Rocky Mountain High

Plein Air Painters of America celebrates the breathtaking beauty of Colorado.

- By Sarah Gianelli

Colorado Grandeur, Plein Air Painters of America’s 2025 national exhibit and sale, features roughly 150 paintings inspired by the state's Rocky Mountains, with a special emphasis on the Crested Butte area. On view for the entire month of August and with a record-breaking 40 participating member artists, the show is PAPA's most expansive to date.

To accommodate the exhibition, which also includes a new “wet show” component, the event will be hosted by the Shaun Horne Gallery at Center for the Arts Crested Butte. From sweeping views like Aimee Erickson’s The Lights of Home and Kathleen Hudson’s Nightfall Over Crested Butte, to more intimate scenes like Ken DeWaard’s Fun Funky Alleys and a painting of the Gunnison River in winter by Len Chmiel, artists were able to bring their own interpretations to the theme of the show.