SPRING CITY– Spring City’s annual Plein Air Painting Competition was capped by the Artist Studio Tour Saturday, September 5. Though some small changes were made due to COVID-19, art lovers and collectors–many from out of town, clearly appreciated the chance to view so many museum-quality works in such a beautiful setting.

This year the tour was free of charge because of the pandemic, and masks were required in the studios with social distancing expected indoors. Some artists preferred outdoor displays of their works, but either way the quality and quantity of art available to view was extremely impressive.

The Plein Air competition featured art works created beginning August 29 and culminated with judging on September 4. The works were on display in the Spring City Arts Gallery on Saturday, where the winning paintings were featured along with those that received honorable mentions and other works from the competition.

Artists were encouraged, but not required, to create their paintings in Sanpete County. For art collectors who did not make the journey to Spring City, the Spring City Arts website offered paintings by local artists for viewing and purchase. Paintings submitted to the competition will be offered for sale online until September 19.

Ellie Wilson took first place in the competition with a 12″ by 16″ oil titled “Strate’s Barn.” Second place went to Brad Aldridge for his work “The Apiary.” Kimball Geisler’s painting took third place. It was a 9″ by 12″ painting called “Early Morning In The Valley.”

Art lovers clearly enjoyed watching artists work and talking with them about their art. As Tom Howard, an artiste from Kearns, Utah began painting he remarked, “I like to start out with a monochromatic underlayment of paint.” Howard works in both oils and watercolors and has been painting for over 40 years. He talked about the close knit community of artists and art students that work in Spring City.

Working nearby was Steve McGentry from Murray, Utah. He said he visits Spring City several times a year to paint and to be inspired. Working on a small study entitled “Sunlight and Shadows (revisited)”, McGentry said he has been painting since he was nine or ten years old when he learned from his grandfather.

Native Spring City artists had many paintings and crafted works on display and for sale as well. Joe Bennion, who has lived in Spring City since two weeks after he married his wife Lee 44 years ago, displayed his well-known pottery inside and outside his tiny shop.

Bennion said he failed the first class he took in pottery back in 1971. Returning to school after serving a mission, Bennion took the pottery class again. At his (then) new wife’s insistence, Bennion gave up his plans to become a teacher to follow his heart and devoted himself to his craft of pottery.

Together Bennion and his wife, Lee who is a painter of regional fame, raised three children in Spring City. Lee Bennion is also the purveyor of “Mom’s Stuff”, a line of hand crafted, all natural salves and skincare products.

“Tomorrow I’m going to have a nap” Bennion joked as clients gathered around him to admire his work and ask about his popular bread bakers. “Sold out first thing this morning” was all he could say about the bread bakers. But then there’s next week, when Bennion plans to fire up his kiln and start once again making the art he loves.

Crafter Jane DeGroff, whose work features hand dyed textiles, has lived in Spring City for the past ten years. Her display of scarves was an irresistible rainbow of color. But not just any colors – these beauties are dyed with all-natural dyes.

Cochenial, a rosy sunset pink dye, comes from a South American insect, while DeGroff’s homemade rabbit brush dye, which produces buttery yellow tones, is a local botanical which she harvests herself. Most notable are DeGroff’s Shibori designs in traditional indigo blue. “I have to dip them ten or eleven times” in the indigo dye she remarked, to get the desired intensity of color.

DeGroff had a large selection of masks, surely a sign of the times, but these were works of art lovingly dyed and crafted to prove that even artists do their part.