Forrest Dickison was announced first place winner of the Palouse Plein Air competition on Friday. His artwork will be on display alongside all other participants’ and staff award recipients’ work from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Third Street Gallery in Moscow.

Patrons can vote for their favorite work at the gallery, and the People’s Choice award will be announced in October.

Dickison, who said he has been painting seriously for four years and drawing his entire life, works as an illustrator for children’s books including Starbuck’s iTunes pick of the week “Hello Ninja.”

“Plein Air is kind of for myself,” Dickison said. “I like being outside, and I like painting so combining them is awesome.”

Dickison has painted in the Plein Air event several years before and has lived in Pullman his whole life. His winning work this year was a 5 inch by 7 inch oil painting on linen.

Although one first-time participant, Sharon Macy, has lived in Moscow for 25 years, she hadn’t entered any art competitions before.

“Painting outside in a water medium, you have to work quicker, the paint dries, bugs fall into it,” Macy said. “There’s those challenges.”

She said she works as an interior designer but paints any chance she gets and is obsessed with it.

“I thought it would stretch me as an artist,” Macy said. “I’m fairly new to watercolor medium.”

 Reporting by Addy Forte