I began painting outdoors at around 45 years of age. I was living in rural New Jersey at the time and just beginning to concentrate on landscape as my primary subject. Working large — 22 x 30 or 29 x 40 inches — in pastel, I mainly painted looking out of the windows of my house and thought that might be a kind of plein air painting. I also did small sketches on location, but the weather was never ideal — too hot and humid, too cold, too much rain, or too clouded with mosquitos.
By 1990 I started visiting Taos and Santa Fe and “discovered” the West. The climate and landscape made it attractive to work outdoors, and I was inspired by the plein air painting history of the area. It was especially exciting to meet other outdoor painters and eventually join groups and paint-outs.
Now I’m not as active in going on painting trips or regular outings as I was during my 60s and early 70s. I’ve always enjoyed solitary painting, so the social aspect is not so important to me anymore. Occasional paint-outs and workshops provide plenty of camaraderie. Mostly painting close to home with a few artist residencies to distant places provides plenty of inspiration.
Despite my years of experience, I feel that I’m continuing to learn things about painting and working outdoors. In general, my process benefits from editing a scene before starting, and working quickly to distill the essence of a view.
Pastels are heavy and fragile, but since there’s no color mixing, it’s hard to pare down the palette of necessary colors. I used to carry quite a big box of colors but have gradually reduced the number and range I take on location.
When I was younger, I also worked on larger pieces in the field, persevering until I finished the piece or returning a couple of days in a row at the same time of day in order to complete a painting. Today, I try to keep my sketches to around 12 x 16 inches, and don’t attempt a “finished” painting. Instead, I work to gather information, recording as much as I can in a couple of hours. My goal, apart from the enjoyment of working outdoors, is to set up enough of the scene to be able to work it up in a large painting in the studio.
Fortunately, I’m in good health and don’t have many limitations as far as outdoor painting is concerned. Still, I can’t hike as far or carry as much stuff as I used to, so I often seek out good subjects closer to where I can park my car. And although I like to work standing up in the field, I carry my supplies in a trolley with wheels that also turns into a chair for times I need to sit down. The best advice I can give is to try to stay healthy and strong so you can keep enjoying plein air painting for many years to come!
Connect with the artist at www.nancysilvia.com.
Editor’s Note: 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.
