En Plein Air Texas (EPAT) is a nationally recognized plein air art program that has evolved from a top-ranked competition into an immersive Ranch Fellowship experience rooted in time, place, and artistic exploration.
For more than a decade, EPAT attracted award-winning artists from around the world, earning recognition as one of the top five plein air competitions in the United States. Today, the program’s re-envisioned Ranch Fellowship model offers selected artists the rare opportunity to slow down, live on a working West Texas ranch, and paint directly from the landscape over an extended three-week residency.
Each year, Ranch Fellowship Artists are chosen through a competitive national application process and represent both returning EPAT artists and new voices. In addition to creating work on site, Fellows share their expertise through educational engagement with local students and the community.
The paintings produced during the residency culminate in Spirit of the Ranch, a curated exhibition and sale presented each fall at the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts—celebrating the enduring tradition of plein air painting while supporting its future.
Spirit of the Ranch: The Ranch Fellowship Exhibit
A huge thank you to our 2025 Ranch Fellowship Artists Kirsten Anderson, Zufar Bikbov, Lon Brauer, Durre Waseem, and Jeff Williams as well as the many volunteers and museum staffers who made EPAT 2025 a great success!
The curated museum exhibition resulting from this year’s fellowship, Spirit of the Ranch: The Ranch Fellowship Exhibit remains on view at SAMFA until March 22, 2026 with selected works available for purchase.
En Plein Air Texas 2026 Ranch Fellowship Artists
-
Natalia Nosyk
An award winning impressionist artist, Natalia explores the interplay of light and shadow in her work, blending reality with the abstract in her compositions. Her plein air Paintings are a celebration of light, and nature's beauty. Natalia is a member of the National Union of Artists of Ukraine, and of New York's prestigious Salmagundi Art Club. We are excited to welcome her to Texas and our 3 week Ranch Fellowship experience!
-
Nancy Tankersley
A contemporary impressionist, Nancy is active in the current plein air movement, and is one of the founders of Plein Air Easton! She is a Signature Member of the American Impressionist Society, the American Society for Marine Art, and the Mid-Atlantic Plein Air Painters. We are thrilled to welcome her to our 3 week Ranch Fellowship in 2026!
-
Richie Vios
From architect to accomplished watercolorist, Richie has studied and refined his grasp of plein air into a unique mastery of light and shadow. Traveling all over the United States, he brings masterful control to his canvas. A signature member of the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association, the Southwest Watercolor Society,, and the Outdoor Painters Society, we in Texas welcome Richie back with open arms to our 3 week Ranch Fellowship!
-
Beth Bathe
Featured in Plein Air Magazine's 2025 August/September issue, Beth uses her graphic design background to create her unique signature style. Part watercolor, part oil, her work calls to mind old photographs, as she captures the way light and shadows play on our emotions. Beth is an Art Ambassador for Royal Talens North America, a member of the Salmagundi Art Club, as well as being a Signature Member of the Mid Atlantic Plein Air Painters. We are honored to have her join us for our 3 week Ranch Fellowship this coming 2026!
En Plein Air Texas 2026 Schedule of Events
En Plein Air Texas 2026 Sponsorship Opportunities
The excitement of En Plein Air Texas, a program of the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts, continues into its 13th year as the 2026 Ranch Fellowship offers a unique cultural and historical art experience in West Texas—unmatched by any other art event in the country.
In 2015, local arts patron Elta Joyce McAfee gifted an endowment to the museum to help ensure the future of En Plein Air Texas. However, additional community support from donors and volunteers is needed to keep the program thriving and growing.
All sponsors are invited to the Preview Gallery Walk & Talk at 4 PM on Thursday, October 22, 2026 before the exhibit opening.
Sponsorship Tiers
Spirit of the Ranch
Sponsor
$15,000.00
1 Available
Be the exclusive sponsor of the curated museum exhibit and sale of Ranch Fellowship paintings that will hang for 12 weeks in Gallery 1 at SAMFA.
Opening Reception
Sponsor
$10,000.00
1 Available
Be the exclusive sponsor of our opening night reception at SAMFA.
Student art sale
Sponsor
$7,500.00
1 Available
Be the exclusive sponsor for this sale of paintings by students from the Student Paint-Out along with art by all the Fellowship artists.
Community Paint-Out
Sponsor
$5,000.00
1 Available
Be the exclusive sponsor of the community paint-out event in Downtown San Angelo.
FELLOWSHIP ARTIST
Sponsor
$5,000.00
4 Available
Sponsor one of the En Plein Air Texas Ranch Fellowship artists.
Student Paint-Out
Sponsor
$5,000.00
1 Available
Be the exclusive sponsor for the En Plein Air Texas Student Paint-Out Day.
gold
Sponsor
$5,000.00
General Sponsorship
Support En Plein Air Texas and help keep the arts alive and thriving in San Angelo.
silver
Sponsor
$2,500.00
General Sponsorship
Support En Plein Air Texas and help keep the arts alive and thriving in San Angelo.
bronze
Sponsor
$1,000.00
General Sponsorship
Support En Plein Air Texas and help keep the arts alive and thriving in San Angelo.