Plein Air Art Competition Invites Artists to "Capture the Essence" of Mississippi River
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ALTON - Local artists are encouraged to create art for the Riverbend’s first “Mississippi Riverscapes: The 2025 Plein Air Art Competition.”
Jacoby Arts Center and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will sponsor the competition. From June 1–22, 2025, community members can go to eight designated spots along the Mississippi River to paint or draw the landscape.
“Artists work in a lot of different ways, but the idea is to go out and enjoy these locations and then have artists communicate that to the community, how beautiful these areas are that are maintained by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,” explained Rachel Lappin with Jacoby. “This is for everybody. Whatever you go out and paint, just submit it and have fun.”
A plein air art competition challenges artists to create art on location. Lappin and Elise Ratcliff, who works with the Corps of Engineers, encourage community members to bring their supplies to the eight spots and document whatever they see.
Painting and drawing are the preferred mediums. Judges will not accept photography, sculpture or graphic art. Each artist must pay $25 and can submit one entry per location.
The competition will be judged by Jacoby’s Exhibition Committee. Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony on July 12, 2025.
The first place winner will receive a weekend artist’s retreat to the Green Tree Inn in Elsah. The runner-up will be awarded $100 from the Meeting of the Rivers Foundation, and the honorable mention winner will receive a swag bag from Great Rivers and Routes Tourism Bureau.
From July 14 to Sept. 14, 2025, community members can view the Mississippi Riverscapes art on display at the National Great Rivers Museum in Alton. Ratcliff noted that artists can sell their art independently if desired. There will be information about each destination at the exhibit to encourage more people to visit these locations, which are all maintained by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
As artists themselves, Lappin and Ratcliff are excited to share the plein air art competition with the community. They encourage people to have fun and enjoy visiting these hidden gems along the river as you create your art.
“The whole spirit of plein air is that you are out in nature, outside, you are drawing what you see right in front of you, capturing the essence of it,” Ratcliff added. “You don’t have to be a perfectionist, either. Just go out and capture what you see.”
For more information about “Mississippi Riverscapes: The 2025 Plein Air Art Competition,” including how to register, click here. To learn more about the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the National Great Rivers Museum, check out MTRF.org. Visit JacobyArtsCenter.org to learn more about Jacoby, their upcoming classes, and their reopening planned for next week.
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