For nearly 50 years, he has been a teacher of art and a practicing artist, and he is amazed by how experiments and new learning continues to reveal new “right answers” to what is art and why do we create. “I have found that my brushes and pencils create the same endless variety of marks just as the world surrounding me displays an endless variety of life. I find whimsical lines of energy in my paintings begin to imitate the energy that I sense around me.” Painting continues to be his passion.
GEORGE BODDE
Pagosa Springs, Colorado
Oil
Art has been a favorite pastime for George since childhood. His work is inspired by a love of outdoors and he has been fortunate to visit and paint many amazing places, as well as the awesome scenery in the small mountain town where he lives. “I am inspired by the art of Winslow Homer, Sargent, the California impressionists and many contemporary painters. I participate in shows and plein air festivals throughout Colorado and I am a member of the Oil Painters of America and Pagosa Springs Art Council. My wife and I live in Pagosa Springs, Colorado and we are caregivers for my mom. Despite a busy schedule, we still carve out time for painting and the outdoors.”
GREG EFFINGER
Steamboat Springs, CO
Oil & Watercolor
Gregory Effinger is a watercolor painter whose work reflects the light, atmosphere, and quiet poetry of the American West, seeking to capture the fleeting conditions of mountain towns, rural communities and wide-open Western landscapes. A private pilot, Greg
frequently explores the region from above, using aerial sketches and observations to inform his sense of scale, pattern, and color. Greg balances his fine-art career with long-standing experience in design, and his paintings reflect a commitment to place—whether a high-desert horizon, a historic main street, or a quiet stretch of ranchland, continuing to draw collectors and audiences nationwide.
ANN FELDMAN
Steamboat Springs, CO
Oil
Born and raised in New Orleans, her art education began at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and she continued her studies in the ateliers of some of the leading contemporary artists in the United States today. For twenty years, Ann has been practicing and teaching what she has learned from her master teachers. Many of Ann’s pieces are painted in a loose, impressionistic style. She often uses very thick paint applied with palette knives to achieve an exciting, light-filled look to her paintings. Her paintings have been juried into national shows with the Oil Painters of America and the American Impressionist Society. Along with printmaker Jill Bergman, Ann owns and operates The Alley Gallery and Studios in Steamboat Springs.
DREW MARLOW
Denver, Colorado
Oil
Drew is a Colorado-based plein air oil painter whose work captures the fleeting beauty of natural light and atmosphere across the landscapes he encounters in his travels. Rooted in an impressionistic style, Drew’s paintings reveal a strong sense of composition and a deep appreciation for the ephemeral qualities of the outdoors. For him, plein air painting is the perfect convergence of artistic expression, outdoor respite, and the invigorating spirit of sport and friendly competition. In addition to his fine art practice, Drew is a licensed architect who co-leads a design firm with his wife. When not painting or designing, Drew can be found enjoying time with his family, often cheering on his two young sons in their own pursuits.
MASON TORRY
Gypsum, Colorado
Oil & Acrylic
As a Colorado land surveyor seeing many inspiring vistas, he became more and more inspired to pick up the brush and paint the landscape he was seeing. Not knowing a lot about landscape painting, he subscribed to art magazines watched instructional videos from varied artists, and soon joined other artists at events around the country. Working in studio and plein air, he strives to capture the essence of a scene so that the viewer can hopefully feel the atmosphere of what it felt like to be standing at the spot and have their own connection to the artwork. His work is found in many private collections, and he has also done murals of various sizes. To be able to create artwork has been a constant blessing and he hopes that you enjoy following him in this journey.
ADAM ZABEL
Steamboat Springs, Colorado
Oil
As a child, Adam spent a lot of his time with his grandparents on the Mississippi River and was given many wonderful experiences in the outdoors. This was the beginning of Adam’s need to begin capturing what he was seeing and experiencing and drawing became one of his most treasured pastimes. Adam went to serve his country in the U.S. Army, tasked with painting murals at Ft. Knox, Kentucky where he won his first National Art competition with the Colored Pencil Society of America. Adam has studied with many well-known professional artists as well as self-studied wherever his journeys took him. In 2013 he was accepted into his first Museum show and since that time he has shown in several group shows, as well as both one man and group shows in galleries. He is an avid plein air painter and enjoys being outside in the natural environment.
Day one of the art exhibition and art sale at the Snowmass Base Village Events Lawn. Stop by to purchase spectacular affordable art painted right here in the Roaring Fork Valley. Free parking in the Base Village Parking Garage.
Final day of the art exhibition and art sale at the Snowmass Base Village Events Lawn. Stop by to purchase spectacular affordable art painted right here in the Roaring Fork Valley. Free parking in the Base Village Parking Garage.
The annual art festival takes place in Snowmass Base Village at the Events Lawn by Village Express Chairlift. If you are staying outside of Snowmass Village, RFTA provides free public transportation from Aspen and the Brush Creek Intercept Lot to Snowmass Base Village. Free parking is available in Snowmass Base Village Parking Garage. Routes and schedules can be found here.
The Snowmass Village Shuttle provides free public transportation throughout Snowmass Village to Town Park. Routes and pick-up locations can be found here.
If you are driving, there is limited free parking available in the Base Village Parking Garage. If you park in the garage, take the elevator up to Base Village to access the Events Lawn.
