When you come to the Plein Air Convention & Expo (PACE), you’re bound to make new friends in the art community. This year, I was lucky to meet Carolyn Grand, who shared her enthusiasm for joining us at PACE for the first time this past May in Reno, Nevada. From online sessions to Reno, Carolyn’s journey to PACE shows how virtual inspiration can spark real-world connection
“I really enjoyed the online events and I’ve done all of the mediums,” Carolyn said. “I really thought they were great, so I wanted to come to the real thing. Plus, I’ve never been to Reno, and I wanted to see this part of the world.”
Carolyn came to PACE without knowing anyone else there except for two of the artists on our faculty. She discovered PACE from the online events she has attended, such as Plein Air Live.
She shared that, in addition to the Plein Air Convention, she loves the online events because of the breakout sessions and “the variety of instructors and learning their different directions. I’ve been painting for a very long time and haven’t succeeded at any one medium, and it’s just lovely to see a professional artist doing their medium and showing their [process].”
We hope to see you at the next PACE, May 14-18, 2026 in the Ozarks!
And join us for the 6th Annual Plein Air Live online art conference, featuring Kathleen Hudson, Kevin Macpherson, Kami Mendlik, and many more! The event takes place November 6-8, 2025, with an Essential Techniques Day on November 5. Learn more at PleinAirLive.com.
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