Picture Perfect: Telluride Plein Air

By Jennifer Julia

When summer finally makes its long-awaited return to Telluride, there are a few telltale clues that signal its arrival. There’s the brilliant carpet of dandelions that coat the valley floor, the quiet return of elk herds, and then, there are the plein air painters. You’ll notice them popping up everywhere, usually in the early morning or at dusk. You’ll find them on mountain trails and in alleyways, setting easels in their wide-brimmed hats. You’ll catch a whiff of oil paint and turpentine as you saunter past, catching a glimpse of their works in progress. 

For the past 23 years, the Telluride Plein Air Festival has been the first kick-off to summer, bringing painters from around the country to capture our unique local vistas on canvas. 

The Sheridan Arts Foundation, a nonprofit that owns and operates the historic Sheridan Opera House, founded the Telluride Plein Air Festival in 2003. “En plein air” is a French term referring to the practice of painting outdoors. Ronnie Palamar, executive director of the Sheridan Arts Foundation, has been part of the art event since its inception. “Telluride is such a popular place for artists to come, and it’s such a beautiful time of year,” Palamar emphasizes. “Artists absolutely love to paint in Telluride.” 

Artists are selected via a juried application process. This summer, the foundation will welcome 24 artists who will spend a week painting throughout the area. “We have artists coming from California, Utah, Missouri, Connecticut, and many other places,” says Palamar. “While they're here, most of our artists stay with local hosts. In exchange for hosting, hosts receive a small painting from their artist.”

One of the highlights of the Telluride Plein Air Festival is the opportunity to see the artists in action. The Golden Hour Quick Draw Competition is a lively, timed event in which each artist chooses a spot on or around main street and is given 90 minutes to produce a completed work of art. “The quick draw is like a scavenger hunt for both the artist and the onlookers,” remarks Kylie Kirkpatrick, the PR and marketing director for the organization. “Not only are the artists hunting for a subject to paint, such as a building, a person, or a landscape, but the public is on a hunt to find where all of the artists are painting. It’s a lot of fun.”

Following the quick draw event is the Artist Choice awards, where the artists themselves vote for their favorite. Cash prizes are awarded for the first, second, and third places paintings. 

Watercolorist Richie Vios was the first place recipient of the Artist Choice at the 2025 event. “I love Telluride,” says Vios. “The views are wonderful, the weather is awesome, and I’ve made so many friends over the years.” When asked what he enjoys painting the most in Telluride, Vios does not hesitate: “The view from downtown at sunset. It’s one of a kind.”

All of the art created during the weeklong festival, which runs June 29 to July 5, is available for purchase over the Fourth of July holiday weekend at Elks Park and the North Oak Street Pocket Park adjacent to the Sheridan Opera House. All proceeds benefit the Sheridan Arts Foundation’s artistic and educational programming and the maintenance of the Sheridan Opera House. 

“The art sale is a critical part of our annual fundraising,” says Palamar. “And it’s a great chance for people to take home a piece of Telluride.”