Eanger Irving Couse and Joseph Henry Sharp were two of the 20th century’s most prominent painters of the Southwest. Their homes and studios in Taos, New Mexico, are not only tourist destinations but also important venues to exhibit art for present-day artists. On September 29, new art will once again return to the Couse-Sharp Historic Site when the Plein Air Painters of America presents its latest annual exhibition and sale.
Mitch Baird, Bluffs of Navajo Sandstone, Capitol Reef National Park, oil on linen, 14 x 18”
Plein Air Painters of America: Out West will feature work by PAPA members, including a select group of members who will be painting Taos Valley from October 2 to 7, which will culminate in a plein air demonstration and “wet paint” sale on October 7, from noon to 5 p.m. On the same day, visitors will have the opportunity to participate in an open house at the historic site from 3 to 5 p.m. The full exhibition will hang in the Dean Porter Gallery of the Lunder Research Center through January 20, 2024, at the Couse-Sharp Historic Site in Taos.
In calling the show Out West and presenting it at the Couse-Sharp campus, PAPA is embracing the great tradition of Western art within the region, particularly in Taos, home to many of the great Western painters from the early 1900s.
Phil Starke, Cottonwoods and Sheep, oil on board, 9 x 18”
“Taos epitomizes the vision of the Southwest for many artists, many of their heroes having worked here,” says PAPA member Jill Carver. “Inspired by this uniquely stunning landscape, the Taos group produced some of the greatest Western imagery that exists. PAPA members come to this valley, not to follow in the footsteps of giants, but to understand the land they were inspired by, to enquire into their visual explorations, to continue that artistic dialogue with each other, and—as individual artists—to explore a conversation with that land.”
Matt Smith, Mount Rainier and the White River, oil on canvas, 16 x 16”
The site’s executive director, Davison Koenig, notes many connections between the mission of PAPA and the early Taos artists, many of whom painted outdoors. Couse, he says, would occasionally venture from his studio with subjects and materials in tow, while Sharp relied much more on plein air excursions. The artist even owned a converted sheepherder’s wagon that he dubbed the “Prairie Dog,” complete with a wood stove and skylight. “He would paint plein air in the wind and snow until his hands and his paints froze and then climb inside his wagon to thaw, then return outside to finish his work,” Koenig says. “Fortunately for our PAPA friends, they’ll be joining us at the most delightful time of the year as the autumnal splendor unfolds.”
Joseph Henry Sharp by the well house in his backyard in Taos, New Mexico, circa 1930s. Image courtesy Buffalo Bill Center of the West, McCracken Research Library.
One of the most famous plein painters in the country, Matt Smith, not only enjoys painting the Taos area but also calls it “ground zero” for artists of all varieties. “Most PAPA members live and work in the West, so coming to Taos just seemed natural,” Smith says. “A show there has been on our bucket list for years. Given its rich history in art, culture and beauty, along with the partnership with [the Couse-Sharp Historic Site], we agreed to not only hold our annual show in Taos but our meeting and gathering to paint together. We’ve pulled together to put forward our best works from across the country for this year’s event.” —
Plein Air Painters of America: Out West
September 29, 2023–
January 20, 2024
Wet Paint Sale and demonstrations, Oct. 7, 12-5 p.m.
Couse-Sharp Historic Site, 138 Kit Carson Road, Taos, NM 87571
www.pleinairpaintersofamerica.com
www.couse-sharp.org
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