Plein Air Landscapes as a Form of Portraiture
Aiming to stay true to nature, Abbott Handerson Thayer painted scenes en plein air, most often finding inspiration in views of Mount Monadnock, which overlooked his studio.
Artist Spotlight: Kathryn Noel
How did you get started and then develop your career?
Kathryn Noel: My kickstart into painting began with an empty wall. It was long and...
The Landscape Guaranteed to Bring You To Tears
The varied and vivid landscapes of this state inspire oil painter Bill Sawczuk to take a more expressive approach to plein air painting when it comes to this subject. “I’ve seen people cry at the effort. They are good painters, but they come here and try to paint these mountains and it wrecks them."
Making an Impression
Striving to evoke an emotional response to the beauty in the everyday, this Georgia-based painter imbues her representational pastels with an impressionist flair.
Artist Spotlight: Deborah McAllister
Deborah McAllister: I have been creating art all my life. After finishing graphic design school at age 21, I studied painting and began entering...
Hsin-Yao Tseng’s Unending Ambition for Plein Air Painting
Go "behind the easel" and learn Hsin-Yao Tseng's plein air painting techniques, which are driven by his unending ambition to make better paintings.
Artist Spotlight: Cynthia Inson
How do you describe success?
Cynthia Inson: I describe and realize success as an artist to be related directly to me setting goals, reaching those...
A German Perspective on Painting in America
An interview with Ulrich Gleiter about his experiences of painting in Russia, why he loves nature as a subject more than anything else, and what’s different about painting plein air in America.
“An Incredible Moment” ~ Kyle Ma on Winning the PleinAir Salon
On a stage lined with this year’s PleinAir Salon finalists, Kyle Ma was running numbers in his mind as he listened to each name called for the final winners.
Inspiration From India: Plein Air Artist Prafull Sawant
Surrounded by Hindu temples, river banks, old Indian homes, and narrow lanes, this watercolor artist was born to paint en plein air.
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 Watercolors with a Western Flair
Drawn to rural, gritty, and seemingly mundane subjects, Tim Oliver loves the authenticity, immediacy, and raw honesty of painting watercolors en plein air.
Artist Spotlight: Charlie Easton
How do you describe success?
Charlie Easton: Success comes in many different forms. Of course I need to pay the mortgage, so recognition and sales...
Artist Spotlight: Jill Banks
What is the best thing about being an artist?
Jill Banks: First, I love painting – that important part of being an artist. I immerse...
Destroy It, Make It Better
Be inspired by Kelly Kane's spotlight on the up-and-coming plein air painter Emma Kalff:
Susiehyer’s Secret Collection
Exclusive Interview: Known for her representational landscape paintings, plein air artist Susie Hyer (who goes by Susiehyer), is revealing a different side of her art practice by showcasing her “secret” abstract works side-by-side with her traditional Western landscapes.
Not Idle in Winter: Stewart White and Plein Air Watercolor
During the cold winter months it becomes a challenge to paint en plein air with watercolor. It's not impossible, but it takes a little more effort than usual and water crystalizes very quickly in sub-freezing weather - not to mention that the fingers and toes aren't too happy...
Artist Spotlight: Kim Casebeer
Kim shares some sage advice from a gallery owner about the success that comes from painting your passion first as opposed to painting for money.
When Painting on Location, What’s the Big Idea?
In this artist Q&A, Suzie Baker explains her process for painting on location, from "the big idea," to color, to how to assess a finished work.
Reader Spotlight on … Jill Knutson
"In a way I feel I am recording a bit of history. My resulting painting is then a record of what was."