Lopez Island, Washington artist, Steven R. Hill was honored to receive one of the top purchase prizes ($1,600) in the Fifth Annual Zion National Park Plein Air Painting Invitational on Nov. 8 for his painting “Virgin River Guardian” which was done en plein air at Zion National Park.

The week-long event “In the Footsteps of Thomas Moran” featured 24 nationally recognized artists, invited to participate from around the U.S., with a special awards ceremony on Nov. 8.

Over $140,000 in painting sales were made in just two days, with 40 percent going to support various park programs at Zion.