Photo credits: Susan Baldwin
By Peter Lyons Hall
GREENWOOD LAKE, N.Y. – Fifteen artists had just two hours to paint the Village of Greenwood Lake on Saturday, October 10, 2026 while they competed in the Quick Draw at the Hudson Valley Plein Air Festival (HVPAF), presented by the Wallkill River Center for the Arts (WRCA).
From 10 a.m. to noon, artists set up easels around the village and raced the clock to finish a work. Three painted at the Thomas P. Morahan Waterfront Park. Eleven set up around the Lakeside Farmers Market, and one painted across the street from it. Shoppers and visitors watched the scenes come together between the market stalls and along the lakefront.
At noon, the finished paintings were gathered at Winstanley Park at the Lakeside Farmers Market. A panel of on-site jurors reviewed the work and selected three winners. The jurors were art student, Claire Bialas, daughter of Jeff Bialas of J&A Farms; Warwick sculpture artist, Nicole Hixon; and Peter Lyons Hall, Lakeside Farmers Market board member. Prizes and recognition awards were presented at the close of the event to:
- First place: Sarah Baskin
- Second place: Nancy Wooden
- Third place: Susan Leis Hostetler
“The market is more than a place to buy vegetables,” said Market Manager, Karen Wintrow. “It’s where neighbors experience ideas, entertainment, and community activities. Watching artists capture it in two hours puts Greenwood Lake in front of new eyes and shows what makes our village special.”
The Quick Draw is part of the 10th annual HVPAF, which ran October 7–11 and celebrates America’s 250th anniversary. Thirty invited artists painted at historic and scenic sites across the region. Besides Greenwood Lake, they included the Hill-Hold & Brick House Museums, Brotherhood Winery, Goshen Historic Track, City Winery, and West Point.
“As our nation acknowledges its 250th anniversary, we believe it is essential to shed light on our iconic historic neighbors and highlight the Hudson Valley’s rich heritage,” said artist and event chair Susan Baldwin.
About the Lakeside Farmers Market
The Lakeside Farmers Market, open each Saturday (now through Oct 31, 2026) from 9AM-1PM at Winstanley Park on Windermere Ave., Greenwood Lake, NY, offers consumers a wide variety of locally produced produce, prepared foods, and artisan crafts. For more information, click on https://www.growlocalgreenwoodlake.org/lakeside-farmers-market
About the Wallkill River Center for the Arts
The Wallkill River Center for the Arts, based in Montgomery, N.Y., offers gallery exhibitions, classes, music, and community events. It presents the Hudson Valley Plein Air Festival each fall. https://wallkill.art/event/hudson-valley-plein-air-festival-2026-exhibit-at-wrca/. The next event for the group is its HVPAF 2026 Exhibition: October 11 – November 8 at the WRCA galleries. Gallery hours are Friday–Sunday, 12–5 p.m. More information is at wallkill.art or 845-457-ARTS.
