Artists announced for 2022 EnPleinAirTEXAS competition

Barbara Rallo
·2 min read
Steve Eustis, top bidder for the EnPleinAirTEXAS gala fundraiser Thursday, June 2, 2022, stands with artist Qiang Huang and his “Giverny in Texas” painting, which he painted live that evening.
Steve Eustis, top bidder for the EnPleinAirTEXAS gala fundraiser Thursday, June 2, 2022, stands with artist Qiang Huang and his “Giverny in Texas” painting, which he painted live that evening.

The 2022 EnPleinAirTEXAS Competition Artists were announced Thursday evening at “The Envelope, Please” gala at the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts.

Hundreds of paintings by Plein Air painters from 27 states, Puerto Rico and Nova Scotia were considered with just 30 artists in the final selection. Those artists will join last year’s top five award winners and be in San Angelo this October for the 9th annual EnPleinAirTEXAS Competition.

The artists were selected by juror Michael Grauer, the McCasland Chair of Cowboy Culture and Curator of Cowboy Collections & Western Art at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City.

Christine Lashley's "Night at the Museum" won the grand prize, the Elta Joyce Murphey Award, at the 8th annual EnPleinAirTEXAS competition.
Christine Lashley's "Night at the Museum" won the grand prize, the Elta Joyce Murphey Award, at the 8th annual EnPleinAirTEXAS competition.

The 2022 EnPleinAirTEXAS Competition artists are:

  • Ebrahim Amin, La Marque, TX

  • Kirsten Anderson, Long Beach, CA

  • Suzie Baker, Shenandoah, TX

  • Liz Bonham, Keller, TX

  • Carla Bosch, Liberty Hill, TX

  • Anthony Bowes, Chesterfield, VA

  • Wendy Brayton, Petaluma, CA

  • Kent Brewer, Waxahachie, TX

  • Allen Brockbank, Centerville, UT

  • Karen Cooper, Grinnell, IA

  • Michael Compton, Cambridge, MA

  • Bill Farnsworth, Venice, FL (2021 2nd Place Award winner)

  • Julia Fletcher, Goldthwaite, TX

  • Stephen Haynes, Irwin, PA

  • Catherine Hillis, Locust Grove, VA

  • Hai-Ou Hou, Stevensville, MD

  • Qiang Huang, Cedar Park, TX

  • Kathleen Hudson, Colorado Springs, CO

  • Russell Jewell, Easley, SC

  • Rajendra KC, Falls Church, VA

  • Mat Barber Kennedy, Chicago, IL (2021 Artists Choice Award winner)

  • Christine Lashley, Reston, VA (2021 Elta Joyce Murphey Grand Prize winner)

  • Christopher Leeper, Canfield, OH

  • Farley Lewis, Springfield, MO

  • Jeff Markowsky, Savannah, GA

  • Laura Martinez-Bianco, Marlboro, NY

  • Lisette McClung, League City, TX

  • Spencer Meagher, Mount Vernon, IL (2021 3rd Place Award winner)

  • Crista Pisano, Nyack, NY

  • Tat Robberts, O'Fallon, IL

  • Julie Sanderson, Montgomery, TX

  • Todd Saal, Nolensville, TN

  • David Savellano, Alameda, CA

  • Richard Sneary, Kansas City, MO (2021 Body of Work Award winner)

  • Irena Taylor, San Antonio, TX

2018 EnPleinAirTEXAS Awards GRAND PRIZE, The ELTA JOYCE MURPHEY Award Kathleen Hudson, “Window on West Texas”
2018 EnPleinAirTEXAS Awards GRAND PRIZE, The ELTA JOYCE MURPHEY Award Kathleen Hudson, “Window on West Texas”

“En Plein Air” is the French term for painting in the outdoors. The EnPleinAirTEXAS artists spend a week in the area, hosted on private ranches as well as painting all around San Angelo and the surrounding communities. The event is a major fundraiser for the children’s education outreach activities of the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts and will take place Oct. 21–29, 2022.

This article originally appeared on San Angelo Standard-Times: Artists announced for 2022 EnPleinAirTEXAS competition