Artist Spotlight: Mark Fehlman
Mark Fehlman was an architect with a successful 30-year practice. After three years of art lessons, he decided to give it up to create a second career as an artist. It was a wonderful decision that has completely changed his life.
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."
The Little Melodic Echoes You Don’t Expect
An interview with plein air pastel painter Tom Bailey, who will be among the faculty members of the Pastel Live, August 16-19, 2023.
Artist Spotlight: Justin Vining
How do you find inspiration?
Justin Vining: I have lived as a full-time painter for nearly 13 years. Initially a studio painter, I transitioned to...
Painting Amidst a Pitched Battle
R. Gregory Summers knew this painting experience was going to be quite different. But suddenly there were people falling down all around his feet,...
Spotlight on PACE Faculty: Ray Hassard and Painting Near and Far
Ray Hassard, a featured instructor at the upcoming Plein Air Convention & Expo (PACE) slated for April 24-28 in San Diego, has traveled widely ... and painted locally. One of his guiding lights is a provocative quote from John Constable.
Plein Air Heritage: Science Needs Art
Starting in the late 1880s, many natural history museums established a practice of showcasing animals in dioramas that would allow visitors to see the specimens in an exact location rather than a generic scene. Meet a master who painted those dioramas from plein air sketches.
When the Shadow Defines the Light
This Pennsylvania artist loves to paint the light, yet it’s of utmost importance to her to nail down the darks in the composition first thing. See how this approach lets Julie Riker tackle complex subjects confidently.
Spotlight on Russian Plein Air Painter Juliya Zhukova
"I think we don't have a better teacher than nature." Learn more about the inspiration and art of Juliya Zhukova.
Artist Spotlight: Barb Walker
Workshops, videos, painting with other painters, and countless hours looking at paintings in galleries and museums have been this artist’s never-ending education.
An Approach to Painting Landscapes, In Studio and Plein Air
A PaintTube.TV interview on how you can benefit from painting landscapes en plein air and in the studio; his approach to color, and more.
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...
Artist Spotlight: Cindy Harris
Cindy Harris: For many years I have found inspiration by traveling with other artists to amazing locations. This gives me focused time away from...
Central Park’s Plein Air Past
Central Park, the green lung of New York City, the cool, shady resting spot for summer-soaked New Yorkers, the Olmsted masterpiece of landscape design,...
Spotlight on PACE Faculty: Marla Baggetta Gives You Permission
Pastelist Marla Baggetta has a secret she uses every day to put her in the right frame of mind for painting.
Jerry Balcom and The Visual Delights of Plein Air
Washington state plein air artist Jerry Balcom uses compositional devices, edge control, and color intensities to bring viewers into his pastel paintings. These techniques allow him to share the emotions he felt while working on location.
A Day in the Life of an Artist: Michael Holter
We caught Michael Holter recently as he was packing for his next painting trip: China. In this Q&A, he shares with us what a typical day is like for him, what advice he has for other artists, and more.
Artist Spotlight: Larry Cannon
This PleinAir Live 2021 Faculty artist was exposed to watercolor in college as part of his architectural training and notes specific moments in his early years of painting that changed his life.