First Annual Richeson Gallery Plein Air Event & Competition
Powerful and beautiful, Wisconsin’s Fox River drew settlers to the area in the 19th century with the promise of industrial success. Although decades have reshaped the Fox River Valley into an industrial powerhouse, the area is robust with gorgeous painting opportunities. From industrial hot spots to natural wonders, the Fox Cities is a perfect location to host the first annual Richeson Plein Air Event & Competition!
During this special week artists will canvas the area, capturing familiar scenes while working directly on site. Both artists and art enthusiasts will enjoy a variety of events sure to give a new perspective of the area.
Art Enthusiasts & Community Members!
Interested in finding artists working in your community? Visit the Facebook event page for Richeson Plein Air 2024 and follow us on Facebook and Instagram to see event updates through the week. You can also find updates using the hashtag #richesonpleinair2024
Event Schedule
Saturday, September 28th, 9am-12pm
CLASS: Urban Sketching – Downtown Appleton with Will Dickinson
Fee: $70
Level: Beginner +
Urban sketching is the practice of drawing on site, quickly capturing the environment and atmosphere
of a place. This is a useful practice for travelers who wish to visually record their journeys, artists
making studies for later studio work, and anyone who wants to capture a moment in time. Students
will learn sketching techniques to encourage efficient, accurate, and expressive mark-making using a
variety of materials. This class will be offsite during Appleton’s Oktoberfest, and
students will receive an urban sketching kit as part of the class fees.
Visit our Classes & Workshops page to register.
Saturday, September 28th, 3pm-6pm
Paint Out at Richeson School of Art & Gallery, 557 Marcella Street, Kimberly
Artists will gather at Richeson School of Art & Gallery to engage in some industrial park plein air! Come to this special kick off event for Richeson Plein Air 2024 and become acquainted with the artists who will be canvassing the Fox River Valley during the event! The Gallery will be open and light refreshments will be offered.
Monday, September 30th, 1pm-4pm
Paint Out at the Museum in the Castle, 330 East College Avenue, Appleton
We are pleased to partner with the Museum at the Castle for this painting session. Come see how the artists interpret this iconic Appleton landmark!
Wednesday, October 2nd, 1:30pm- 4:30pm
Paint Out at Doty Park, 701 Lincoln Street, Neenah
We are pleased to partner with the Neenah Arts Council for this painting session. Come enjoy the park and the artists interpretations of it!
Thursday, October 3rd, 10am-4pm
CLASS: Palette Knife Plein Air Painting with Clay Roberts
Fee: $80
Level: Intermediate +
Leave the brushes at home for this plein air art adventure! A bold painting method, using palette
knives as painting tools creates wonderful textural effects that enhance the color and mood of an
artwork. In this class students will learn the finer points of using palette knives during the plein air art
making process. Appleton artist, Clay Roberts, will teach students palette knife painting techniques in
oil through demonstrations and one-on-one instruction. Knowledge of basic oil painting techniques,
tools, and solvent care is required as this will not be covered in class. All materials included. There
will be a break for lunch.
Visit our Classes & Workshops page to register.
Friday, October 4th, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Richeson Plein Air 2024 Reception & Awards Ceremony, Richeson School of Art & Gallery, 557 Marcella Street
You are invited to enjoy the finished artworks from a week of painting and celebrate the award winners at this closing reception. Artwork will be available for purchase Friday, October 4th and Saturday October 5th.
Call for Artists!
Richeson Plein Air 2024 has two participation categories:
Competition Category (limited to 30 artists) – $50
Artists in the Competition Category will have their art entered in an art exhibition at Richeson Gallery and are eligible for cash and art materials awards. The Best in Show award is a cash prize of $750, and additional cash and art materials prizes will also be awarded.
Community Category – $35
The Community Category is for artists who wish to participate in Richeson Plein Air 2024 without the stress of competition! Enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of the event while benefitting from the plein air artist community.
Artists in both categories will enjoy:
- Exclusive invitations to Richeson Plein Air 2024 events such as paint outs, a plein air quick paint, artist meet & greets, and artist only early access to the Richeson Gallery closing reception.
- Jack Richeson & Co. art swag bag
- Discounts on Jack Richeson & Co. products
- Discounts on Richeson School of Art classes held during the week.
The Richeson Plein Air 2024 prospectus can be found HERE. Call or Stop by Richeson Gallery to register!