EAGLE, Idaho β Combining art and the Idaho outdoors, the week-long Plein Air Festival is bringing neighbors together creatively as Eagle becomes an open-air studio for artists from across the country.
The festival, now in its 11th year, has transformed Eagle into a destination for outdoor painting enthusiasts and art lovers alike, according to director Meg Glasgow.
"This is our 11th year celebrating the beauty of painting outdoors and really attracting people from all over the United States to come to Southern Idaho to paint the outdoor landscape," Glasgow said.
This year features a record number of participants, with 95 artists scattered throughout the city, creating original works of art in various outdoor locations across Eagle.
The festival has grown to attract artists from across the United States, demonstrating Eagle's emergence on the national arts scene.
"We have 95 artists this year, which is a lot. We're so thrilled that we're now on the national stage. So we're having artists come from as far as Tennessee, and Minnesota and California, Montana, Colorado, even, so it's really exciting that this event is nationally known," Glasgow said.
The festival kicked off Saturday with a quick paint challenge at Old Valley Nursery, where artists had just two hours to start and finish a painting.
"They had 2 hours to start and finish a painting, so it's kind of thrilling to watch, nerve-wracking to paint, but that was really a wonderful event," Glasgow said.
Other locations have included Three Horse Ranch Winery in the Eagle Foothills, showcasing the diverse landscapes available for outdoor painting.
One of the most popular drawing points for community members is the daily, hands-on demonstrations that invite anyone to try their hand at painting.
"Every day during the festival, we offer free community art classes. So just like we're doing right here in Merrill Park, we bring in professional teaching artists to do a free demonstration every day between 11 and 1, so the community is welcome to come," Glasgow said.
All the free daily demonstrations take place in Reed Merrill Park in Eagle, providing a consistent location for community members to participate.
Beyond providing entertainment and education, the festival serves a larger purpose in building Eagle's reputation as an arts destination.
"I love this event because it really puts Eagle on the map for being a center of, of arts, and there's so much beauty here in southern Idaho to paint and kind of the magic of this event is it turns painting into a spectator sport, so people can actually go out and watch the painters create these original works of art and even buy paintings right off the easel," Glasgow said.
The festival concludes with special events designed to showcase the week's artistic creations. Friday night offers the community a chance to see all the completed works at Banbury Golf Club.
"The event runs 5 to 8 this Friday night at Banbury Golf Club. So at 6 o'clock we're handing out the awards, so that's really fun to watch, but it's gonna be your chance to see all of the beautiful paintings artists have created all week long, and your chance to purchase your favorite," Glasgow said.
Saturday activities continue at the Harvest Festival in downtown Eagle, where the festival will maintain its community engagement focus.
"Saturday, the paintings will be down at the Harvest Festival, in downtown Eagle. We'll also be doing demonstrations there as well as hosting a public mural, so you'll get a chance to pick up a paintbrush and paint yourselves," Glasgow said.
The complete schedule is available on the festival website at eaglepleinair.com, with "plein" spelled the French way, offering detailed information about all activities and locations throughout the week.
