Seeing the Unconventional, on Location
It took an unconventional painting done from a photograph taken at an extreme vantage point to set David Boyd, Jr. on his current path as a plein air painter.
Artist Spotlight: Kami Mendlik
How did you develop your unique style?
Kami Mendlik: I believe that our style is something we are born with and comes to the surface...
Painting California’s Piers
Eric M. Davis traveled over 11,350 miles in 17 months to complete the works featured in his book, “The California Pier Series.” Read an exclusive excerpt and view some of the watercolor paintings here.
Changing Perceptions of the Middle East, One Painting at a Time
British artist Matt Ryder takes us to the extreme terrain and tricky locations where he paints mountains that “sing with cadmium colors.”
Ken Karlic’s Sophisticated Chaos
Prolific artist Ken Karlic teamed up with Daniel Smith Watercolors to offer a comprehensive look into his creative process, a process he then applies to other media.
On Painting “Logan Street Sunset”
Congratulations to Gavin Glakas, whose oil painting "Logan Street Sunset" won in a recent bi-monthly PleinAir Salon. In this spotlight, Glakas tells about how the Charleston-inspired painting came to be.
Convention Preview: Scott L. Christensen
What information and inspiration can you expect to receive from the demonstrators and speakers who will be part of the Plein Air Convention &...
Eastern Brush Techniques, Western Sensibility
Hsin-Yao Tseng combines Eastern brush techniques with a Western sensibility to create paintings that exude attitude and atmosphere.
Plein Air Heritage: Art for the Common People
Born on a farm near Dunavant, Kansas, John Steuart Curry (1897–1946) believed that art should appeal to ...
Artist Spotlight: Anne Blair Brown
How did you develop your unique style?
Anne Blair Brown: The first step to developing my style was to learn the fundamentals of painting. For...
Artist Spotlight: Chris Rapa
How did you get started and then develop your career?
Chris Rapa: My parents set me loose on a basement wall with brushes and cans...
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...
Artist Spotlight: TINA BOHLMAN
How do I find inspiration?
It actually “finds” me! There are 3 deciding factors on whether to paint a scene; 1st is the light; I’m...
Artist Spotlight: Barb Walker
Barb Walker: Confession. I don’t always draw in preparation for a painting. Actually, almost never unless the light is so fleeting that a quick...
The Challenge of Painting “Crossing Light”
The story of my painting "Crossing Light" is all about light and how it leads the eye around the painting and then lands on the main character in the immediate foreground. But first I should back up and explain why I chose to paint this scene...
Artist, Mother, Muse
Maybe it is the balance this artist has found in life that spills into the balance of color, design, and expression of life found in her paintings.
Artist Spotlight: Jennifer Riefenberg
How do you find inspiration?
Jennifer Riefenberg: It is with an intimate understanding and a closer-in vantage that artist, Jennifer Riefenberg, seeks in portraying the...
Alvaro Castagnet Receives Lifetime Achievement Award
Congratulations to watercolor master Alvaro Castagnet, who received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 7th Annual Plein Air Convention & Expo.
This Helped My Art Journey
A special spotlight on someone from the plein air painting community you may not know yet: Hector Arcuna on his Aha moment, and more.
Today’s Inspiration: Expressive Realism
Contemporary plein air and studio painter Rebecca Arguello shares her inspiration, her biggest aha moment, and the art advice she wished she had heard earlier in her career.