Cedar Breaks Arts Afire Plein Air Art Event

Cedar Breaks National Monument invites all to participate in the inaugural Cedar Breaks Arts Afire: Plein Air Art Event on July 28 – August 1, 2015. This event will showcase the meaning of national parks and monuments through the creation of art. Various activities are planned for the summer: plein air demonstrations and sales, children’s art activities in the park, and online nature activities for kids.

Local artists Brad Holt, Mary Jabens and Valerie Orlemann have been chosen to paint in Cedar Breaks National Monument and the Brian Head area throughout July.   On July 28th – 30th Plein Air painting demonstrations will be given  at Point Supreme adjacent to the Cedar Breaks Visitor Center.  Artists will demonstrate their processes and answer questions from 10 am – 12 pm. Valerie Orlemann will demonstrate on Tuesday, Brad Holt on Wednesday, and Mary Jabens on Thursday.

Art created during the Plein Air event will be available for sale at the Festival of Flavors July 31st and August 1st at Giant Steps Lodge in Brian Head. Forty percent of the proceeds will benefit youth programs thru the Zion National Park Foundation.

From 5:00 pm to midnight on Friday, July 31st, Giant Steps Lodge will host the plein air art preview and gourmet tasting competition. This will be an intimate event with no door fee and numerous types of food and drink to sample – plus live music! Friday will also be an opportunity for “first pick” of some great art sold from 5:00 pm until 8:00 pm.

On Saturday, August 1st, the Festival of Flavors will open at 11:00 am and continue until midnight. The tasting competition will be over, but the same food and drinks will still be available for sampling. Plein Air paintings and many other types of art will also be on display. Plein air artwork will be sold from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm. There will also be live music and activities for kids, artisan food trucks and vendors, great beverages from local breweries, distilleries and wineries, rides, games and more!

On Friday, July 31st – Saturday, August 1st from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm, in conjunction with the Festival of Flavors, Cedar Breaks National Monument will be hosting art activities for youth of all ages. Booths will be set up at Point Supreme adjacent to the visitor center with instructors and materials to make life-size paper pikas, giant tissue paper wildflowers, nature related coloring pages, and a canvas mural for all ages to paint. Plan to stop by on your way to or from the Festival of Flavors!

Throughout the summer, Cedar Breaks National Monument will be posting youth activities on their website.  The objective is to help kids create new connections with the outdoors using current technology. Projects can be found at: http://www.nps.gov/cebr/learn/kidsyouth/arts-afire.htm