The community’s iconic creative event — Sedona Plein Air Festival — returns for a weeklong celebration of landscapes, artists, workshops and free events Saturday through Saturday, Oct. 15 to 22.

Sedona Arts Center is inviting everyone to get creative and experience over two dozen master painters in action — making their art on location from L’Auberge de Sedona to Uptown to Seven Canyons. Celebrate creativity and enjoy receptions, exhibitions, lectures and opportunities to collect your next masterpiece at Sedona Plein Air Festival.

The opening reception — free and open to all — is Oct. 15, at 7 p.m. at the Arts Center. The invited festival artists bring and show paintings created in their own landscapes across the country.

The Main Street Paint Out will take place on the last day of the festival, Oct. 22, from 10 a.m. to noon.

Most events are free, so come along, meet some of America’s great artists and celebrate their diversity, style and new Sedona inspirations.

Sedona Plein Air Festival is presented by Sedona Arts Center, and is made possible by generous support from city of Sedona, Kling Family Foundation, Arizona Commission on the Arts, SAC members and volunteers.

This year’s festival artists are Joshua Been, Shonto Begay, Michelle Byrne, Libby Caldwell, Betty Carr, Gene Costanza, Valerie Craig, Bill Cramer, Carl Dalio, Martin Dimitrov, Tracey Frugoli, Bruce Gomez, Syri Hall, Claudia Hartley, J. Brad Holt, Charlie Hunter, Michael Chesley Johnson, Gretchen Lopez, James McGrew, Kathie Odom, Rachel Pettit, Patrick Saunders, Loriann Signori, John Slivjak, Matt Sterbenz, Williamson Tapia, Melanie Thompson, Robin Weiss, Lanie Widmar and Jim Wodark.

The 2016 Sedona Plein Air Festival schedule opens with a wine reception Oct. 15, in the historic Art Barn at Sedona Arts Center. This opening reception is in honor of the invited artists. View their work, learn more about their creative process and add some wonderful pictures to your collection.

Artists will be painting from Sunday through Saturday, Oct. 16 to 21, at various locations in Sedona. Find plein air painting in action, as the invited artists spread out around town and create new works inspired by local landscapes and vistas. Fresh Sedona works can then be viewed in the Arts Center’s Special Exhibitions Gallery and Theatre Studio. Check the schedule for individual artist demonstrations, mini workshops, paint outs and creative excursions.

On Oct. 16, from 10 a.m. to noon, enjoy Gamblin Artists Colors: The Plein Air Palette at the Arts Center. This free presentation on color space, pigment history and color palettes sponsored by Gamblin Artists Colors. The session includes an afternoon plein air workshop taught by Scott Gellatly, artist and product manager for Gamblin. Tap into his knowledge of technical issues and expertise in oil colors and palettes.

Always a favorite of the festival, the Creekside Paint Out returns to L’Auberge de Sedona, Oct. 19, from 10 a.m. to noon. The public is invited to watch artists as they depict the singular scenery. The location includes still and moving water, reflections, sycamores and ducks and stunning settings along Oak Creek. At noon, awards will be presented to the artists, and the works created at the event will be available for sale immediately following. Park in the Arts Center lot and take the free Red Rock Trolley from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Also on Oct. 19, at 7 p.m., keynote speaker Lori Putnam will discuss What’s Life Got to do With It? Come to the Arts Center’s Art Barn for this free and open-to-the-public speech. Her presentation includes digital images and talk about her growth and development as a plein air painter — from obscurity to a national reputation and her individual style. Recognized for her expressive brushwork, intelligent composition and superb use of color, the Nashville native paints small- to medium-sized works en plein air and creates large paintings in her studio. She  now travels extensively to paint, teach and share her work around the world. A wine reception will follow her talk.

The public is invited to Seven Canyons Resort — a new Plein Air Festival sponsor — Oct. 20, from 1 to 4 p.m. to watch artists paint the afternoon and evening light as it carves its way through majestic red rock profiles. Surrounded by protected national forest land, Seven Canyons is a local scenic treasure that spans 200 acres. Artists will explore panoramic vistas from the clubhouse, water features on the golf course and views from Rachel’s Knoll. An awards ceremony and wine reception will follow at 4 p.m. on the event lawn.

Don’t miss the final award night and visiting artist reception on October 21, from 5 to 8 p.m. in the Historic Art Barn. It will be the big event the artists will have been waiting for. Fine wine, hors d’oeuvre and fine art will be featured at the plein air party and awards presentation. Festival awards will be presented throughout the evening, recognizing the most impressive work created during the week — including Best of Show and merit awards by festival judge Putnam, Artist’s Choice Award, Collectors Choice by ballot and Sedona Arts Center Awards.

The last hurrah — the Main Street Paint Out — will be held Oct. 22 from 10 a.m. to noon. Held in collaboration with the Main Street Sedona Program, this is one of the festival’s most popular events. Don’t miss the final opportunity to become acquainted with the artists and observe them in action in Uptown on State Route 89A from the Arts Center to Pink Jeep Café.