Paint the Towns in Fall Color Plein Air

The Plymouth Arts Center invites Midwest Artists to register for its annual Paint the Towns in Fall Color, en Plein Air (outdoor painting) competition and exhibition. The painting days are Wednesday, Sept. 30 through Wednesday, Oct 7 within the boundary map provided. Artists are encouraged to register in advance as the first 45 artists to register will be accepted. The fee is $45 if the registration form is received before September 22nd. After September 22nd the fee is $50. The prospectus/guidelines and registration form are available on the PAC website under the artist tab. A public reception, awards ceremony, and silent auction will be held at the Plymouth Arts Center on Friday, October 9th. Cash awards totaling $3000 along with non-cash merit awards will be presented at the awards ceremony. The event is graciously coordinated by artist Dan Rizzi of Plymouth.

This year’s judge is Ryan Krippendorf. Ryan Krippendorf is an art educator with more than 15 years of experience teaching in Wisconsin schools. He currently teaches in the Plymouth School District, where he has aligned the high school art curriculum with National Art Standards. His students have earned over two million dollars in scholarships. As an art teacher, Ryan has working knowledge of many media, though he favors graphics and illustration. Ryan holds a Bachelor of Arts and Art Education Certification from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a Master of Education in Applied Leadership from UW-Green Bay. He has presented on art education at state and national conferences, including the National Art Education Association Conference and the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts. He was named a 2024 Wisconsin Art Education Association Art Educator of the Month and a 2026 Kohl Teacher Fellow, one of 100 Wisconsin educators selected from more than 1,200 nominations.

The public is invited to view and bid on the “Paint the Towns” paintings at a festive reception and silent auction on Friday, October 9 from 6pm to 9pm. This is a free admission reception with live music by Max Becker and complimentary appetizers and desserts. It is a great opportunity to meet the participating artists and to bid on a favorite piece until 9:00pm. After the reception and silent auction, the unsold works will remain in the Arts Center’s Gallery 110 North through November 13, 2026 and be for sale at a “Buy it Now” retail price. All proceeds of this event benefit the Plymouth Arts Center, a charitable 501c3 non-profit organization.

The event sponsors are Plymouth Furniture, Van Horn, Sargento, Masters Gallery, Dan and Barb Garton, and an anonymous donation. All proceeds of this event benefit the Plymouth Arts Center, a charitable 501c3 non-profit organization.

For more information, visit the Plymouth Arts Center, 520 East Mill Street, downtown Plymouth, WI. Office hours are Tuesday-Friday, 10am to 4pm, Saturday and Sunday, Noon to 3:00 pm. Call 920.892.8409 (voicemail 24/7) or visit our website: plymoutharts.org.