In East-Central Iowa in the mid-1800s, a religious group from Germany formed a communal society now known as the Amana Colonies. The architecture and striking landscape of the region is painted each year by plein air artists during Iowa Plein Air, sponsored by Catiri’s Art Oasis.
Nancy Lindsay painted sunflowers on Main Street, in Amana, last year.
Also known as Catiri’s Fresh Paint 2013, the event is scheduled for August 30 through September 1. A Quick Paint event, a painting session for kids under 12, and an awards dinner are all part of the proceedings.
“Mill Race,” by Hans Olson, 2012, oil, 7 x 14 in.
“Stables,” by Thomas Buchs, 2012, oil, 11 x 17 in.
Cecile Houel dressed for the occasion — and the sun.
“This is the sixth year for this event, and it just gets better every year,” says Jenise Catiri, the owner of the gallery. “The Amana Colonies is one of the most picture-perfect places for artists to come and paint — in fact, there has been a long history of artists coming to Amana to be inspired by the landscape and the pristine, Old World villages. Artists including Grant Wood and Carl Flick spent time in Amana plein air painting. We get artists from all over the Midwest participating, with some coming from as far away as Chicago and Minneapolis.”
