Plein-air artists love the rush of the brush

Valerie Meyers woke up on Monday 30 minutes before her alarm rang, eager to paint.

The 65-year-old was excited about her first plein-air quick draw - a timed painting performed at a predetermined outdoor location.

The sixth-annual Paint Historic Manitou Plein Air Art Show's inaugural quick draw contest was just hours away.

Meyers packed her oil paints, pallets, paper towels, brushes and tools in a backpack, grabbed her stainless steel coffee cup, and walked toward downtown Manitou Springs.

Meyers was the first of a dozen artists to arrive at the event, held 7:30 a.m. Monday at the Spice of Life cafe. She arrived before 7 a.m., followed a bit later by Leslie Allen, 67.

Allen has competed in quick draws for the past five years, and other artists spoke about how she once finished a landscape in less than 15 minutes.

Quick-draw experience wasn't required at the event; anyone with the skill and the nerve to paint under pressure could compete. Some artists entered to test what they've learned, others because they relish the rush and release of timed work.

"I started and I can't stop painting (quick draws)," Allen said. "You have to paint."

The artists had 90 minutes to work, after which spectators and passersby would choose a winner to receive $125.

For this first quick draw, organizer Jayme Rago choose the front lawn of the nearby Avenue Hotel as the setting and three models - Michael Cornejo and Douglas Lewis, Spice of Life co-owners, and Anna Mekeel, the hotel owner's daughter - as the subjects.

Each artist had a different focus, some taking in the whole scene, others focusing intently on the models' faces.

Lewis caught Meyers' eye. She began with the head: the man's brow, the length of his nose, his tan cheeks.

Five artists chose Mekeel, 22.

"I liked the way she held her chin," Allen said.

But with 30 minutes left, Allen put down her brush unsatisfied. She couldn't capture the changing shadow, she said.

Meyers completed her portrait with 13 minutes to spare. She and Allen examined the other's works.

Oil painter Teresa Vito , 50, had captured Mekeel's chin the way Allen envisioned.

"I'm so jealous," Allen laughed.

Vito won for her figural painting of the young lady wearing a blue dress with red shoes - 12 votes out of 22.

"Red shoes!" Vito shouted as the title of her painting.

DETAILS

SIXTH-ANNUAL PAINT HISTORIC MANITOU PLEIN AIR ART SHOW

Show has 31 artists, who have 10 days to choose any Manitou location to paint. Paintings must be finished by Tuesday. Work will be shown at the Artists' Opening & Exhibition, 4-7 p.m. July 12 at Swirl Wine Emporium, 717 Manitou Ave. Artists for the second quick draw will meet at Adam's Mountain Cafe, 934 Manitou Ave., at 10 a.m. Friday. More at pleinairmanitou.com.