Plein Air in the Parks Award Winners Announced

The Wyoming Arts Council and State Parks recently concluded the Plein Air in the Parks event. The event was held Sept. 15-18 at Curt Gowdy State Park. This annual painting and drawing competition pairs talented artists with beautiful locations, and offers cash prizes to top participants. 

Award winners are:

1st Place: “Wind” - Watercolor & Ink by Bria Hammock (Cheyenne)

2nd Place: “Hidden Falls” - Oil by Lori Kostur (Saratoga)

3rd Place: “Granite Springs Dam” - Oil by Mack Brinslawn (Cheyenne)

People’s Choice Award: “Before the Storm” - Watercolor by Svetlana Howe (Laramie)

Youth Division (ages 12 and under):

1st Place: “Afternoon” - Marker & Colored pencil by Sadie Kruseck (Cheyenne)

2nd Place: “Evening” - Watercolor & Ink by Owen Hammock (Cheyenne)

3rd Place: “Favorite Fishing Spot” - Colored Pencil by Maggie McClintock (Cheyenne)

Judges for the event were Wayne Deahl, State Parks and Cultural Resources Commissioner and Brenda Treuthardt from the Cheyenne Artists Guild. 

“Congratulations to this year’s award winners and a big thank you to all of the participating artists. We had a record number of artists this year, including in the Junior Division, and it was exciting to see Curt Gowdy State Park through the eyes of all the artists,” says Rachel Clifton, Assistant Director of the Wyoming Arts Council. 

Plein Air in the Parks is a collaborative weekend event presented this year by Wyoming State Parks, the Wyoming Arts Council, the Cheynne Artists Guild , and Curt Gowdy State Park. 

Image caption: Cheyenne Artist Bria Hammock won Best in Show at Plein Air in the Parks for her painting, “Wind.”