$270,000 Raised at Tennessee Plein Air Event ~ The Art's Big Glass Of Wine

Thursday, October 13th, 2022

$270,000 Raised at Tennessee Plein Air Event

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Artist John Guernsey painting historic cabin in Elkmont

Friends of the Smokies, an official nonprofit partner of Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP), brought 20 nationally acclaimed artists to paint en plein air in the national park for the inaugural Plein Air in the Smokies recently.

Spectators and Buyers at Quick Draw in Maryville, TN

The event generated over $270,000 and included five days of in-park painting, a "Quick Draw" competition with local artists in the GSMNP gateway community of Maryville, and a ticketed private art sale and awards reception, and two public art sales.

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Best in show artist Bill Farnsworth with Doug and Melissa White of Toyota and Lexus of Knoxville – presenting sponsors of Plein Air in the Smokies with former TN Gov Bill Haslam and first lady Crissy Haslam; Photo credit Joe Rentz

"Plein Air in the Smokies" Winners

Bill Farnsworth won Best of Show for his oil painting "Rock Mosaic."
Charlie Hunter won the Body of Work category.
Christine Lashley was awarded Best Water for her oil painting "Aqua Pool, Tremont."
John Guernsey's oil painting "Blue House in the Woods" placed first for the Best Structure category.
Neal Hughes won Best Use of Light for his oil painting "Morning Light."
Carl Bretzke was awarded Best Landscape for his oil painting "Morning in the Smokies."

Jim Everett, artist Charlie Hunter, Karen Everett, former first lady Crissy Haslam, former Gov Bill Haslam; Photo credit Joe Rentz

Artist Christine Lashley with Former TN Governor Bill Haslam and First Lady Crissy Haslam; Photo credit Joe Rentz

"We'd like to thank the exceptionally talented artists who not only made the inaugural Plein Air in the Smokies such a success but also set the stage for this to be an annual, best-in-class plein air event in the country's most biodiverse national park," said Gass. "This was truly a partnership between the artists, the National Park Service, Friends of the Smokies, and the surrounding community, which included art collectors, business sponsors, individual supporters, local artists, volunteers, and Maryville College."

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Just Go Looking

Kevin Macpherson, "Flower Seller, Guatemala," 2020, oil, 6 x 8 in., Private collection, Studio

Plein Air Inspiration in a Minute

"When I go out, I don't think 'mountains' or 'beach'; I just go looking. I let my eyes wander and accept shapes and colors that combine to form inspiring abstract compositions. Those abstract shapes host reality."
— Kevin Macpherson
("Beyond the Paintbrush," PleinAir Magazine, Aug-Sept 2020)

More from Kevin Macpherson:

Compositionally I am stimulated by natural impressions. For example, a simple rock inspires me to see endless unexpected 3-D compositions. The rock will spur my imagination to see things I could not even imagine, and the same goes for the composition of a landscape painting. You could have 368 paintings all of the same subject, all different compositions, all different light and atmosphere effects captured with the three colors I use. The arrangements and harmonies my mind could not invent, but if I am consciously aware and awake to see these natural phenomena I can create endless unique compositions.

Why do I do it? Because I have no other skills! It is truly the only thing I ever thought of doing and if I don't create every day I feel restless and incomplete. I believe it is my purpose in life to see and accept the stimulation that comes to me and also be able to share that with others in the many forms of the actual artwork and my opportunities to teach others to see. To teach one to see and learn the visual language of an artist can truly change one's life for the better.

This Just In:

Artist Kevin Macpherson is about to change the way you paint — and see — forever! And the best part … your paintings are going to improve. The first in a new series of videos from Kevin, this video is going to immerse you in Kevin's Magic Grid system so your painting life can become easier and more fun. With over 40 years of painting experience and as the author of four art books and several art instruction videos, Kevin is here to guide you through his painting process and take your art to the next level.

Preview Kevin's brand new workshop, "The Magic Grid: Landscapes," here: