Pacesetter Gallery
Celebrate the Natural Beauty of Mississippi by joining us at LeFleur’s Bluff State Park on April 13, 2024, for the En Plein Air Painting Competition! This event, brought to you by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks and Pacesetter Gallery, will showcase 44 talented Mississippi artists as they paint LeFleur’s Bluff State Park. The artists will spread through the park and will choose a view of the park which includes cypress trees, beautiful lake vistas and wooded areas. The public is encouraged to come out to enjoy the park, meet the painters, and watch as the paintings comes to life through oil, watercolor, acrylic, and pastel mediums.
Watch artists paint live from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., then come out to Pacesetter Gallery from 6-8 PM for the En Plein Air Wine and Cheese Opening to view the day’s work, the work will be judged by renown Mississippi artist Bill Wilson. Visitors can purchase artwork throughout the day, while the paint is still wet, or wait until the pieces are finished. However, the sale is first come first serve, and you do not want to miss your chance to purchase a piece from beloved artists like Ellen Langford, Rowan Bird, Carol Roark, and more. Artists are competing for awards, cash, and publication in Mississippi Wildlife Magazine.
“Everyone who came out to the event last year loved being present as the art came to life and enjoyed spending time with talented Mississippi artists. Our mission at Pacesetter Gallery is to connect the public with Mississippi artists and help collectors, new and seasoned, find inspiring original art to enjoy. We are excited to see what the artists create, plan to come out with family and friends for a truly memorable day.”, states Keri Davis owner and artist of Pacesetter Gallery.
“To me, Plein Air painting is a way for me to express what I see, feel, and hear, right on the canvas in hopes that the viewer will feel the freshness and be involved in the scenery.”, states participating artist Karen Bennett. Karen Bennett is an award-winning artist from Kokomo, MS, with multiple works featured on HGTV’s Hometown. Her work can be found in Mississippi galleries and she works primarily in plein air.
“My love for Plein Air painting comes largely from my experiences painting with Wyatt Waters, and from having the chance to paint on Horn Island, as Walter Anderson did. It also is rooted in my own experiences growing up. As a family we camped, backpacked, and spent a lot of time observing and enjoying nature. Painting “en plein air” is not just capturing an image, but it is catching the experience of being in the environment; the sun or shade, the heat or cold, the wind or calmness in the atmosphere, you are translating those experiences in color and line and texture.”, states artist Wes Arrington. Wes Arrington has been studying and painting in watercolor for 30 years and resides in Brookhaven, MS.
Participating Artists include (all bios on artists available upon request):
Professional Division Justin Selway (Canton), Joanne Bell Harrill (Canton), Allison Kelly (Jackson), Chelsea Young (Jackson), Ellen Langford (Jackson), Rowan Bird (Jackson), Wes Arrington (Brookhaven), Carol Roark (Enid), Kayla Walker (McComb),Susan Wellington (Flowood), Troy Hill (D’Iberville), Karen Bennett (Kokomo), Katy Nave Kemalyan (Starkville), Debbie Myers (Oxford), Linda Peters (Oxford), Pam Locke (Oxford), Daniel C. Ethridge (Meridian), Cary Haycox (Meridian), Robin Cumberland (Meridian), Judy B Nail (Greenwood), Gayle Quick (Richland), James Wagner (Columbus), Andre Ray (Columbus), Margaret Mayer (Madison), Katelyn Harbaugh (Madison), Sam Clark (Madison), Feixue Yang (Madison), Bryan Peters (Brandon), Andrew Mize (Brandon), Carissa Mitchell (Union Church), Sam Bishop (Clinton), Emma Knowles (Clinton-Mississippi College scholarship recipient)
Amateur Division Janice Kraft (Canton), Bill Westling (Perkinston), Nathalie Pettit (Ocean Springs), Gloria Jones (Madison), Phil Pringle (Madison), Mary Keith (Madison), Lewis Griffin (Hattiesburg), Cynthia Baugh (Clinton), Kay Meadows (Brandon), Bonnie Atkinson (Brandon), Payge Smith (Brandon)
For more information about Mississippi State Parks, visit http://www.mdwfp.com/parks-
The mission of the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks is to conserve and enhance Mississippi’s wildlife, fisheries, and parks; provide quality outdoor recreation, and engage the public in natural resource conservation.
For more information on Pacesetter Gallery, visit www.pacesettergallery.com or call 601-488-0345. Follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/
2023 Video Courtesy of MWFP https://youtu.be/VWxOX8xl6Ic?