Taos Plein Air "Painting the Enchanted Circle"

Taos Plein Air "Painting the Enchanted Circle" is a national plein air painting competition open to all plein air artists worldwide working in two-dimensional media, excluding photography and digital art. PAPNM Master Signature members are invited to exhibit but do not compete for awards. The entry deadline is June 30, 2021. Artists must submit 3 images of sample works for jury consideration. All submitted work must be at least 80% completed en plein air within the past two years (painted January 2019 or later). Images must be JPG/JPEG format, 1200 pixels or greater on the longest side, 5MB max file size, with no visible signatures. The entry fee is $46.00 (non-refundable).

Accepted artists must become PAPNM artist members (annual membership fee $40.00) and pay a participation fee of $29.00 within 10 calendar days of acceptance. Jury selection notification will be emailed by July 17, 2021. The event takes place September 18-25, 2021 in Taos, New Mexico. Artists must create two plein air works during the event (eligible for awards), one "Shimmering Aspen" painting, and optionally one Quick Draw painting (limited to 130 square inches, painted Saturday morning 9am-12noon). All work must be sturdily framed or gallery wrapped and ready to hang with D-rings and wire. Minimum price point required by the gallery is $300 for all hung work.

Awards include: Best of Show ($350), Historic Masters ($200), Award of Excellence in Oil, Water Media, and Dry Media ($200 each), Special Award "Shimmering Aspen" ($200), Enchanted Sky ($100), Award for Architecture ($100), Quick Draw 1st Place ($150), Quick Draw 2nd Place ($75), and Quick Draw 3rd Place ($50). The opening reception and awards ceremony is September 25, 2021, 5-7pm at Wilder Nightingale Fine Art Gallery and E.L. Blumenschein Museum. Exhibitions run September 25-October 12, 2021 at both venues. Bill Gallen is the 2021 Judge of Awards and Workshop Instructor.