« All Events

ARTISTS’ RECEPTION & AWARDS CEREMONY | 2026 Hudson Valley Plein Air Festival

October 11 @ 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm

ARTISTS’ RECEPTION & AWARDS CEREMONY
2026 Hudson Valley Plein Air Festival

Sunday, October 11, 4 – 6 pm

The public is invited to join us to celebrate the opening of the HVPAF 2026 Exhibit. In addition to meeting the artists and viewing the completed works created during the festival, awards will be announced.

 

Celebrating America’s 250th Anniversary – Wallkill River Center for the Arts (WRCA) is pleased to present the 10th edition of the famed Hudson Valley Plein Air Festival (HVPAF). During this multi-day event (Wednesday to Sunday, October 7 -11), 30 artists have invited to paint on the grounds of selected historic sites and capture these iconic vistas at the height of the autumnal season.

Historic sites include Hill-Hold & Brick House Museums, Brotherhood Winery, Goshen Historic Track, City Winery, Greenwood Lake Farmers Market, and West Point. “As our nation celebrates its 250th anniversary, we believe it is essential to shed light on our iconic historic neighbors and highlight the Hudson Valley’s rich heritage at this year’s festival.” states artist and event chair, Susan Baldwin.

As the culmination of this multi-day event, artworks created during the festival are exhibited at WRCA Galleries; these works considered for awards and site-specific prizes. Come meet the 2026 HVPAF artists, view the works created ‘en plein air’, and celebrate the works selected for awards.

2026 PARTICIPATING ARTISTS:

Susan Baldwin, Sarah Baskin, John Capowski, Catherine De Cesare, Lisa Diebboll, Jennifer Gibson, Elissa Gore, Carl Grauer, Susan Lais Hostetler, Shawn Dell Joyce, Ronna Katz, Gail Kelly, Ward Lamb, Valerie Light, Marie McCann, Insiya Pardiwala, John Park, Jeanne Plekon, Geraldine Popko, Joanne Schwartz, Mary M Sealfon, Vaune Sherin, Patricia Valens, Nancy Woogen, Nancy Y, and Jen Zernhelt. 

 

JUROR OF AWARDS: Janet Howard Fatta

Hudson Valley artist Janet Howard works predominantly in oil, with a lifelong commitment to painting the figure, landscape, and the fleeting moments of everyday life. Always inspired by light, color, and her love of nature, she strives to create visual representations of what she experiences through her senses. An award-winning artist, Janet also uses her art to tell the stories of others, capturing the energy, relationships, and emotional moments of celebrations in real time. Her studio practice continues to explore the figure and the human experience. Janet serves as an advisory member of the Orange County Arts Council and facilitates the Warwick Life Drawing Group at Forge 28 Studios in Warwick. She lives in New Hampton, New York, on a small oasis attuned to the rhythms of the Wallkill River.

 

Special thank you to our panel of jurors: Janet Campbell, Shawn Dell Joyce, and Joseph Sundwall

 

HVPAF Exhibit on view October 11 – November 8, 2026

Gallery hours: Friday – Sunday, 12 – 5 pm

Details

Venue

Related Events