Wellsboro Wilds Plein Air Competition & Classes
2026 Held September 11th-13th
About
This annual event held in the scenic town of Wellsboro PA, brings artists and art lovers together. Held the 2nd weekend each September, Friday evening through Sunday at the Gmeiner Art & Cultural Center at 134 Main Street.
The Wellsboro Wilds Plein Air Competition is hosted by the Wellsboro Art Club as a fundraiser for scholarship to a deserving high school who has been accepted into a college art program.
Participation
We welcome artists of all levels and ages to participate in the event. You may utilize any 2-D materials. There are four ways to participate:
Friday evening Golden/Blue Hour short painting session
Saturday morning Blue/Golden Hour short painting session
Saturday 8 hour daytime painting session
Saturday afternoon 2 hour short painting session
Classes
There will be a $10 mini kids’ painting competition on Saturday on The Green, sponsored by Arts Friends, led by Melina
Awards
Winner are eligible to win between $50 and $500 cash prizes. The overall winner is awarded 1 month digital subscription for the featured artist to exhibit & sell their work under Plein Air Magazine, a $1000 value and a $500 cash prize.
Entries will be displayed at the Gmeiner Art & Cultural Center with sales of work conducted during the public art viewing on Sunday. Please note that a portion all sales of artwork from the Plein Air Competition are donated to the Wellsboro Art Club.
Registration
You can register using the tools below or at the event at the Friday night reception or Saturday morning. Young artists below the age of 13 may register for free while those 13 years and older would pay the entry fees.
All events may be pre-registered for at the bottom of the page!
“Congratulations to all the award recipients and to all who submitted work! What a wonderful display of regional talent.”
This Year’s Judge, Speaker and Instructor
Elody Gyekis is a Pennsylvania-based artist whose paintings and mixed-media artworks revolve around nature, mythology, the human form, and gender. She earned her BFA at Penn State University and her MFA at the New York Academy of Art. She has had solo shows in Pennsylvania and New York, and been in group shows across the USA, Central America and Europe.
Elody has completed residencies in Romania and France and has taught classes and workshops in the USA and Central America. She also organizes and designs many community murals and other large-scale public art projects. Currently, she is on the Continuing Education Faculty for the New York Academy of Art where she teaches online painting and drawing classes and workshops.
Gallery Showing
Saturday August 15th
At Wellsboro Gmeiner Art & Cultural Center
2-4 pm Demo and talk
Examples of Elody Gyekis’ Landscapes
Schedule
Friday, September 11th, 2026: ● Nocturne Competition Registration & 8-hour Pre-Registration (The Gmeiner): 5:30 pm - 8:00 pm Welcome and Speaker (The Gmeiner): 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Saturday, September 12th, 2026: Nocturne Competition Turn-in 8 am Main Competition ( 8 Hour Paint Out) ●Stamping for Main Paint Out (The Gmeiner): Begins at 8:00 am ●Main Paint Out (within the boundaries of Tioga County): 8:00 am -4:00 pm ●Gallery Ready Art Submission, to end Main Paint Out (The Gmeiner): before 4:00 pm *No late entries will be accepted
Quick Draw Competition (2 Hour Paint Out) ● Quick Draw Competition Registration (The Gmeiner): 1:15 pm ● Quick Draw Competition: 1:30 pm-3:30 pm ● Gallery Ready Art Submission (The Gmeiner), to end Quick Draw before 3:30 pm *No late entries will be accepted ● Judging (The Gmeiner) After 4 pm
Sunday, September 12th, 2026: Judging & Award Ceremony for Nocturne / Main Paint Out / Quick Draw ● Awards Ceremony (The Gmeiner): 12:00 pm-3:00 pm. ● Closing Reception, Art Sales, and Public Viewing (The Gmeiner)