Accomplished painter and distinguished museum director Ian McKibbin White will give a keynote address and judge the art entries at the second annual Yellowstone Plein Air Invitational. The park’s premier art event — set to run from Sept. 24-29 — will celebrate the current and historical presence of art in Yellowstone. Sixteen of the nation’s best artists will paint “en plein air” (outside, on-site) throughout the park.

Park visitors will have the opportunity to attend daily painting demonstrations throughout the park and a paint-out that gathers all artists to paint at Madison Junction on Saturday, Sept. 28.

“When artists are exposed to nature with all their senses attuned in a place that has been preserved for its spectacular beauty it is, indeed, an exhilarating experience,” said White. “Confronted by nature out of doors with shifting light requires a plein air artist to capture the essence of what is being painted. A successful result is usually a field study devoid of superfluous details.”

White will judge the paintings created throughout the week and give the keynote address at a ticketed event at Old Faithful on the evening of Saturday, Sept. 28, during which he will discuss the role of art and artists in the preservation of public lands.

“Artists have historically been influential and remain actively involved today in the acquisition and conservation of extraordinarily beautiful, rare and precious wild lands like Yellowstone National Park,” said White. “Works of art can raise people’s awareness of these endeavors. Such visual images send a strong signal to those who would threaten or destroy these treasured preserves.”

John Walda, president and CEO of Yellowstone Forever, the official nonprofit partner of Yellowstone and the host of the event, said the group is “thrilled” White is playing such a significant role in this year’s Yellowstone Plein Air Invitational.

“The insight he draws from his experience as both a museum director and a remarkable painter and observer of the natural world will truly enrich this event,” Walda said.

McKibbin White is a realist painter who works in the field and in his studio in Maine. Born in Hawaii, White spent his early years in California and moved east to college. He has painted since childhood and studied oil painting from the fourth grade through high school. At Harvard he studied architecture followed by industrial design at UCLA.

His career in museums included graphic design and exhibition design, initially at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and then the Brooklyn Museum, where he created a new kind of sculpture garden. An invitation followed to design the Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum at Bowdoin College before he served as director of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco for 20 years.

During the week, White will also conduct two signings of his book, “The Creative Impulse: Art of Ian McKibbin White,” which contains color reproductions of the artist’s works as well as some of his writings.

On Saturday evening, a cocktail reception, gourmet dinner, exhibition and art auction will be held at Old Faithful Lodge Recreation Hall. During this ticketed event, studio paintings from each artist will be exhibited alongside a selection of the artists’ plein air “wet paintings” produced during the week. On the final day, Sept. 29, the art exhibition and sale will be open to the public.

A portion of proceeds from the event will benefit Yellowstone National Park priority projects and education initiatives.

Visit www.Yellowstone.org/plein-air for more information.