JACKSON HOLE, WYO – Bobbi Miller and Joe Branca never planned on this. When the two began Teton Plein Air Painters (TPAP) in 2012 they were just formalizing their commitment to practicing the art of painting outdoors. A few friends joined and a core group quickly took shape. By 2016, the group had grown to 170 and it was becoming increasingly difficult to even communicate to their members effectively.
Now, the Art Association of Jackson Hole has announced a merger with TPAP which will enable TPAP to do what they do best with brush and canvas while tapping into the Art Association’s organizational skills. The Art Association will monitor Plein Air’s membership list and actively promote the mission of artistic camaraderie and technical growth. Membership in the Art Association will now be a prerequisite for inclusion in TPAP.
The 2017 painting season begins May 2, at Dornan’s in Moose, Wyoming. TPAP will continue to meet every Tuesday from May to October, each time somewhere in the open air of Jackson Hole. Monthly group critiques will be held on location for interested artists.
Favorite painting areas in Grand Teton National Park include Oxbow Bend, Taggart Lake Trailhead, Cunningham Cabin, Leek’s Marina and Schwabacher Landing. Several private ranches in the Jackson Hole area have also offered their properties as painting sites, as have many nonprofits such as the Jackson Visitor Center and Elk Refuge, the National Museum of Wildlife Art, and Rendezvous Park.
Miller is the group’s facilitator. She has been joined by June Nystrom.
