Congratulations to the 2026 Juried Artists

The Avalon Foundation is pleased to announce the 22nd Annual Plein Air Easton Competition & Arts Festival 2026 competition artists.

Occurring each July in Easton, MD, Plein Air Easton is a dynamic, weeklong immersion into the creative process. Throughout the week, hundreds of painters, collectors, and art enthusiasts descend on Talbot County to witness the largest and most prestigious plein air event in the nation.

A significant part of the appeal of Plein Air Easton is the fresh perspective generated by a diverse group of artists each year. As a juried competition by design, the festival offers every artist—from the emerging talent to the seasoned professional—the opportunity to apply, compete, and earn both prestigious awards and national recognition.

Over the past 22 years, Plein Air Easton has welcomed 412 unique artists into its competition ranks. This legacy has made PAE a definitive launchpad for numerous careers, bringing deserving work to the forefront of the plein air movement and into the collections of art enthusiasts nationwide.

Plein Air Easton is traditionally judged by the most knowledgeable and informed experts in the world of representational art, and the jurying process is no different. This year’s entry juror, who selected the artists appearing in Easton this summer, was the highly acclaimed Mark Boedges.

A master of light and atmosphere, Boedges is one of the most celebrated landscape painters working today. His work has earned him the highest honors in the industry, including the Grand Prize from the Portrait Society of America and multiple Best in Show awards at the nation’s most prestigious competitions. Mark’s connection to Easton is deep and personal; he credits Plein Air Easton as being instrumental in building his reputation early in his career. A favorite among his peers, Boedges famously won the highly esteemed Artists’ Choice Award at Plein Air Easton in 2015 for his exceptional painting, Lost in his Work.

Known for his technical virtuosity and soulful captures of the natural world, Mark brings that same passion back to the festival as a juror. He carefully reviewed over 600 submissions from artists representing 28 states and 4 countries to curate this year's exceptional roster. Regarding the experience, Boedges shared:

"It was a great honor to select the participating artists, and a great deal of work as well, considering the extraordinary level of talent among the entrants. I strived to select a group of artists with strong and unique visions, and thus to create an event with broad appeal to collectors and art lovers alike."

While Mark curated the 2026 slate of competitors, the festival is honored to welcome Mary Morton as this year's Competition Judge. To further honor the festival’s legacy, Mark Boedges will return to fulfill the role of Competition Judge in celebration of our 23rd year in 2027.

Plein Air Easton is not a typical “festival”; it is a fast-paced competition where the town serves as a living studio. The experience evolves daily, offering onlookers a front-row seat to:

• Daily Paint-Outs & Exhibit Refreshes: Watch artists capture the landscape in real-time and view fresh, wet-on-the-wall paintings added to the PAE Headquarters Gallery each day.
• Everyone Paints: This competition centers around the juried artists however, everyone is welcome to paint at the casual Nocturne paint-out (July 10, Harrison Street) or the Quick Draw (July 18, open to all artist levels). There is also a Plein Air Kids Camp that takes place during the week (online signup AvalonFoundation.org) and art stations for the budding artist under 18 years.
• Learn via Live Demo: There are many opportunities during the week to take in a demo in PAE Headquarters.
• Unforgettable Events:  From exclusive donor events and the fast-paced Collectors Preview Party unveiling to the first-look excitement of Small Painting Sunday, Plein Air Easton offers a sophisticated, ever-changing calendar week of events that redefines the traditional arts festival.

Plein Air Easton is the work of the Avalon Foundation, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to foster a strong community on the Eastern Shore by creating accessible, uplifting arts, education, and cultural experiences that appeal to the interests of a diverse population and to ensure the long-term viability of the historic Avalon Theatre. 

The Academy Art Museum and the Armory/Waterfowl Headquarters will be the venues for the competition exhibit. This event is supported by donations from corporations, small businesses, media outlets, Friends of Plein Air Easton, and strong community support. Donations support the event while promoting conservation and tourism through the arts and a distinct sense of place. Strong community support and sponsorships have helped make Plein Air Easton one of Easton's most popular annual events and the nation’s largest outdoor painting competition.