Schulenburg Plein Air Contest Nov. 29 through Dec. 2

Schulenburg and Union Pacific Railroad are bringing a Plein Air Contest to town Have You Painted Yet?

Schulenburg will host 12 artists to paint four days in the area starting Nov. 29. Each artist will paint several paintings between Wednesday and Friday of scenes within a 20-mile radius of downtown Schulenburg. The Quick Draw Competition will be held on Saturday, Dec. 2, where the artists will paint within a restricted area around downtown starting at 9 a.m. and turning in their finished works by noon for jurying and display. All of the works will be on display and for sale in Senglemann’s Hall from Dec. 2 through Dec. 23.

Ever heard of En Plein Air? Most people haven’t. En Plein Air is the most exciting movement in art around the world today. It provides an opportunity for groups like small towns, large cities, national parks and local organizations to interact with artists who are painting the things that the group loves – their homes and local landmarks. The art produced is instant promotions of the charm that makes a place like Schulenburg unique. It memorializes images that connect us to our hometowns or places we love to visit. It introduces new and appreciative audiences to our most beloved landmarks like our Painted Churches and some of our historic architecture.

En Plein Air translates to In Plain Air and means that the artist paints on location, usu-ally out of doors. Because the sun is moving across the sky, the light changes. Crisp, clean light of morning warms as the temperature rises and changes to the “Golden Hour” just before sun sets when the sun is literally casting a gold light over everything it touches. This change in light, color and direction transforms the image that an artist chooses to paint and the color palette he or she sees at 9 a.m. into a different picture by noon – the shadows and the highlights are so different that it demands a new color palette and a new composition. This means the artist must work quickly and confidently to capture what they see in a completed, one-of-a-kind work of art.

Since they have so little time to complete each work, most of the paintings are relatively small and on the low end of each artist’s price range. Some of these artists will produce as many as four paintings in one day. Most will finish two a day.

This is good news for both first time and for serious art collectors. The serious collector can find a work that can be squeezed in on their rapidly disappearing wall space and the first-time collector can find something they love in an affordable price range. In addition, collectors and the audience get a chance to meet the artists and get to know them. The purchase of original artwork is unlike the purchase of a couch or chair, it is about a personal connection to the image and many times, to the artist themselves. Artwork that we love will be with us the rest of our lives and will make us smile a little each time we see it whereas most of us will own four or more couches in our lifetimes.

There are many reasons that En Plein Air is so popular – one being the connection between locals and the artists. According to the National Endowment for the Arts, less than 20% of US households own any original artwork – serious collectors represent less than .05% of the population. The artists participating in Have You Painted Yet? will be painting around town and along roadsides – feel free to stop and talk to them, get to know them. This is an opportunity to own original art by established artists.

Each week approaching Have You Painted Yet?, there will be another article in which we will explore En Plein Air, this contest and highlight some of the artists who will be participating.

This week’s artists are Stephen Henry, Jing Zhao, and Nancy Paris Pruden.

Stephen Henry-Brenham Born near Dallas and raised in Bowie, Texas, Stephen Henry is the epitome of a Cowboy Artist. His depictions of Western landscapes and scenes display his love and knowledge of farm, ranch and western life. Henry currently teaches art at Brenham High School and competes in Plein Air contests from Jackson Hole, Wyoming to ARTS’ International competition this past summer where he won best of show. His first oneman show will be at the Red and White Gallery in Fayetteville, Texas opening Jan. 6, 2024.

He taught school in Utah for more than two decades and moved back to Texas two years ago. The Rocky Mountains enchanted Henry and pushed his abilities to new heights but Texas is home and so he is again a local boy. His Plein Air passions have driven him to reach out to other painters in the area to start a local Plein Air Painting group based in the Brenham area.

Stephen Henry’s recent wins have been Buda Plein Air Competition 2022 – Best of Show; ARTWALK 2023 First Place, Wasatch Plein Air Paradise – Honorable Mention and ARTS’ International Competition – Best of Show.

Jing Zhoa - Frisco

Jing is a professional and a national top award-winning artist. Her work has been juried into numerous national exhibitions and plein air events around the country. Born in China, she started drawing at age five and her professional training began at age 11.

She is signature member in many distinguished organizations like Oil Painters of America, American Impressionist Society, Outdoor Painter Society, etc.

She was a speaker at American Impressionist Society National Best of Show Winners as a panelist, as well as a featured demonstrator at the AIS national small works show. She has been featured in Southwest Art Magazine, Fine Art Connoisseur, American Art Collector Magazine, British DESTIG magazine’s top artist interview and Australia Capsules book Curatorial Volume 3-Leaders in Contemporary art.

Recent Awards: Best of Show award at the American Impressionist Society 20th Juried National Exhibition.

Silver Medal Award at Oil Painters of America 2022 Western regional exhibition.

Best of Show award in National Oil and Acrylic Painters’ Society 2022 international on-line Exhibition

Nancy Paris Pruden-Houston

Nancy Paris Pruden, an award-winning artist, lives and works in Houston, Texas. Growing up in Ft. Worth, Texas, Nancy started painting at a very early age when she won a scholarship to study drawing and later painting at the Experimental Art Program in Ft. Worth. By the time she graduated from high school, she was selling her art and is today shown in many national juried shows.

Her recent awards are Outdoor Painter Society Plein Air Southwest, 2020, 2021, Best of Show HAS Spring Show 2021, “All About Women” National 2021, “True Beauty” International 2022, and first place in the “Brushes on the Beach” 2023.

Do you have any favorite scenes around Schulenburg you would like to see painted? There are several ways you can help with this competition even if it is just telling us where to go … paint.

Contact Amanda Danning at (979) 863-2979 or amandadanning@ gmail.com.