Watercolor artist Mo Myra says painting en plein air is her joy. When she’s not painting outdoors, she’s working as a full-time commissioned live wedding painter and watercolor instructor for various institutions such as the West Hartford Art League. Her work has won awards in multiple juried competitions (including the PleinAir Salon, now known as The Salon Art Prize), and has been shown nationally.
Mo graduated Magna Cum Laude from the Hartford Art School and furthered her exploration of painting and education during a residency at the Farmington Valley Arts Center in 2018.
“As a plein air painter, I work hard to make my watercolors feel like they have an essence of the place that they were painted,” she says, “and I’m grateful that many of these pieces have found homes with collectors locally and worldwide.”
Q&A With Mo Myra on Plein Air Painting & More
Why I paint outside: Growing up, I loved both painting and the outdoors, so plein air was a natural fit. It’s busy — bug bites, shifting light, constant focus — which forces me to be present in the moment. That immediacy is the best way I know to truly experience a place.
What catches my eye: I often explore a new area by running through it first so I can see what grabs my attention. More than anything, I’m drawn in by the “feel” of a spot; some places just have a story to tell — and I can’t resist sharing it.
Aha moment: I used to think speed was everything. My breakthrough came when I realized it’s okay to slow down, to really understand what’s in front of me and how I feel about it. If I run out of time, that’s fine — I can always return to the same spot on another day.
Epic plein air fail: Once, while scouting subjects in Maine with my dog, I got so excited at the sight of cows just hanging out by the side of the road I immediately pulled over and started painting. I spent a couple of hours drawing and laying in a few washes — completely in the zone — when I looked up to see all the cows had vanished! I packed up and returned to my car, where I discovered I’d left my windows open and it had filled with flies. I kept finding their carcasses for weeks!
Biggest influences: I admire Wyeth and Sargent, but two contemporary artists really shaped me: Tyler Berry and Mario Robinson. I’m still reminded of lessons I learned in their workshops when I’m out painting today.
What I want viewers to feel: The same thing I feel when I’m out-doors painting — peace.
Advice I wish I’d had earlier: Take workshops with artists you admire and never stop learning. Always aim to get better.
Plan B career: I often daydream about being a farmer. I know I have an idealized vision of what that actually means, but I love hard work that makes you feel exhausted, but satisfied, at the end of the day.
What’s next: This spring I am staying busy painting weddings but I am also looking forward to a summer full of plein air and joining the faculty for Plein Air Live this Fall 2026.
Price range: From $450 for a 5 x 7-inch plein air painting, increasing with size
Representation: Susan Powell Fine Art, Madison, CT; Abend Gallery, Denver, CO
Website: momyra.com
Instagram: @mo.myra.art
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Story prepared for the web by Cherie Dawn Haas, Editor of Plein Air Today
