Adventures in Painting Outdoors: The Granite Group
It seemed the closer we got to our destination, the worse it got, starting with cloudy skies and the sound of distant thunder, progressing to light rain, then a steady downpour punctuated with regular flashes of lightning and loud claps of thunder. Finally, within a quarter-mile or so of the campsite, it began to hail the size of gumballs...
Birthdays, Bucket Lists, and 25 Plein Air Painting Trip Tips
Milessa Murphy Stewart shares her experiences of painting in the snow for the first time. See why she describes her plein air painting trip as “exhilarating, captivating, and awe-inspiring,” and why you should start making plans to treat yourself to a similar trip.
Plein Air Surprises in Canada
Those who venture beyond the studio to paint outdoors know that surprises are often around the corner. For this group of adventurous artists, nature did not disappoint.
Painting the “Dwelling Place of the Gods”
Canadian artist and filmmaker Cory Trépanier has been exploring and painting Canada’s Arctic for over a decade. Experience the Arctic through his eyes in this preview of an upcoming exhibition (including captivating video footage from his adventures).
Sometimes You Have to Get Wet to Find Your Inspiration
If you are in search of the perfect plein air experience and that all-important inspired location to paint, sometimes you must be willing to leave the beaten path and get your feet wet!
Where in the World Is Plein Air?
Today, no matter where you are, you can watch dozens of outdoor painters bring their works to fruition.
30 Degrees Below Doesn’t Stop These Painters
Since 2010, painters have gathered at YMCA Camp Menogyn to paint the austere beauty of Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in the heart of winter.
Hiking to (and Painting) Sperry Chalet
Miles of hiking through the glaciers of Montana led Linda Tippetts to paint “Sperry Chalet,” which later suffered from the park fires of 2017. Read about her thrilling trek in this guest blog post.
Watch: Drone Films an Artist Painting Outdoors in Beautiful California
Plein air artist Donald Neff shows us in this video he created using a drone while painting along the beautiful California coast.
Plein Air in Provence
France — where beauty resides in every village and field — is a favorite destination for me. I love traveling there and painting from life the beauty I see. How did my recent trip go? Find out here...
The Painter from Ipanema
On a recent trip to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, my wife and I were walking along the sidewalk at Ipanema Beach when I noticed a group of plein air painters in the median strip between the different lane directions on the boulevard.
1 Year, 6 Women, 92 Miles
Six outdoor painters recently undertook an amazing project combining plein air and conservation surrounding the Santa Ynez River Watershed in Santa Barbara County, California. They call themselves “Rose-Compass,” and their work results will soon be on view here.
The Great American Eclipse — En Plein Air
Millions of Americans ventured outdoors on Monday, August 21, to witness the incredible total solar eclipse that swept across the nation from Oregon to South Carolina. Naturally, among them were plein air painters, eager to take advantage of this exceedingly rare artistic opportunity. The results?
Plein Air Travels
Long stretches of highway and wide breadths of landscape have dominated our summer. This body of work represents thousands of miles traveled, a half dozen mountain ranges, and countless good times in between. The following is an account of just one such trip, from Billings, Montana, to Paradise Valley, Bozeman, and back again.
OPPORTUNITY: Painting in Africa Offers Unique Benefits
In September 2018, PleinAir Publisher Eric Rhoads will take a special group of 50 painters to South Africa for a once-in-a-lifetime plein air safari. Accomplished painter Katerina Ring, who offers a similar painting tour in Zambia, has some encouraging thoughts about why you need to take advantage of this opportunity.
How Do You ‘#PaintItForward’?
Outdoor painting is so much more than a creative outlet—it’s a way to connect with nature, form lifelong relationships, and expose passers-by to an exciting cultural phenomenon. Discover how one ascending watercolorist is using his talents to give back to the community he captures in so many beautiful ways.
Global Plein Air
You likely wouldn’t be surprised if I told you that outdoor painting is a worldwide phenomenon. We spend a lot of time detailing the amazing events, exhibitions, and festivals here at home, so why not take a brief moment to see what’s happening across the pond?
Raising the Roof
Pennsylvania artist Julie Riker had the unique opportunity to paint a barn raising and to document the event with her art. This really was history!
Artists and Kids Paint Bryce Canyon National Park
I was recently invited to be a guest artist at Bryce Canyon National Park during the annual Geology Festival. It is the first time an artist has been invited to present at the event, which is sponsored by the Park Service and the Bryce Canyon Natural History Association. It was my hope that my visit might kick-start a permanent artist-in-residence program there. I think we may have succeeded.
Decked! With Donald
Well-known painter Donald Neff recently found himself aboard an Alaskan cruise ship for the fourth time, with a slightly different set of priorities than touring and sightseeing: painting en plein air. His results?
