Hosted by the Steamboat Art Museum, winners of the 15th annual Plein Air event have been announced and their work along with more than 200 paintings will be on display through Nov. 2.

The event, which was kicked off by a sunset reception at the Yampa River Botanic Park on Sept. 24, invited artists from all over the country to capture the beauty of the Yampa Valley.

A sponsorship from Steamboat Ski Resort & Corp. made this year’s events particularly special, allowing the artists to take a scenic ride up the gondola and paint scenes on the ski mountain.

Other yearly events like the Quick Draw, which takes place on the last day of the Main Street Steamboat Farmers Market, allow locals to watch the artists paint live and purchase the produced artworks.

On Sept. 27, the opening reception showcasing the Plein Air 2024 winners’ works, as well as other works created during the week, was held at the Steamboat Art Museum. More than 350 people attended the reception, according to organizers.

In the professional division, Holly Kernes took first place for her painting, “Yampa River.” Kathleen Lanzoni placed second for “Autumn Blessings,” and Rosa daRosa took third for “Rabbit Ears Nocturn.”

In the open category, Alex Wicks placed first for his painting, “Calm at the Ranch,” and second place went to Julia Grundmeier for “Radiance.” Amy Morris placed third for “Botanic Park Colors.” Wicks also won the Rod Hanna Award of Excellence for his painting, “Yampa Valley.”

Suzie Baker, an award-winning painter from southern Texas, was this year’s judge and featured artist. As the president and a signature member of Oil Painters of America, Baker is known for painting en plein air (in open air) landscapes, as well as portraits and still-lifes. 

“We were very pleased with painting sales this year,” SAM Executive Director Betse Grassby said. “But there’s still so many incredible paintings available to purchase.”

More than 200 paintings will continue to be on display at the museum through Nov. 2. Next year’s Plein Air events will be Sept. 19-26, but artists can register for the festivities as soon as Jan. 15.