Recap of In the Footsteps of Thomas Moran:
Plein Air Artist Invitational at Zion National Park 2010

Plan to attend this great event in 2011!

Zion National Park Foundation, in partnership with Zion National Park, the Utah Travel Council, the St. George Convention & Tourism Bureau, and the Town of Springdale, Utah, staged the recent “In the Footsteps of Thomas Moran Plein Air Artist Invitational” in Zion National Park.

Twenty-two top landscape artists were invited to spend five days painting in the locations where Thomas Moran first sketched in Zion Canyon in 1873.  The plein air paintings produced during the week were priced and placed on exhibit for sale in the Zion Nature Center on Friday evening, November 5.  More than 200 invited guests attended the opening event, and hundreds more art enthusiasts and park visitors enjoyed the show on Friday and Saturday, November 6 and 7.

Rockville, Utah, artist Anne Weiler-Brown, served as volunteer coordinator for the event.   While the goal of the project was to raise funds for art and youth education in Zion National Park, the event yielded many other benefits to the park and its visitors.  During the week visitors were handed information sheets at the park entrances informing them where they would find painters at work during the day.  Visitors had the opportunity to witness the artists at work, talk with them, and enjoy seeing the creative process as the magnificent scenes standing before them were interpreted on canvas and paper.

At noon on Friday, November 5, a “Quick Draw” event was staged at the Zion Human History Museum.  All 22 artists set up their easels around the building where they had fine views of  Zion’s West Temple, the Sun Dial, the Alter of Sacrifice, the Beehives, Mt. Spry, Bridge Mountain, the Watchman, and other Zion Canyon icons.  At the stroke of noon, the bell sounded for the artists to begin painting.  For exactly 60 minutes they painted the scene of their choice as scores of park visitors watched them work.  When the bell sounded at 1:00 p.m., the artists stopped painting, framed their creations, assigned them a minimum bid, and an auction commenced on the museum patio.  The auctioneer was successful in selling all but one painting.  Those who attended the Quick Draw event were amazed at the art generated in one hour, and heartened by the opportunity to witness its creation.
      A BIG thank you to our very generous sponsors. Please say hello to them next time you visit Zion. Click here to see who they are.
          For more information call 435-772-3264 or 800-635-3959.
See a map of the park painting locations.
To see a list of artists and a schedule of events click here.
A recap of the 2009 event can be seen here.