Artists Under the Texas Stars

By Barbara Rallo

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Elta Joyce Murphey Grand Prize Award: Vlad Duchev, "Previous Water," oil and acrylic, 24 x 24 in., Photo by Bruce Partain

The 10th Year Celebration of EnPleinAirTEXAS – Under the Texas Stars

EnPleinAirTEXAS, the major fundraiser for the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts, celebrated its 10th year with special events spread across a week of painting in San Angelo, the state-designated Visual Arts Capital of Texas.

The event was held October 20-28, 2023 with the artists hosted on the first three days on 16 ranches spread across West Texas. Those paintings became the core of their week's competition paintings, with many selling before they ever got to San Angelo.

A welcome party complete with ribbon-cutting was hosted by the Chamber of Commerce, overlooking the Concho River and Downtown. The artists spent three more days painting in one of the 'Top Ten Western Cities in the US' (San Angelo!) and at the international waterlily gardens.

Ribbon-cutting at the Welcome Party. Photo by Bruce Partain

Lon Brauer and artists at the International Waterlily Gardens. Photo by Bruce Partain

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One of the most distinctive events of the week, "Door Key Ranch Experience with the Artists," allowed ticketed guests to go "Artist-hopping" and see the artists painting all over the ranch, and enjoy a private exhibit and sale with BBQ afterward.

Shelby Keefe at the "Door Key Ranch Experience with the Artists"

Carolyn Lindsey at the "Door Key Ranch Experience with the Artists"

After turning in almost 400 paintings from the week, EnPleinAirTEXAS artists visited all 33 San Angelo public schools, setting up their gear for a short demo, and introducing over 1,300 next-generation students to plein air.

Friday's Stampede Awards Exhibit & Sale began with a video production celebrating the 180 artists who have been juried in over the years. Richard Sneary was presented with a Texas plaque for being the only artist to be juried in all 10 years, each by a different juror.

Richard Sneary accepting his award for being the only artist juried in all 10 years at this event.

With 10 years of record-breaking sales and happy artists, co-chairs Barbara Rallo and Treva Boyd are passing the reins to the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts, who will take over. EnPleinAirTEXAS and a cadre of over 100 volunteers have shared their West Texas Hospitality with artists from 36 states and four countries. The artwork by these artists and resulting sales have enabled over 80,000 area students to enjoy the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts children's educational programming for free.