Artist Profiles

Learn about what projects your fellow plein artists are up to, see online galleries of their landscape paintings, and more in these profiles!

How to paint landscapes

What’s Your Mother Color?

A Q&A with Bob Rohm on the process of landscape painting, including his use of a "mother color."
frames for artists

A Day in the Life of … Jill Stefani Wagner

Today we're going on a tour with Jill Stefani Wagner, who takes us through a typical - and inspiring - day of being a professional artist.

Fleeting Moments: Plein Air Watercolor

Working quickly and directly, Joseph Zbukvic exploits all the qualities that make plein air painting with watercolor so unique.
Painting landscapes en plein air

Vantage Points: Part 1

There is something elemental and powerful about responding directly to nature. Ken Knight shares his approach to plein air painting.
Women artists - Brienne Brown captures a scene in watercolor.

Women Artists: From Competition to Compensation, and Everything in Between

What does it mean to be a woman in plein air? Brienne Brown shares her experiences in this article excerpt from Plein Air Magazine (April/May 2020)
Amery Bohling, painting the Grand Canyon en plein air

Painting the Grand Canyon en Plein Air: An Interview with Amery Bohling

Amery Bohling explains the importance (and joys) of working from life, composing a scene, creating scale, and more.
Plein air art history

Colorado’s First Female Resident Artist

As a plein air painter, you are part of one of the largest art movements in history. Learn about one of the women who helped start this movement in some way, and be inspired to continue your own journey.
Female artist painting at an evening venue

Artist Spotlight: Nancie King Mertz

Master & Eminent Pastelist Nancie King Mertz finds that light and shadow are the elements that “take her breath.”
Woman painting outdoors in Red Rocks Park

Artist Spotlight: Jennifer Riefenberg

Artist Jennifer Riefenberg is constantly reaching beyond her own boundaries on the eternal road to improvement and understanding of art in all forms.
Plein air painting on a beach

A Day in the Life of Mark Shasha

American artist, author, and educator Mark Shasha shows that there's more to being an artist than you might think. 
Woman artist in front of a painting on an easel

Artist Spotlight: Carol Strock Wasson

For Carol Strock Wasson, painting outdoors became a way of life, and she learned successful painting is no accident — its years of learning, painting, and connections with other artists.
Plein air watercolor how-to

Not Idle in Winter: Stewart White and Plein Air Watercolor

On plein air watercolor > Baltimore painter and PleinAir Salon Grand Prize winner Stewart White tells us what he does in the winter to keep...
Female artist in her studio with easel and paintings on the walls

Artist Spotlight: Barbara Coleman

Barbara Coleman traces her fine art career back to a startling moment in Rome when she was ten and shares how she then developed her career.
Oil painting of a country road with a cloudy sky

Artist Spotlight: Lee MacLeod

Lee MacLeod started out in the art world as an illustrator working on movie posters, book covers and game art before turning his attention to fine art.

Salon Winner Discusses His Array of Tools

Mark Boedges brings years of work and a honed selection of equipment with him to paint outdoors. Like what?
Photo of a female artist painting on a bluff by the ocean

Artist Spotlight: Mary McIntosh

After retirement in the film industry as a Set Decorator for some 42 years on the west coast, Mary was able to return to her first love of drawing and painting.
Female artist standing in front of a large painting on an easel in her studio

Artist Spotlight: Kami Mendlik

In the beginning, artist Kami Mendlik didn’t think of painting as her career, she just knew she needed to paint.
Pastel painting of clouds over a mountain and desert landscape

Artist Spotlight: Nancy Silvia

For pastel artist Nancy Silvia, she doesn’t consider what she does a “career,” but her life’s journey.
Male artist painting outdoors near a body of water

Artist Spotlight: Robert Green

Robert Green is a painter of the Alaskan Adventure. The day after he retired, he launched his "retirement career" as an artist.
Plein air art history - Albert Edelfelt

Finding Plein Air Inspiration in Finland, 1800s

A look at our plein air heritage as we feature a Finnish artist who was originally best-known for his portraits of royalty.