The 8th Annual Plein Air Paint-Out & Paint-In
Westcliffe, Colorado and the Wet Mountain Valley. Four brilliant Fall days in the delightful Wet Mountain Valley of Colorado. This event includes alla prima painting created from life in the manner of plein air, both outdoors and indoors.
Imagine collecting alla prima artwork in such a majestic location! Fall days in Westcliffe’s Wet Mountain Valley are wonderfully crisp and colorful – a great place for a short stay filled with some of the best art on the planet!
The event brought together 25 artists from around Colorado, as well as Missouri, Kansas and South Carolina. Over $3,000 in cash and merchandise was earned and won as door prizes by 19 artists. Congratulations to all the artists on their hard-earned awards and for creating spectacular works of art.
There was plenty of art around town during Arts Hullabaloo and lots of out-of-town visitors. The parade was excellent, the weather gorgeous, and the art in the park was so interesting. Art of all kinds contributes to a better life, and many examples of it were found at Alla Prima Westcliffe and Arts Hullabaloo.
Best of Show
1st Place NatureWalk Living Award “After Noon Glow” pastel by Carol Buschmann 
2nd Place Award “Waiting Patiently” oil by Lorie Merfeld-Batson 
3rd Place Award “Valley Vista” oil by Kathy Rhodes
Sponsor Awards
We thank our sponsors, without whom we cannot have a successful event:
- Sponsor extroidinaire Claudia Morris of NatureWalk Living
- PleinAir Magazine
- Front Range Frames
- H.R.Meininger
- Blick Art Materials
- Chartpak (Grumbacher/Schmincke)
- SourceTek
- Judson’s Art Outfitters
PleinAir Magazine Award of Excellence and H.R.Meininger ‘Wet Wall’ Award “In the Morning Light” oil by Jeanne Echternach 
Judson’s Art Outfitter’s Award “Pinon” oil by Jennifer Riefenberg 
Front Range Frames Award “In the Palm of His Hands”, oil by Jeanene V. Parker 
Grumbacher/Schmincke Award “Westcliffe Vista” oil by Gene Van Essen
Others
Oil painting “A Special Blend” by Michael Arterburn 
Oil painting “Three Sirens” by Cliff Austin 
Pastel “Before The Storm” by Susan Mayfield 
Watercolor “Rosita Road, CR328 Westcliffe CO” by Jean Krueger
Reception Photos
Jeanne with her double-award-winning painting 
Gallery Manager Linnea Laurila with art patrons from Pueblo 
Carol Buschmann with her 1st Place Award winning pastel 
Gene Van Essen with his artwork 
Benefactor Claudia Morris examines Curt Gillespie’s oil painting 
Lorie Merfeld-Batson with her 2nd Place Award oil painting 
Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper and Timothy Alan Johnson
We have so many people to thank, we’ll probably not remember them all (sorry if we miss you!). Our thanks go out to the Stermer family for use of 3rd Street Gallery and the Wolff Hotel. Also to Too Many Trombones for their wonderful music during the artists’ reception. We’re grateful also for use of the Brandenburg Ranch, Willows School, Brother’s Grape Creek area, the Degree Ranch, Bear Basin Ranch, and the Cole Ranch as painting venues. We’re appreciative for the fine food stuffs provided by Sugar N Spice and especially Tony’s Mountain Pizza for a fine Friday night artists’ mixer. A special thanks goes to Vino Salida for their wine tasting during Wet Wall night.
Thanks also to our many volunteers and those who provided food and labor for the grand reception.
Lastly, thanks to the Wet Mountain Tribune for their fine coverage of these events and art happenings of all kinds throughout the year! So many folks in our fine valley support the arts. We’re pleased to be a part of it.