Commemorating the festival’s 20th anniversary, this year had the same high-caliber workshops, expert guides, competitions, and social events as in previous years, along with some new offerings.
Festival organizers celebrated two decades with a special artist reception catered by the Outfitters with locally provided desserts. Following the reception, musicians held a music jam. Everyone left filled with food and music.
Because it was a special anniversary year, Michael Keyes, a woodblock printer who has attended the festival for many years, created a commemorative print to celebrate the occasion. There are still 12×14 inch posters for sale on the ECAF website for $10.
The festival began when Grace Welker and Kevin Berend co-taught a writing workshop based on “Where I’m From,” a poem by George Ella Lyon. This prompt sparked unique responses from participants who were invited to reflect and write on how the places they’d lived had impacted them and how Escalante matters to them. The festival supports writing as another art form in addition to the visual arts they have always highlighted.
Raymond Shurtz facilitated another writing class. His students went into the art tent, found a painting, and wrote a short story about what they saw in the subject matter of their selected piece. Students then shared their imaginative work.
All three of the painting workshops were full, or nearly full. Bill Cramer took his students out on the land from sun up to sun down for two days and everyone was very successful with their work. Bill is a well-known landscape artist from Prescott, Arizona.
Oregon art instructor Pam Haunschild taught her students about using texture in their paintings; her paintings tend to be more abstract. Her workshop was well attended.
Helga Watkins, who recently retired from academia and a professional design practice, had a full class. She spent some time indoors instructing and then took her students outside to paint. Students commented on how much they learned.
One student plans her vacation in Southern Utah just to attend the art festival. She leaves her husband and other responsibilities at home to rejuvenate and focus. Another student said she returned this year because of the high caliber of the workshops.
The hands-on art classes were also well attended. Suzanne Gibson spent a morning in front of People’s Exchange teaching her students about plein air composition, color palette, techniques in applying paint, and finishing touches. She was pleased with what her students achieved.
Jill Simkins had a full class. She taught how to cut pottery pieces, and apply adhesive and grout to make mosaic panels. Everyone walked away with a completed piece and smiles on their faces.
A very fun paint-around took place on the Slot Canyons Inn property consisting of five-person teams in oil, pastel, watercolor, and mosaic. Their collaborative creations were sold in a silent auction with the proceeds going to the local Care and Share. In previous years the festival has raised money for the EMTs and school art supplies. Escalante Mayor Melani Torgersen will buy Thanksgiving supplies with the donation this year.
Friday night’s keynote speaker, Fred Swanson, spoke at the high school on the subject of David Rust and his extensive month-long tours throughout this area in the early 1900s before there were roads.
As always, knowledgeable guides took people to the land to experience the different geologic features, plant life, dinosaur tracks, and a night walk with bats, increasing artists’ exposure and appreciation for this diverse area.
The festival presented $11,000 in awards. The Eccles Foundation is a significant donor, making it possible to present a $500 award to Daniel Potter from Idaho.
Best of Show in Plein Air was by Timothy Padillo of SLC, $1500.
Best of Show in Studio Work was by Michael Keyes of Aurora, Colorado.
Best of Show Junior category, Nevaeh Welch of Escalante.
Other local winners were Kathy Price and Michael Soren.
First Place winner in Highway 12 Paint Out was Kristen Featherstone, Newport Beach, CA. She won $300 and a 1/2 page ad in Plein Air magazine where the festival does much advertising.
This year’s local featured artist was Louise Fischman who has built a second home in Escalante. The featured artists for the 2025 ECAF are Dwight and Jalene Vance, wood sculptors/carvers.
With a satisfied sigh, the ECAF committee can reflect on all the successes of the recent festival’s rich experiences and memories and look forward to another robust festival next summer.
– The Byway
Feature image caption: Kristen Featherstone poses with her winning painting.
