2025 Red Wing Arts plein Air
June 12-19 / Artists Paint Red Wing
Fri, June 20, 6-8 pm / First Glimpse & Awards Reception
Sat, June 21, 9-11 am / Artist Quick Paint
June 21-Aug 24 / On Exhibit
Imagine painters situated along the Seine in Paris and transport them to the banks and bluffs of the beautiful Mississippi River in Red Wing, MN.
Red Wing Arts celebrates our 19th annual event in 2025, bringing artists to our community from around the region to paint “recognizable” Red Wing en Plein Air. Meaning approximately “open air” in French, Plein Air is a study of how light and shadow interact with things, creating a snapshot of one moment in time that can never be repeated.
Red Wing sits at the entrance to the Driftless Region. We are a stunning place with a charming downtown, dramatic bluffs, rolling hills, vistas and winding rivers that define our historic town. Our exhibit includes over 100 works that are judged and hung in our Depot Gallery.
We are pleased to announce that award-winning artists, Suzie Baker juried the submissions, and Nina Weiss will judge this year’s exhibit, awarding $5000 in cash prizes. Questions? email pleinair@redwingarts.org
2025 Red Wing Arts Plein Air Events
Experience the art as it happens - all are welcome to these events where artists capture Red Wing on canvas!
Between June 12-21, don’t miss the opportunity to experience the beauty of Red Wing through the eyes of some of the region's most talented artists! These events take art out of the gallery and onto the streets, parks, and riverbanks, providing a unique opportunity for passersby to admire the artists at work and watch them capture the beauty of Red Wing's scenery in real-time.
Get Your First Glimpse Tickets!
Join Red Wing Arts for a night of fine art, hors d’oeuvres, beverages, and music! From 6-7 pm meet the artists and be the first to experience and buy this year’s plein air paintings.
Starting at 7 pm, this year’s judge, Nina Weiss will present the awards, recognizing the best work created during the week. Award winners include Best of Show, Second Place, Third Place, Best Sense of Place, Best Collection, and more! Enjoy time in the gallery to purchase paintings before the exhibition opens to the public.
2025 Featured Class Artists
Wade Ardery, Michael Broshar, Lynn Brown, Andrew Carr, Joshua Cunningham, Allison Eklund, Diane Foster, Nelia Harper French, Tracey Frugoli, Willow Gentile Elissa Gore, Ylli Haruni, Tadas Kosciuska, Thomas Kutschied, Cheryl LeClair-Sommer, Dan Mackerman, Greg Meyer, Alketa Muzhaqi, David Nemo, Tatyana Robberts, Kelly Schamberger, Kurt Schulzetenberg, David Smith, Lisa Stauffer, James Turner, Michelle Wegler
Meet 2025 Judge, Nina Weiss
Nina Weiss
Nina Weiss is a nationally renowned artist who has been painting and drawing the landscape for over 40 years. She holds a BFA from the Tyler School of Art and graduate study at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Further study includes pre-college instruction the Rhode Island School of Design, and the Art Students’ League of New York.
Her work is held in private and corporate collections throughout the United States including United Airlines, Aetna Insurance, McDonalds, Eli Lilly, Avon, and United States Customs.
Her paintings and drawings can be seen in two Hollywood films: John Hugh’s “Just Visiting” and Harold Ramis’s “Ice Harvest” and in the T.V. series “Chicago Fire”. Solo shows include the Mary Bell Gallery, Great River Road Museum of contemporary Art, Union League Club and Union Street Gallery. Television and radio appearances include WBBM News radio 780 “Made in Chicago”, HGTV’s Artist’s Loft Segment; “Artist to Artist” with Enid Silverman, and “Inner Quest”; Infinity Foundation. Videos include an instructional Landscape Drawing DVD for Prismacolor Colored Pencils; and two videos for Bluprint.com.
She taught a combined thirty six years at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and Columbia College Chicago. Nina currently teaches at the Evanston Art Center, the North Shore Art League, and the Chicago Botanic Gardens. Nina frequently teaches workshops throughout the Midwest and in her Evanston Art Endeavors Studio. She travels with students every summer to teach her European Landscape Painting & Drawing Workshops.
See Nina’s work at ninaweiss.com; classes and workshops can be found at Nina’s education website; artendeavors.org
June 20 Workshop with Nina Weiss: Creating Spatial Depth in Your Paintings
Creating spatial depth in your paintings can be challenging. In this workshop; learn how to crack the secrets of perspective, color and composition to create works with depth; atmospheric perspective, and compositional interest. A brief review of color theory and groupings will kick off our workshop and help you create deeper, more spatial compositions.
Class information:
Friday, June 20, 10 am-12 pm
Teaching artist: Nina Weiss
Level: Intermediate
Age: 18+
Participation fee: $65
See materials list each participant should bring: MATERIALS LIST
Participate in 2025 RWA Plein Air
Apply as a Juried Featured Artist
The April 10 deadline has passed to apply as a Juried Featured Artist in our 2025 Red Wing Arts Plein Air, but artists are welcome to participate as an Open Class or Youth Open Class artist - register by June 12.
Questions? Email pleinair@redwingarts.org
Participate as Open Class Artist
For artists participating as Open Class only, the participation fee is $45. Fees may be paid online, by phone, or mail by June 12, 2025. Open Class Artists are invited to submit 1 painting for the exhibit by 10 am on June 19, 2025.
Participate as a Youth Open Class Artist
Artists ages 14-22 are welcome to participate in our Youth Open Class category. The participation fee is $15. Fees may be paid online, by phone, or mail by June 12, 2025. Youth Open Class Artists are invited to submit 1 painting for the exhibit by 10 am on June 19, 2025. Youth artists will be invited to an orientation/information session before June 10, stay tuned for details.
Thank you to our 2025 Plein Air Sponsors!
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts & cultural heritage fund.
“The Red Wing Plein Air Event is about this place. Since this event started, over a thousand paintings have been created of Red Wing and the surrounding area. That’s not common, but neither is Red Wing. ”
Artist Derek Davis painting en plein air
Artist Hannah C. Heyer painting en plein air