(GOLDENDALE, Wash., May 9, 2016) – Maryhill Museum of Art will host the 12th annual Pacific Northwest Plein Air Event in the Columbia River Gorge, to be held August 22-28, 2016. Drawing on a long tradition of painting in the open air, this juried event attracts some of the finest painters from the Pacific Northwest, and from across the country, to capture the stunning light and inspiring vistas of the Columbia River Gorge.
The 40 participating artists will spend the first four days of the event painting in various locations throughout the Gorge; an opening and artist reception will take place Friday, August 26, 2016 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Maryhill Museum of Art, when the public is invited to view and purchase “fresh” paintings and meet the artists. The paintings will remain on view at Maryhill through Sunday, August 28, 2016.
“I am delighted the museum is able to host this wonderful event,” said Colleen Schafroth, executive director of Maryhill Museum of Art. “One of the things that makes Maryhill so magical is the setting; the Pacific Northwest Plein Air Event celebrates the landscape that we call home and gives the public a fantastic opportunity to view the Gorge – from the river and plateaus, to the surrounding peaks – through the eyes of 40 talented artists.”
The Juror for the Pacific Northwest Plein Air Event in 2016 is painter Terry Miura, who began his career in New York as a successful illustrator, with work appearing in such publications as Time, Newsweek, Rolling Stone, and Sports Illustrated. Miura transitioned to a full-time painter after returning to the West Coast in 1996, and is well known for his atmospheric landscapes and cityscapes, as well as evocative figurative works. Miura’s paintings are held in numerous private and public collections, including California Museum of Fine Art, Los Angeles, Calif., The Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, Calif., and the New School for Social Research in New York City, among others. Miura lives outside of Sacramento, California.
A full list of participating artists is available at www.maryhillmuseum.org/inside/event-directory/pleinair.
Related Events:
Opening Reception
Friday, August 26 | 5 to 7 p.m.
The public is invited to view the paintings artists created in plein air, meet the artists and enjoy wine and hors d’oeuvres. Artwork will be available for purchase. Awards will be given in a number of categories, including “Best Sky,” “Best Mountain,” “Best Water,” “Historic Columbia River Highway Award,” “Maryhill Museum of Art Award,” and a purchase award.
Plein Air Workshop with Terry Miura
Saturday, August 27 | 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Spend the day working with painter and 2016 PNW Plein Air Event juror Terry Miura. Each student is expected to bring their own easel (plein air set-up) and supplies (confirmation and supply list will be emailed upon registration). Please contact Terry Miura directly for registration and payment at http://www.terrymiura.com.
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ABOUT MARYHILL MUSEUM OF ART:
Housed in a glorious Beaux Arts mansion on 5,300 acres high above the Columbia River, Maryhill Museum of Art opened to the public May 13, 1940 and today remains one of the Pacific Northwest’s most enchanting cultural destinations. The museum was founded by Northwest entrepreneur and visionary Sam Hill, who purchased the property and began building the house with dreams of establishing a Quaker farming community. When that goal proved untenable, Hill was encouraged by friends Loie Fuller, Queen Marie of Romania, and Alma de Bretteville Spreckles to establish a museum.
Maryhill Museum of Art boasts a world-class permanent collection, rotating exhibitions of the highest caliber, and dynamic educational programs that provide opportunities for further exploration by visitors of all ages. On view are more than 80 works by Auguste Rodin, European and American paintings, objects d’art from the palaces of the Queen of Romania, Orthodox icons, unique chess sets, and the renowned Théâtre de la Mode, featuring small-scale mannequins attired in designer fashions of post-World War II France. Baskets of the indigenous people of North America were a collecting interest of Hill; today the museum’s American Indian collection represents nearly every tradition and style in North America, with works of art from prehistoric through contemporary.
Maryhill’s William and Catherine Dickson Sculpture Park features more than a dozen large-scale works by Northwest artists. The Maryhill Overlook is a site-specific sculpture by noted Portland architect Brad Cloepfil; nearby are Lewis and Clark interpretive panels. Four miles east of Maryhill is a life-sized replica of Stonehenge, Stonehenge Memorial, which Sam Hill built to memorialize local men who perished in World War I. Nearby, the Klickitat County War Memorial honors those who have died in the service of their country since World War I.
The museum was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. In 2001 the museum was listed as an official site of the National Historic Lewis and Clark Trail and in 2002 was accredited by the American Association of Museums. In 2012 the museum opened the Mary and Bruce Stevenson Wing, a 25,500 square foot expansion that is the first in the museum’s history. The new wing boasts the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust Education Center, a collections storage and research suite, a new cafe and terrace, and the Cannon Power Plaza with an installation of sculpture, and sweeping views of the Columbia River Gorge and Mount Hood in the distance.
VISITOR INFORMATION:
Maryhill Museum of Art is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., March 15 to November 15. Admission is $9 for adults, $8 for seniors, $3 for youth age 7-18 and free for children 6 and under. Admission to the Stonehenge Memorial is free; it is open from 7:00 a.m. to dusk daily.
Sandwiches, salads, espresso drinks, cold beverages, and freshly baked desserts and pastries, as well as a selection of local wines are available at the museum’s cafe, Loie’s, from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily; the Museum Store features art and history books, jewelry, Native American crafts and other mementos.
Maryhill is located off Highway 97, 12 miles south of Goldendale, Washington. Drive times to the museum are 2 hours from Portland/Vancouver, 3.5 hours from Bend, 4 hours from Seattle, and 1.5 hours from Yakima. For further information, visit maryhillmuseum.org.