Spotlight on PACE Faculty: Joe Gyurcsak and the Joy of Mud
Joe Gyurcsak is not afraid of color, as his paintings show. But his favorite quote is from Edgar Degas, who said that galleries wanted colorful paintings, “but if I could have had my own way, I would have confined myself to black and white.” The Plein Air Convention & Expo (PACE) instructor explains.
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.
The Painting Process of a Winning Artist
Please help us congratulate Jerry Markham for winning first place in the recent bi-monthly PleinAir Salon. In this exclusive spotlight, Markham shares his secrets to success.
Indoors, Outdoors, and Back Again
A devoted studio painter, Lindsey Kustusch took the leap into plein air and discovered a way to maximize both experiences.
See the Relationship Between Colors
Richard F. Lack taught students not to see colors in isolation, but rather to see them in relation to those surrounding them. What were his teaching methods?
Plein Air Tonalism with Acrylics
Two of a plein air painter’s favorite elements — light and atmosphere — are arguably best celebrated by a tonalist approach, as the work of this Oregon painter suggests.
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.
Artist Spotlight: Landscape Oil Painting with Karl Dempwolf
Today we welcome artist Karl Dempwolf as our guest with an exclusive Q&A about painting en plein air, his color palette, and his advice for those new to painting with oil.
Painting Outdoors Since 1948: A Community Member Spotlight
Recently, one of our dedicated readers reached out to us to say hello and connect, which is part of what the plein air community is all about. Meet John Killmaster, who kindly took the time to answer a few questions about his artistic journey so that you can be inspired in yours.
Plein Air Spotlight: Joseph Zbukvic
Please help us welcome watercolor artist Joseph Zbukvic as a newly announced faculty member for PACE. See a gallery of his work in this spotlight.
Along the River’s Edge: Painting NOLA en Plein Air
With music pouring onto the streets from every corner of the city, Sean Friloux finds a unique vantage point from which to capture New Orleans in tonal watercolors.
Interview with Russan Artist Vitaly Makarov
Today we spotlight Russian artist Vitaly Makarov and his brilliantly colored plein air landscapes. In this Q&A, he tells us about his artistic development, use of color, and more.
Spotlight on the Oil Paintings of Suzie Baker
Take a closer look at her plein air oil painting, “A Negative View of Saloons.”
Spotlight on Oil Painter Huihan Liu
Represented by Total Arts Gallery, Chinese artist Huihan Liu creates painterly works when plein air is “difficult, if not impossible.”
Plein Air Goal: To Paint 1,100 Islands
An artist shares his love (and advice) for painting the Croatian region.
David Leffel Earns Lifetime Achievement Award
We wish to congratulate master artist David Leffel for earning a Lifetime Achievement Award. Watch a touching mini-documentary about his life and his path to becoming a legend.
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.
A Plein Air Artist on the Fringe
Take a closer look at a nineteenth-century oil painting by Martin Johnson Heade...
Featured PACE Instructor: Charles White
Our 7th Annual Plein Air Convention and Expo is just around the corner, and to celebrate, we’ll be highlighting some of our featured instructors and their art over the next several weeks. Recently I asked him to tell us more about a couple of his paintings.
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.