This month, 26 painters from nine states will gather at Grand Canyon National Park to capture the location in all its glory and raise some money along the way. The 7th Annual Grand Canyon Celebration of Art takes place Sept. 12-20. Artists, including a handful from Sedona and the Verde Valley, will be painting en plein air at the South Rim and North Rim as well as locations inside the canyon including Indian Gardens and Phantom Ranch. (One intrepid artist is hiking the canyon from rim to rim and painting along the way.) Proceeds from the celebration will go toward establishing a permanent art venue at the South Rim, says Kathy Duley, Grand Canyon Celebration of Art Coordinator.
“Both the Grand Canyon Association [organizer of the art celebration] and Grand Canyon National Park have art collections,” says Kathy. “They are occasionally on display, but usually they are in storage. The park’s former superintendent had the idea of building an art venue at the South Rim – the goal is to repurpose a current building for the display.”
The September event will include daily demonstrations and a quick draw on Sept. 19 from 9 to 11 a.m. in Grand Canyon Village at the South Rim. Artists will have two hours to complete a painting. The paintings will then be auctioned off outdoors at Bright Angel Trailhead at noon. There will be a ticketed buyers’ reception ($100 per person) that evening at Kolb Studio and a ticketed brunch ($50 per person) on Sept. 20. The paintings will go on sale to the public at Kolb Studio at noon on Sept. 20. The sale and exhibit runs through Jan. 18, 2016. Last year, artists contributed nearly 300 pieces to the celebration. Kathy says the art is available in a wide range of prices. So far, the celebration has raised more than $500,000 for the art venue.
“People plan their vacation around the Celebration of Art,” says Kathy. “The canyon itself is obviously a draw, but there’s something special about hiking and coming upon an artist painting. It’s a neat experience.” – Erika Ayn Finch. Photo by Terri Attridge.
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