Although Summer is full of art festivals and events, Fall can be one of the best times of year to see and experience new artwork in our region.

The Fall Arts Festival in Jackson Hole Wyoming, from September 8 to the 18th, is coming to its crescendo this weekend. This is when the quick paint and auction occur, and all of the galleries prepare for this weekend to be one of the best for sales all year. It’s my favorite time of year to visit Jackson Hole, which is at its best in the summer and fall months.

If you visit, Hotel Terra is a beautiful and ecologically conscious hotel that I highly recommend. In addition, the Amangani is another top favorite, with incredible views of the Tetons and even better service. For food, head to Rendezvous Bistro, where budding artists can draw right on the (paper-covered) tables and expect a wide range of seasonal and local specialties.

Amy Ringholz - Wolf Solo

Next year, Gallery MAR artist Amy Ringholz is the Featured Artist of the 2012 Fall Arts Festival, and we can’t wait to see what work she produces for the feature. Congratulations to Ms. Ringholz, whose work can be seen at our solo exhibition for her on Friday, January 13th beginning at 6pm.

Another exciting, upcoming show is the “Park City Collects” exhibition at the Kimball Art Center. This new exhibit asks the question: “why do people collect art?” and presents the stories behind signature pieces in the collections of various art aficionados from the Park City community.  The artwork on view is as diverse and eclectic as the reasons for collecting it. The Members’ Opening Reception on Saturday, December 3 from 6-8 p.m. Mark your calendar!

The Quick Paint Art Auction

Last weekend I was able to get away from Park City and visit the final weekend of the Jackson Hole Fall Ats Festival. This is one of my favorite arts events of the year.

Saturday morning 30 artists from across the west huddled under tents and umbrellas for the Quick Paint– they had just an hour to paint or sculpt a new piece. As you can imagine, with hundreds of art lovers wandering through the maze of tents, these artists have to work doubly hard to produce their pieces in time. We did our best to distract each one, asking questions, taking photos, and in my case nearly stepping on Greg Woodard’s sculpture model: his raptor bird! Seeing the artists work up close is a fantastic opportunity.

At the end of the hour the pieces were auctioned off with proceeds benefiting the Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce. I was very pleased with the auction results. Most paintings went for well above retail price and a few double their usual retail price! One of my favorites, a tonalist landscape by Shanna Kunz, produced exciting bidding. As did Jackson’s own Amy Ringholz, who is a favorite every year. She’s got her Quick Paint style down pat: she wears headphones while she paints to avoid distraction, leaving a sign for collectors and friends: “I’ll be happy to chat with you after 11:00 am!!” Her strategy worked well; the piece she produced was vibrant, well completed and full of energy, and excited bidders.

Shanna Kunz at the Quick Paint

The rest of the weekend was a blur of art galleries, meetings with artists, Cowboy Bar saddles, delicious food, and the beautiful Jackson landscape. Highlights? In a sparkling new location, Deihl Galleries (formerly Meyer-Milagros Gallery) featured the work of Tim Cherry. Their new contemporary spin on western art is not to be missed. Those ladies know how to throw a great art party! And local journalist Kevin Wittig showed me a hike to Phelps Lake that I highly recommend. The fall colors were truly amazing. On Sunday a farewell brunch stroll throughout the galleries ended the Fall Arts Festival with the perfect note: mimosas and bagels. I’ll be back next year…