Oregon artist Thomas Jefferson Kitts offered a wealth of good advice when he was interviewed for an article by Bob Bahr on marketing plein air paintings that will be included in the April/May issue of PleinAir. We decided to included more of his helpful comments in this issue of the PleinAir Today e-Newsletter. Kitts will be a valuable demonstrator during the  Red Rock National Conservation Area during the 1st Annual PleinAir Convention & Expo.

When Scott Gellatly paints in the Red Rock National Conservation Area during the 1st Annual PleinAir Convention & Expo, he will offer the benefits of his experience as both an accomplished painter and an expert on artists materials. That’s because in addition to being an exhibiting artist he is a Product Manager for Gamblin Artists Colors, a Bronze Level Sponsor and maker of the Official Oil Paint of the convention.

When Michael Chesley Johnson paints outdoors, he spends about as much time working in pastel as he does in oil and that often prompts students to ask how he decides which medium to use.  “I don't find that a particular subject matter is more appropriately handled in one medium or another,” he says in response. Johnson will be discussing those aspects of his extraordinary artwork and more during his presentation at the 1st Annual PleinAir Convention & Expo from April 12-15, 2012.

The presentation Thomas Jefferson Kitts makes in Red Rock National Conservation Area during the 1st PleinAir Convention & Expo will cover a remarkably wide range of materials and techniques. That’s because the Oregon artist is amazingly knowledgeable and has won major awards in plein air competition, and because he teaches comprehensive workshops on both outdoor painting and studio practices.

We have been reporting on plein air artists who are inspired by desert scenes as a way of informing artists who will be painting such landscapes at the Red Rock National Conservation Area during the First Annual PleinAir Convention & Expo from April 12-15, 2012 (www.pleinairconvention.com). This week, Elaine Mathews explains how she captures the beauty of the desert near her home in Palm Springs, California.

As we consider how to paint the Red Rock National Conservation Area during the 1st Annual PleinAir Convention & Expo next April, Kevin McCain of Mesa, Arizona offers the advice of someone who frequently paints desert landscapes.

We are excited to announce that a number of internationally known plein air painters have already agreed to be instructors and demonstrators during the 1st Annual PleinAir Convention & Expo taking place April 12-15, 2012 at the Red Rock National Conservation Area and the Red Rock Casino, Resort & Spa in Las Vegas, Nevada. Our special guest will be Richard Ormond, grandnephew of John Singer Sargent and the author of most of the great books on Sargent.

Continuing our series of discussions on painting desert landscapes, Californian James Draughon describes his experiences in a way that might stimulate ideas of how you will paint the Red Rock National Conservation Area during the 1st Annual PleinAir Convention & Expo next April 12-15 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

We begin an informative series of articles on artists who paint desert landscape that will inspire your paintings of the Red Rock National Conservation Area during the 1st Annual PleinAir Convention & Expo from April 12-15, 2012. For this edition of the newsletter, we asked Eric Merrell to describe the ways he uses compositional sketches to establish plans for painting desert scenes.