Plein Air Art Festival

Explore Art from Colorado’s Plein Air Artists 

Over 20 remarkable Colorado artists head to Snowmass the week of August 3, spending four days painting the natural beauty and splendor of the surrounding landscape. On Saturday, August 8 and Sunday, August 9, guests and locals are invited to Snowmass Base Village to view the artwork and purchase their favorite pieces to take home!

About the Snowmass Plein Air Art Festival

The 2026 Snowmass Plein Air Festival blends art, nature, community, and atmosphere into an immersive, inspiring experience. During the week of August 3-9, 20 talented Coloradoan painters, from seasoned professionals to passionate newcomers, come to the Valley to capture our spectacular landscape in real time.  They paint for five days before displaying their bountiful works of art for sale on the Events Lawn in Snowmass Base Village (outside of The Treehouse, by the base of the Skittles and Village Express lift).

Over the weekend, the art sale provides the opportunity for locals to buy artwork that reflects the beauty of their ‘backyard.” For visitors, it provides an opportunity to bring home a ‘piece’ of the beautiful Roaring Fork Valley to remind them of their visit here.

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. 

Artist Bios

Nika Meyers: Born and raised in the hills of Bridgewater, Vermont, Nika grew up a visual learner and was fascinated by the natural world. She received a degree in Studio Art and Environmental Studies from Mount Holyoke College where she focused on visually representing landscapes in terms of systems through printmaking, paper making and mixed media. She moved to the Roaring Fork Valley in 2018, incorporating plein air watercolor painting as a way to deeply observe her environment. She was a recipient of the inaugural Cultural Vibrancy Grant Fellowship through the City of Aspen in 2024 and is a resident artist at the Red Brick Center for the Arts. Learn more about Nika and view her work here.

Scott Ruthven: Scott Ruthven, 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. Visit his website to view his work.