More than 40,000 people are following artist Lori McNee on Twitter, and many more are reading her blogs and articles on a variety of internet sites. That’s why she has become one of the most reliable sources of information for artists. One of her recent posts describes a new site for sharing interests among internet users.
Many of the national parks invite artists to be in residence, trading accommodations, working space and an exhibition for public programs offered free of charge to park visitors. Plein air painter Ron Spears will be the artist in residence at Zion National Park from May 7th through May 18th.
Writer Bob Bahr and I visited the Montclair Art Museum in New Jersey this past week to see an exhibition of paintings by George Inness (1825-1894) who is sometimes called the “Father of American Landscape Painting.” Standing within inches of the canvases gave us fresh insight into the ways oil paint can be manipulated to create light, atmosphere, mystery, and spirituality.
The Newington-Cropsey Foundation in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York is dedicated to preserving and displaying the home and artwork of Jasper F. Cropsey, much of which was created on location. However, the foundation also provides educational programs dedicated to advancing and promoting the values inherent in the 19th works of Hudson River School painters like Cropsey.
Karl Terry recently send us a photograph of a bird resting on his easel who continued to watch Terry paint for hours. Then a few days later, Roy Connelly send a photograph of a woodpecker eating away at his easel while he was painting. Finally we began to wonder if birds in the United Kingdom have something against plein air painters when Antony Bridge sent a photograph of a bird taking off with his paint brush.