Plein Air Blog

Plein Air Classes at WWM 2010

2010-06-15T11:07:00Z

American Artist’s Weekend With the Masters Workshop & Conference will be arriving on the sunny shores of Southern California this September 22-26, in our second-annual presentation of this four-day event. Workshops, demos, lectures, panel discussions, and evening events from more than 25 instructors will be held at the Laguna Cliffs Resort & Spa, and plein air classes will take place either at nearby beach locations or on the grounds of the resort itself.

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Landscape Gems in Christie's Auction

2010-05-19T16:30:00Z

For all you landscape painters, collectors, and connoisseurs out there who happen to have a half million or more lying around, I wanted to tell you about some of the amazing landscape work for sale in the “Important American Paintings, Drawings and Sculptures” auction opening today at Christie’s, in New York City.

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What Every Artist Can Learn From Plein Air Painting

2010-05-10T04:30:00Z

After several months of hiatus, the Plein Air blog is back! Our new Artist Daily editor, Courtney Jordan, and I have worked out a biweekly schedule to get the Plein Air blog back on track, and I’m excited to resume coverage of the artists, events, exhibitions, tools and tips, and conservation issues that matter most to you as painters and interpreters of nature.

I don’t think it would be a stretch to say that plein air painting is something artists of all styles, subject matter, and strengths can enjoy. Throughout history numerous landscape approaches have emerged either in tandem with or in opposition to the stylistic movements that were being pioneered indoors by figure, portrait, or still life painters. Whether those plein air paintings were used as preparatory sketches for larger studio pieces or considered finished works in their own right, working outdoors from nature at some point in the process was, and continues to be, of supreme importance to a great many landscape painters.

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Reflections on a Pond Exhibition at the Salmagundi Club

2010-01-21T13:00:00Z

8.4.00, 7:45 p.m. by Kevin Macpherson, 2000, oil, 6 x 8. Collection the artist. Internationally celebrated landscape painter Kevin Macpherson’s Reflections on a Pond series—which debuted at the Pasadena Museum of California Art—will be on display in New York City at the historic Salmagundi Club from February 15 through 26. There are several exciting educational events complementing the exhibition, including a painting demonstration, a weekend workshop, and a conversation with Macpherson...(read more)

En Plein Air: Holiday Exhibitions & Shows

2009-12-03T13:00:00Z

‘Tis the time of the year when galleries across the country host their annual holiday exhibitions, giving artists, dealers, and collectors the opportunity to gather around great art and share some Christmas cheer. Whether these shows are organized around a winter theme; feature small, more affordable works for collectors looking to make one last end-of-year investment or gift purchase; or just provide a chance for galleries to showcase their top inventory as well as the work of special invited...(read more)

En Plein Air: One of the First Filmed Plein Air Painters

2009-11-05T13:00:00Z

Although revered for his portrait work and known for being an artistic rival of his contemporary John Singer Sargent, Philip de László also painted landscapes, and one of the first known film documentations of an artist painting en plein air depicts him. That film clip of the artist painting the bronze horses on the façade of St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice is presented here, along with his finished plein air work.

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Showcase Your State: North Carolina Finalists!

2009-10-30T13:00:00Z

The American Artist editors have reviewed the submissions for the Showcase Your State: North Carolina contest, and below are the four chosen finalists. Whether it was expansive views of the Blue Ridge Mountains as seen from the Highlands; still, serene marshlands at sunset; open, sunny fields filled with bales of hay; or coastal scenes featuring tugboats and bridges, the entries we received testify to the varying landscapes throughout the state—all visually inspiring and beautifully unique...(read more)

En Plein Air: The Physics of the Sky

2009-10-22T21:00:00Z

Yesterday, as the articles from the upcoming winter issue of Workshop magazine circulated around the editors’ desks, I was struck by how many high-quality artists are featured in this issue and what valuable advice they offer readers through their teaching. I was especially taken with the landscape artists (I always have my plein air eyes peeled for you guys!) featured in the magazine, including Ben Fenske, Don Demers, Curt Walters, Junn Roca, and John Cogan. I’d like to paste the whole...(read more)

En Plein Air: A Conversation With Jacob Collins

2009-10-08T17:25:00Z

Known primarily for his figurative work and for leading a resurgence in classical art education through his Water Street Atelier and the Grand Central Academy of Art, in New York City, Jacob Collins is now the founder of the Hudson River Fellowship , where he aims to reconnect contemporary plein air painters with the traditions of the first American school of landscape painting. Autumn Landscape 1998, oil, 32 x 60. Private collection. American Artist : You are best known in the art world for your...(read more)

En Plein Air at Weekend With the Masters

2009-10-01T12:00:00Z

Weekend With the Masters recently concluded in Colorado Springs, and I thought I’d share some of the photographs from the plein air portion of the event with you here. Enjoy!

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Plein Air Exhibition on Balboa Island

2009-08-20T09:00:00Z

The artwork of nationally recognized plein air painters Greg LaRock, Jeff Sewell, Carolyn Hesse-Low, Jeff Yeomans, and JoAnn Royal will be the subject of a celebratory exhibition at Rainey Fine Art, in Newport Beach, California. The gallery is commemorating its first anniversary by featuring the works of the same plein air artists who helped opened its doors a year prior in the landmark “Bubbles” building on Balboa Island.

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Plein Air Painting to Help Special-Needs Teens

2009-08-06T11:00:00Z

Nancy Bea Miller, a painter and mother of three, has organized a plein air paint-out to benefit the Camphill Special School’s Transition Program for teens and youths with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The paint out will be followed by an exhibition of the artists’ work at The Rosenfeld Gallery, in Old City, Philadelphia, beginning November 3.

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En Plein Air: Prepatory Sketch, Or Finished Work?

2009-07-30T11:00:00Z

I recently returned from a trip to Colorado, and while on that trip I got into quite the (heated) debate with two figure painters who claimed that plein air painters who sell their on-site sketches are bringing down the overall value of art. What’s your opinion? Is plein air painting a means to an end—in other words, just the information-gathering stage to accurately capture the light, color, and shapes of a scene before turning that subject into a larger studio work—or can plein air paintings stand on their own as finished, collectable pieces of art?

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En Plein Air: The Golden Hour

2009-07-23T11:00:00Z

Photographers have coined the term “The Golden Hour” to explain the ideal lighting situation that takes place during the first and last hours of light each day. Plein air painters have an equal admiration for this time of day and find the quality and character of light to be well worth the challenges of trying to quickly capture it on canvas. Here is an overview of the scientific explanation of what is happening during the Golden Hour and some tips for painting it.

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En Plein Air: Paint-Out in Central Park

2009-07-16T11:00:00Z

Kevin Macpherson, Kenn Backhaus, Joe Anna Arnett, and James Asher—four professional artists who are featured in the PBS series Passport & Palette—will convene in Central Park this Saturday, July 18, for a plein air paint-out. This event is free and open to the public, so be sure to join this talented group as they paint some of the historic sculptures and sites of New York City’s famed park.

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