By Ned Mueller, Artist
I started drawing at 4 years old and began going outside to find inspiration as a teenager, mostly sketching old buildings. I also made figure drawings by copying photos from magazines, and got a lot of encouragement from my parents, teachers, and friends. It was when I became a member of the Northwest Rendezvous Group in the early 1980s that I got serious about plein air painting.
Nowadays, I get out to paint more infrequently due to some serious health issues that have restricted my ability to get around easily. I do more studio work now and still teach online classes and workshops; my mind, experience, and knowledge still serve me — and my students — fairly well!
About 50 years ago, when I first got involved in doing plein air work, I would travel to great painting spots, camp out or get a motel, and paint every day for a week or two, making four or five paintings in a day, and later doing seven or eight plein air shows a year.
I think I’m like most painters; we’re always learning. Of course, when we’re younger we tend to grow in leaps and bounds. With age and experience, learning seems to come in smaller increments.
The biggest difference I’ve seen in my current work — and it’s a bit embarrassing to say this at such an advanced age — is that I’m able to “interpret” more of what I see. I continue to think quite abstractly when laying in my larger shape and color relationships, but I’m getting more creative in some of my approaches. For the most part, I try to draw or paint more unique (at least, for me) subjects and compositions. I attempt to make something out of nothing, instead of searching for the perfect subject. I still do those scenes, too, just not as many.
My wife, Karen, is a great artist, and with my health issues, she has become the “burro” in the family. As she is generally hauling her gear and mine, I try to minimize the materials I take as much as possible. We joke that she married me so we could park in handicapped spots, and I married her so we could drive in HOV lanes.
If I might be so presumptuous as to give artists over 65 any advice, it’s to not give up. We may face new obstacles, but we can look for alternative ways to do the things we love, learn to accept our limitations, and adjust our expectations. I’m still working on this myself; it’s not easy, but we can come around to new, interesting, and exciting outlooks on life and our art. If you have a loving and caring partner, spouse, or friend in your life, it can make all the difference. Even with the adversity I face, life can still be pretty darn great.
While I’m at it, I should probably give some advice to the younger artists, too. Take care of your health as best you can. Draw as much as you can and paint as much as you can. There are no secrets or shortcuts in art. You just have to do a lot of it to get good, the same as anything else. And of course, get good advice from a professional.
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.
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