Artist Profiles

Learn about what projects your fellow plein artists are up to, see online galleries of their landscape paintings, and more in these profiles!

artist Chris Rapa with her work

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...

My Favorite Place to Paint: Ria Krishnan

Lily pads, wooded trails, and, most important, trees are all at Ria Krishnan's favorite place to paint, just 10 miles from her home.  ...

Artist as Collector: Jill Basham

Maryland painter Jill Basham says she collects work by other artists that she thinks is beautiful. But she also does it to learn.
Plein air watercolor - OutdoorPainter.com

The Risks & Rewards of Foreign Plein Air Painting

Over the past 25 years, David E. Dallison has taken his portable watercolor equipment to more than 35 countries, sometimes ignoring travel warnings and political unrest. He is now being a bit more cautious since he is traveling with his young family. Here’s how he works with watercolors in distant locations. 
Plein air illustrations

Plein Air Heritage: Artist Charles Dana Gibson

As a plein air painter, you are part of one of the largest art movements in history. Learn about artist Charles Dana Gibson (1867-1944) here.
Plein air watercolor painting

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.
Plein air art history - Albert Edelfelt

Finding Plein Air Inspiration in Finland, 1800s

A look at our plein air heritage as we feature a Finnish artist who was originally best-known for his portraits of royalty.
Brienne Brown’s studio in Central Pennsylvania with her watercolor paintings, "Enfolding Green Pastures" (framed) and "Day for Exploring"

Artist Spotlight: Brienne M Brown

How do you find inspiration? Brienne M Brown: I find beauty in everyday life, the so called “mundane”. Ordinary people going about their everyday lives...
Plein air painter - Mark Shasha, “Afternoon Serendipity,” Oil on canvas, 24" x 30"

The Most Honest Form of Painting

It's an exciting time to be an artist, especially a plein air painter. Find inspiration here with Mark Shasha.

Artist Spotlight: Kathleen Lanzoni

How do you find inspiration? Kathleen Lanzoni: Finding inspiration can come unexpectedly on a walk to the store or sometimes we need to search for...

My Favorite Place to Paint: Mark Mehaffey

"Something should be most of a painting." That's what Mark Mehaffey says, and he says that while considering the landscape around his home in...
PleinAir Salon art competitions - Kim Lordier pastel paintings

The Plein Air Study That Launched a Big Winner

One plein air painting inspired several exceptional studio pieces by this California pastelist, a previous winner in the PleinAir Salon.
An Artist's Perspective On Boats, Buildings, and Brushes

An Artist’s Perspective On Boats, Buildings, and Brushes

Vladislav Yeliseyev shares insights on painting two different landscape subjects, and the brushes he uses for them, in this artist profile from Plein Air Today.
Plein air paintings - OutdoorPainter.com

The Life-Like Plein Air Paintings of Jeremy Sams

Is there a “special secret” to creating great paintings? Maybe — see how Jeremy Sams came to plein air, what his advice is for others, and more, in this exclusive Q&A.
Artist Susan Hediger Matteson plein air painting on a farm with sheep in southwest Colorado.

Artist Spotlight: Susan Hediger Matteson

There are two Susan Mattesons working in the fine art field today. This Susan Matteson has since started using Susan Hediger Matteson to clarify that she is not the other artist and shares with us how she got started in her career.
Amery Bohling, painting the Grand Canyon en plein air

Painting the Grand Canyon en Plein Air: An Interview with Amery Bohling

Amery Bohling explains the importance (and joys) of working from life, composing a scene, creating scale, and more.

Artist Spotlight: David Marty

How did you get started and then develop your career? David Marty: I was an art major in college but went into graphic design to...
Artist posing with her painting en plein air

Artist Spotlight: Carole Belliveau

How did you develop your unique style and why? Carole Belliveau: I put away my brushes determined to teach myself to use new tools such...
Plein air painter Alison Barry

A Plein Air Artist to Watch: Alison Barry

A special spotlight on someone from the plein air painting community you may not know yet: Alison Barry on her aha-moment and more.

My Favorite Place to Paint: Kelli Folsom

Oklahoma artist Kelli Folsom sometimes wonders what artists from places like Colorado would think about her favorite place to paint. There are no dramatic...