Plein Air Paint Out creatively ushers in Park City’s summer season

The Plein Air Paint Out hosted by Park City Gardens and Gallery MAR is a creative way to kick off the summer.

The event, which is free and open to the public, will take place from 3-6 p.m. on Saturday, June 11, and feature 25-30 artists set up throughout the 10-acre nursery located at 4459 N. S.R. 224.

“It’s my favorite summer event we do,” said Park City Gardens owner Sophy Kohler. “It makes me so happy to see all the artists set up in the nursery, and I love seeing people coming and enjoying it.”

During the event, art and garden lovers will have the opportunity to stroll around the gardens and meet and chat with the artists, Kohler said.

“It will be prime time for the nursery, and everything will be so lush and green,” she said. “We will also showcase water-wise plants, and our well-versed staff will be on-hand to give out any information.”

While some participating artists are represented by Gallery MAR, others are independent creatives from Summit County, said gallery owner Maren Mullin, one of Utah Business Magazine’s 40 Under 40, a list of professionals who are working to elevate the state’s business landscape.

“We also have a couple of artists who are coming from out of state,” she said. “They heard about us and will drive through and stop by to participate.”

All of the art created during the Paint Out will be available for purchase in a post-event “Wet Paint” sale, according to Mullin.

“So often when you buy works from artists, you don’t get an opportunity to meet them and chat with them in person,” she said. “So this is a great way for people to meet the artists, support them and buy one of their pieces directly from them.”

The works that don’t sell will be returned to the artists so they will be able to sell them in the future, Mullin said.

In addition, the completed works of all the Summit County-based artists painted during the event will be entered in a friendly contest for cash prizes.

“I always get so nervous when it comes time to pick the winners,” Mullin said with a laugh. “Last year I had our gallery manager Eileen Treasure pick, and I’m praying she wants to do that again this year.”

As with plein air art, the works will be the artists’ depictions of the Park City Gardens scenery, Kohler said.

“There is a natural beauty here that is seen through the artists’ perspectives,” she said. “Sometimes artists focus on our flowers and other times it might be an old truck or an old tree back in the meadow. Or they may put in some of our historic buildings. We get realistic renderings, and we get abstract works.”

In addition to the artists, the Plein Air Paint Out will feature live acoustic music performed by Nicole Paradiso throughout the event, and a pop-up performance by BalletNext, Park City’s resident dance company.

“They will perform towards the last half of the event,” Mullin said about BalletNext. “It’s another creative element of inspiration for summer, the garden, the art. It all kind of goes together.”

The original idea for the Plein Air Paint Out at Park City Gardens took root in 2018 when Mullin approached her neighbor and friend, Kohler.

“Maren is amazing, and as a person, she’s so supportive of other local business owners,” Kohler said. “The Paint Out wasn’t originally on my radar, so I thought it was so cool for her to think about it and give us a chance to work together.”

The event has touched many art and garden lovers throughout the years, Kohler said.

“We’re starting to get calls from community members, asking when it will happen so they can put it in their calendars,” she said. “In some instances, people have called to say they are planning their summer trips to Park City so they can attend it.”

Mullin said the Plein Air Paint Out wouldn’t have been possible without Kohler.

“This event is possible because of Sophy, who does so much for the community,” she said, “We couldn’t do this without that beautiful setting, and I’m so grateful that she wants to do this again.”