2025 PROSPECTUS 

Don't Miss McKinney's Most Exciting Art Event!

The Mckinney Plein Air Society (MPAS) is pleased to announce their 4th annual plein air painting competition and exhibition, McKinney En Plein Air 2025, on October 3 & 4, 2025 at The Cove in Historic Downtown McKinney, Texas.

This unique intensive competition is open to all artists who register by the deadline. 

MEPA 2025 will kick off at The COVE on Friday evening, October 3 with an Artist Welcome Reception and an exhibition of plein air paintings done by the competition artists during the past year. Artists wishing to take part in the Nocturne Tournament will paint at TUPPS Brewery from 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. These paintings will be submitted at Check-In on Saturday morning. 

On Saturday, October 4, artists will paint en plein air around the Historic Downtown Square and nearby McKinney parks. The event ends back at The COVE with the famous "Exhibition on Easels" show and sale, artists' reception, and awards ceremony. The public is invited to attend both Friday and Saturday.

Artists must provide their own equipment and may work in any medium, including but not limited to: oil media (traditional and water-mixable); wet media (acrylic, watercolor, gouache, etc.); and dry media (pastel, charcoal, conte, graphite, colored pencil, etc.); and mixed media. 

Artists may tone their canvases but not draw or paint on them until after check-in. All substrates must be stamped before each contest -- Nocturne Tournament on Friday -- and at Check-In on Saturday morning for the MEPA 2025 Competition.

DEADLINE TO REGISTER:                                 

DEADLINE EXTENDED to Monday, SEPTEMBER 15, 2025 at midnight. 

EVENT LOCATION

The COVE at 402 N. Tennessee, McKinney, TX is the headquarters and show location for MEPA 2025.

The Artists will choose to paint at these locations: Historic Downtown McKinney including nearby Finch Park, Mitchell Park, the historic residential neighborhoods and the East Side Development area with the grain elevators, the new City Hall and Tupps Brewery.  Artists may choose to paint at other locations as long as they get their substrates stamped and meet competition time deadlines.

EVENT DATES AND TIMES                                

Friday, October 3, 2025

THE SHOW AT THE COVE WELCOME RECEPTION 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.   

NOCTURNE TOURNAMENT

5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.   Get substrates stamped

7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.  Paint NOCTURNE at Tupps Brewery

(turn in Nocturnes at Check-In on Saturday morning)

Saturday, October 4, 2025

CHECK-IN 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.  (turn in Nocturnes at Check-In)

COMPETITION PAINTING 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

EXHIBITION OPEN         2:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Set Up EXHIBITION ON EASELS 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. (late paintings will not be judged)

JUDGING                         3:30 p.m to 5:00 p.m.

ARTISTS RECEPTION 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

AWARDS CEREMONY 5:30 p.m.

STRIKE THE SHOW 6:30 or at the end of the awards ceremony

EVENT DETAILS:                                   

McKinney Plein Air Society and the Arts and Music Guild are hosting this exciting and unique competition open to two-dimensional artists who register by the deadline. This intensive, one-of-a-kind en plein air event begins with and exhibition, reception, and painting contests on Friday. Saturday is the main competition, ending with the famous Exhibition on Easels, judging, artists' reception, and awards ceremony. 

On Saturday, artists are free to purchase lunch and take breaks at downtown restaurants of their choice when and where they like. Restrooms will be available at the McKinney Performing Arts Center (MPAC), The Cove, Tupps, Finch Park and several locations around the Square. Bottled water will be available for the artists at the COVE all day on Saturday, as well as on Friday evening.

CASH AWARDS:  

$400   Spirit of En Plein Air Grand Prize -- Judge's Choice. Grand Prize. This award celebrates the combination of direct observation and artistic interpretation of painting en plein air.   Exhibition on Easels 

$300   Award of Excellence -- Judge's Choice. 1st Place.  Judge uses own criteria for this 1st Place award. The Show at The COVE 

$200   Award of Distinction -- Judge's Choice. 2nd Place. Judge uses own criteria for this 2nd Place award. The Show at The COVE 

$200   Beth Mortenson Memorial Award -- Judge's Choice. This award celebrates and honors the memory of Beth Mortenson who was always experimenting and developing innovative techniques en plein air.  Exhibition on Easels 

$150  The Frank Reaugh Legacy Award -- Judge's Choice. This award recognizes the importance of en plein air painting to document the present day landscape and honors the legacy of Frank Reaugh, an early Texas en plein air pioneer. Exhibition on Easels 

$125   Number One Nocturne -- Judge's Choice - Best of the Nocturne Tournament 

$100   Number Two Nocturne -- Judge's Choice - Second Best of the Nocturne Tournament 

$100   People's Choice Award -- People's Favorite Painting of the Competition.  by public vote

$75   Outstanding Equipment Award -- Judge's Choice - Favorite Plein Air Painting Set Up

$75   Perils of Plein Air Award -- Founder's Choice - Favorite En Plein Air Adventure Story

NEW!

Best Oil/Acrylic Award -- Advanced Series Oil and Acrylic Package from En Plein Air Pro

Best Watercolor/Gouache Award -- Advanced Series WatercolorPackage from En Plein Air Pro

Best Pastel Award -- Lorenzo Chavez Color Wheel Set from Terry Ludwig Pastels

AWARDS JUDGE:                                

Lorenzo Chavez 

SCHEDULE:        

SUBMIT WORK FOR SHOW AT THE COVE 402 N. Tennessee, McKinney. -- MEPA 2025 Artists will submit up to two (2) dry, framed and ready to hang paintings that were painted en plein air during the last year from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025. Size limit:  24" maximum length on any side (unframed) 

OPTION 1: Tuesday, September 30, 2025  5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.  

OR

OPTION 2: Wednesday, October 1, 2025  11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m

Friday, October 3, 2025  at The COVE, 402 N. Tennessee, McKinney

5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. - WELCOME RECEPTION AND SHOW AT THE COVE family, friends, and public welcome

5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. - Get NOCTURNE substrates stamped.  Artists get their Nocturne substrates stamped at this time

7:00 to 11:00 PM at TUPPS  - NOCTURNE TOURNAMENT   optional.  TUPPS is a safe place for the Nocturne Artists to paint. Artists will turn in their completed, framed and wired nocturne paintings at Check-In on Saturday Morning.

Saturday October 4, 2025 

7:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.   CHECK-IN  Artists Check-In at The COVE, 402 N. Tennessee St. to get painting substrates stamped. Artists participating in the Nocturne Tournament turn in their fresh, framed and wired night scenes during Check-In.

7:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m   COMPETITION PAINTING  Artists Paint at spots of their choice around Historic Downtown McKinney including nearby Finch Park, Mitchell Park, the historic residential neighborhoods and the East Side Development area with grain elevators and the new Tupps Brewery. 

2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.  Set Up EXHIBITION ON EASELS. Artists check in at The COVE.  Art and easels are set up for the "Exhibition on Easels". Easels must be set up and ready for judging by 3:30 p.m. 

3:30 p.m.- 5:00 p.m.  JUDGING  Judging of the "Exhibition on Easels" begins promptly at 4:00 pm

5:00 p.m. - ARTISTS RECEPTION  The Show at the Cove,Exhibition on Easels Show, Sale, and Artists' Reception opens to public.  Family and friends welcome.

5:30 p.m. - AWARDS CEREMONY  Awards announced; ribbons and cash prizes given 

6:30 - 7:00 p.m. - EVENT ENDS. Event is over at the end of the Awards Ceremony. Strike the Show.

RULES AND REQUIREMENTS:                                   

• All two-dimensional artists over the age of 18 are welcome.

• Artists must register and pay the entry fee for the event by midnight on Monday,  September 15, 2025 to participate.

• Artists bring their own equipment, surfaces, supplies, materials and water. See a list of plein air supplies and items for personal comfort here.

• Painting surfaces will be stamped before the Friday evening contest and on Saturday morning of the competition. 

• Primed and toned surfaces are acceptable. However, no drawing or painting on the surface will be allowed before the artist checks in for the competition.  

• Plein air work must be started, painted, and completed during the event.

• Artists may work in any medium and use any supplies to complete their paintings. 

•  

• All artwork must be two-dimensional. 

• Artists must be respectful of all property and take every care to leave their painting spot cleaner than they found it. Comply with the rules of the City of McKinney.

• Artists will strictly adhere to the behaviors and etiquette of plein air painting

• Artists will use the public restrooms at the McKinney Performing Arts Center, The COVE, or other locations around the Square. 

• THE SHOW AT THE COVE

  • • Exhibition of en plein air paintings created during the past year. 

    • REQUIRED:  Submitting a dry, framed and wired, ready to hang painting for The Show at The COVE on October 3 & 4 is REQUIRED. 

      • • Gallery Wrap and Cradle Board at least 1" thick are acceptable without a frame but must be wired and ready to hang.

    • These pieces must be dry and painted en plein air within the last year from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025. 

    • You may submit up to 2 framed, gallery wrapped, or cradle board pieces  

    • The show will be hung on Wednesday, October 2, 2024. You will deliver your painting to the COVE at the appointed time. (TBA)

    • These paintings will be judged and vie for the 'Award of Excellence', the 'Award of Distinction', 'People's Choice', and 'Artists' Choice' cash awards. 

• Nocturne Tournament

  • • There is no size limit for the Nocturne paintings.

    • Participating artists must get their substrate stamped during the allotted time on Friday evening. (6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.)

    • Nocturne painters may create their night painting anytime from sunset to sunrise.

    • Nocturne painters will paint at the location of their choice. Using the buddy system is suggested. Painting from your car is acceptable. Be safe.

    • Artists must frame their Nocturne paintings, ready to hang and submit to the Wet Wall.

      • • Gallery Wrap and Cradle Board at least 1" thick are acceptable without a frame but must be wired and ready to hang.

    • Artists will submit their Nocturne paintings at Check-In on Saturday morning from 7:30 a.m. until 10:00 a.m.

• EXHIBITION ON EASELS

  • • There is no size limit for the Exhibition on Easels paintings.

    • The Artist must submit only one painting for the Exhibition on Easels.

    • If Artist paints more than one painting during the competition, the Artist must choose only one to show in the Exhibition on Easels. 

      • • EXTRAS

          • • Artists may submit Extra paintings created during the competition to the Extras table for show and sale.

            • Extra paintings will vie for the Artists' Choice and People's Choice awards.

    • Artists must display their competition painting on their easel in raw form as it was painted for the Exhibition on Easels. 

    • No matting or framing allowed for the Exhibition on Easels.

    • It is okay to leave the paint on your palette as part of your display for the Exhibition on Easels.

SIZE RESTRICTIONS:                                   

• There are no size restrictions for the Exhibition on Easels competition or the Nocturne Tournament.  Artists may paint on any size surface for these competitions.

• The Show at the Cove does not have size restrictions but the paintings must be done en plein air. Please keep in mind that space is limited at The Cove.

Equipment                                   

Artists must provide their own plein air painting equipment and supplies. If working on a table, artist must have a table easel or prop to display work for the Exhibition on Easels.

WATER                                   

Water will be available at The COVE. The Artists may pick up chilled bottled water at The COVE any time during the competition. Water will not be delivered to the Artists. 

Water is also available at the public drinking fountains at MPAC. Water and other beverages are for sale at local restaurants. 

MEDIA:                                   

Artists may work in any medium, including but not limited to: oil media (traditional and water-mixable, oil pastels); wet media (acrylic, watercolor, gouache, etc.); and dry media (pastel, charcoal, conte, graphite, colored pencil, etc.); and mixed media. 

SUBJECT MATTER                                   

The Artists will choose to paint at these locations: Historic Downtown McKinney including nearby Finch Park, Mitchell Park, the historic residential neighborhoods and the East Side Development area with the grain elevators and the new Tupps Brewery.  

Artists may paint any subject that they choose in the Historic Downtown McKinney area.  This can include but is not limited to the historic buildings, houses, trees, landscapes, animals, grain elevators, water tower, parks, flowers, people, cars, benches, statues, etc. 

EVENT EXHIBITION                                   

“Exhibition on Easels” Show and Sale 

• Each painting must must have McKinney En Plein Air stamped on the back during the Check-In hours of the competition to be eligible for judging.

• Each artist will choose their one (1) best painting for the "Exhibition on Easels". 

• If an artist completes more than one painting during the competition, the artist may display the extra paintings on the "Extras" table.

• Between 3:00 p.m and 3:30 p.m., artists will set their easels up at The COVE to display their work for judging, public viewing, and sales. Artwork that is late will be displayed and available for sale, but will be disqualified from the judging. 

• Any and all sales transactions will be completed by the artist. MPAS does not take a commission on art sales. 

• At 6:00 p.m., or after the Awards Ceremony - whichever comes first, all art and equipment will be retrieved by its owner and the Artists may go home.

EXHIBITION DETAILS                                  

The Show at The COVE

REQUIRED:  Each Artist is required to submit up to 2 paintings which were painted en plein air within the last year from October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2024. These paintings must be dry and framed, ready to hang. Gallery wrapped and cradle board surfaces at least 1" thick are acceptable without framing.

SIZE:  There are no size restrictions for the work submitted to The Show at The COVE.

AWARDS:  The submitted paintings will be considered for the 'Award of Excellence', the 'Award of Distinction', 'People's Choice', and 'Artists' Choice' cash awards. 

SELLING: Sales transactions will be completed by the Artist. Buyers will not be allowed to take possession of the art until after the Awards Ceremony on Saturday evening.

Nocturne Tournament 

OPTIONAL: The Nocturne contest is optional for the MEPA 2024 artists. Substrates will be stamped during the allotted time before the contest. Participating artists will paint at the location of their choice in this untimed, nighttime contest on their own, anytime from sundown to sunup. Using the buddy system is suggested.  Painting from your car is acceptable. Be safe. Gallery wrapped and cradle board surfaces at least 1" thick are acceptable without framing.

SIZE:  There are no size restrictions for the Nocturne paintings.

AWARDS:  The submitted paintings will be considered for the 'Number One Nocturne' award, as well as the 'People's Choice' and 'Artists' Choice' awards. 

SELLING:  Sales transactions will be completed by the Artist. Buyers will not be allowed to take possession of the art until after the Awards Ceremony on Saturday evening.

Exhibition on Easels - Participants’ en plein air competition paintings 

REQUIRED:  The “Exhibition on Easels” is the main component of the McKinney En Plein Air 2024 Exhibition. Each Artist will submit one painting for the "Exhibition on Easels". Any extra paintings the Artist completes during the competition will be displayed on the "Extras" table.

The work must be painted during the competition for the exhibition, judging, and show. The art for the "Exhibition on Easels" should be secured to the easel for the show. No frames or mats are allowed. The art must have McKinney En Plein Air stamped on the back to be eligible.

Judging will begin promptly at 4:00 p.m. Late artwork will be allowed to show and be available for sale, but will be disqualified from the awards. 

SIZE:  There are no size restrictions for the competition paintings.

AWARDS:  The submitted paintings will be considered for the 'Spirit of En Plein Air Grand Prize', the 'Beth Mortenson Memorial Award', the 'Frank Reaugh Legacy Award', 'People's Choice', and 'Artists' Choice' cash awards. 

There will also be an award for the Judge's choice of the 'Outstanding Equipment'.

The best en plein air adventure story will be awarded by founder's choice the 'Perils of Plein Air' prize.

SELLING:  Sales transactions will be completed by the Artist. The Artist may wish to make framing arrangements for the artwork with the buyer at the time of the sale. Buyers will not be allowed to take possession of the art until after the Awards Ceremony on Saturday evening.

Extra Competition Paintings 

OPTIONAL:  Artists may display as many extra paintings as they are able to complete during the competition on the "Extras" table. It is preferred that each artist select one painting for the Exhibition on Easels and the other paintings will go to the "Extras" table. The art must have McKinney En Plein Air stamped on the back to be eligible.

SIZE:  There are no size restrictions for the competition paintings

AWARDS:  The "Extras" table artwork will NOT be judged, but may be offered for sale and will also be considered for the 'Artists' Choice' and 'People's Choice' awards. 

SELLING:  Sales transactions will be completed by the Artist. The Artist may wish to make framing arrangements for the artwork with the buyer at the time of the sale. Buyers will not be allowed to take possession of the art until after the Awards Ceremony on Saturday evening.

SALES:                                   

All sales transactions are handled by the artist. No commission fees are charged by MPAS. The buyer must wait to take possession of the purchased artwork until after the awards ceremony on Saturday evening.

END OF EVENT:                                   

At the end of the event, the Artists will complete any sales transactions and lbuyers may take possession of their purchases. The Artists will load up their artwork and equipment. Artists may leave after they have collected their equipment and all unsold paintings.

EVENT HOSTS:                                   

McKinney Plein Air Society mckinneypleinair.com

Arts and Music Guild   https://www.artsandmusicguild.org

EVENT POINT OF CONTACT:                                   

Pernie Fallon  npleinr@gmail.com                      

EVENT SPONSORS: 

McKinney Plein Air Society (MPAS) is a program of Arts and Music Guild, a 501c3 non-profit organization.

Major sponsors of the Arts and Music Guild include Integrated Environmental Solutions, Jump Into Art Studios, Atlantis Financial Group, H-E-B, The Cotton Mill, The Wells Group, and The Art Village.

REGISTER NOW!

MPAS members - $28   

Non-Members - $45