Plein air painters had an exceptional experience

To the residents, business owners and visitors of beautiful Crested Butte:
On behalf of the 45 participating members and guest artists, I am writing to thank everyone for the tremendous welcome and outpouring of support the Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters (RMPAP) enjoyed during our visit and National Show in your wonderful town, July 8-18. Our show at the Oh-Be-Joyful Gallery was very successful thanks to all of you and our artists are extremely grateful to find the gem that Crested Butte is with its gracious, warm atmosphere that the Crested Butte people have created and openly share with visitors.
The positive comments we received from the community are very important to our members and I personally appreciate the feedback. In the past 10 years our show has traveled to other locations such as Jackson, Wyo., Steamboat Springs, Colo., and has spent the last few years in Winter Park, Colo. We are already strongly considering a return to Crested Butte thanks to the support we received from the staff at Oh-Be-Joyful Gallery, all of you and the beauty of Crested Butte.
Our participating artists are also patrons of your businesses as most of us rented homes, condos and motel rooms, frequented the coffee shops, dined everyday at the local restaurants and shopped at your stores. Many patrons of RMPAP also follow our show wherever we go to attend the show each year.
A special ”Thank You” to our hosts, Shaun Horne, Dawn Cohen and their staff at Oh-Be-Joyful Gallery on Third St. Excellent and accomplished plein air painters and very capable operators on their own, they welcomed the RMPAP show during one of Crested Butte’s busiest weeks so we could share in the celebration of our annual National Show and Crested Butte’s festival week.
Also, thank you to Chad and the staff at KBUT for interviewing Shaun and I and airing information about our show, to the Crested Butte News, and to the gracious business and home owners that shared their homes rental properties and ”hosted” an artist(s) during the show. Marshall Ted, you are a pleasure to work with and thank you for your attention to and support for our show.
A very big and special ”thank you” to those who took the time to come to the show to enjoy the artwork and for purchasing the paintings that our artists worked so hard to produce during our visit. It makes the trip, time, expense and all the hard work worth the effort.
We would love to hear your comments and feedback.

With great appreciation,
Mark Rittorno
President, RMPAP
rittornom@yahoo.com