Artists paint Gulf State Park in inaugural Venture Out plein air event

Fifteen invited artists spent four days painting live at Gulf State Park in May during the inaugural Venture Out celebration on Alabama’s coast. The event ended with a public exhibition of more than 65 works and organizers are already discussing a return in 2027.

Why it matters: - The inaugural event put Gulf State Park and the Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail in front of artists and visitors as a destination for outdoor recreation and landscape art. - The weekend combined tourism, trail promotion and a public art exhibition in one family-friendly program on Alabama’s coast. - Organizers said the response points to the event becoming an annual draw for the park and the surrounding communities.

What happened: - The four-day Venture Out Plein Air Painting event ran May 14-17, 2026, at Gulf State Park in Orange Beach, Alabama. - The plein air event was part of the inaugural “Venture Out – A Celebration of the Back Country Trail.” - Fifteen invited artists from across the Gulf Coast painted outdoors at locations throughout the park and along the trail. - The Friends of the Arts - Orange Beach served as the signature sponsor. - A one-day Venture Out Plein Air Art Exhibition took place Sunday, May 17, at The Lodge at Gulf State Park. - More than 65 paintings were on display at the exhibition.

The details: - Artists were encouraged to capture the park’s landscapes, water views and wildlife. - Fran Gentile of Fairhope, Alabama, painted marshes, lakes and beach scenes during her first visit to the park as a painter. - Gentile said the park’s changing colors and environmental nuances stood out to her. - Susan Knowlton traveled from Gulf Breeze, Florida, for the event. - Knowlton stayed in one of the park’s lakeside cabins and said the park offered many places to paint. - Event director Kristin Pierre, who lives in Gulf Shores, said participants were enthusiastic and asked whether the event would return annually. - Pierre said the organizers were pleased with the outcome and grateful for the Friends of the Arts of Orange Beach. - The larger Venture Out festival featured outdoor-focused activities, workshops and tours across the park’s 6,100 acres and along the Backcountry Trail. - The event was a collaboration between Gulf State Park, the City of Orange Beach, the Learning Campus at Gulf State Park, the Gulf Coast Eco-Center and other businesses and exhibitors. - The Hugh S. Branyon Back Country Trail runs through both Orange Beach and Gulf Shores. - USA Today’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards named the trail “Best Recreational Trail” two years in a row.

Between the lines: - The event gave artists a built-in audience while also giving park visitors a live look at the creative process. - Pairing a plein air showcase with trail programming helped broaden the event beyond the art community. - The mix of cabins, workshops, tours and outdoor painting suggests organizers are trying to make the festival a multi-day destination experience, not just a single exhibition.

What’s next: - Organizers said they are discussing a May 2027 date for the next event. - Pierre said the goal is to invite even more artists and highlight the scenery of the trails and the Alabama Gulf Coast. - A social media page for the event is available at Venture Out Plein Air.

The bottom line: - The inaugural Venture Out plein air event turned Gulf State Park into both an art studio and a tourism showcase, and the early response suggests it may become a repeat spring attraction.