Preview the newest issue of PleinAir Magazine with the Editor’s Letter:
As a plein air painter, you strive to capture the world as you see it — the light, the color, the atmosphere. But beyond representation, there is something more vital, something that sets you apart: your personal response to the subject before you.
It’s easy to get caught up in formulas, trends, or the pursuit of technical mastery. But true artistic growth comes when you allow yourself to be vulnerable, to trust your instincts, and to paint with honesty. When you look at the landscape, do you feel its grandeur or its intimacy? Is it the vast sky that stirs you, or the way sunlight grazes a distant ridge? Your personal reactions — those fleeting emotions you experience — are what give your paintings life.
The best artists, the ones whose work stays with us, have a signature that goes beyond style. Their paintings speak in their own voices, shaped by years of observation, exploration, and, most of all, authenticity. They don’t merely replicate what they see; they translate it through their own artistic language.
Authenticity isn’t something that arrives fully formed. It must be discovered, nurtured, and refined. It takes time, experimentation, and, occasionally, the courage to break away from what is expected. It means choosing the subject matter that truly excites you, not just what is popular. It means working in the medium that allows you to be the most expressive, even if it’s unconventional. And it means painting in a way that resonates with you rather than conforming to someone else’s idea of what is “right.”
So how do you find your authentic voice? One way is to reflect on what draws you to paint in the first place. Is it the quiet poetry of a nocturne? The drama of an approaching storm? The dance of colors in a bustling street scene? Identifying what moves you allows you to focus on subjects that stir genuine emotion, rather than those you think you should paint.
Another way is to embrace process over product. Too often, artists judge their work based on its success in the eyes of others. But true growth comes from painting fearlessly, without the pressure of perfection. Some of the most powerful paintings aren’t the ones that follow the rules but the ones that feel the most honest.
At PleinAir® Magazine, we celebrate artists who follow their own path, who paint not just to document the world but to reveal something deeper. The most compelling plein air works are those infused with personal meaning, where the artist’s hand and heart are evident in every brushstroke.
In the April/May 2025 issue, you’ll find artists using a variety of mediums to make unique statements about a range of subjects. Compare the cover painting by oil painter Don Demers to the acrylic forest scenes of Rick J. Delanty; explore the diverse approaches to painting the sky in the work of Christine Code and Ellen Howard in “The Elements” column, along with 17 others in “Plein Air Portfolio”; and discover how artists find inspiration in exotic locales, as watercolor artist Emily Olson did on a recent trip to Morocco, and places close to home, as does Michigan oil and pastel painter Jill Stefani Wagner.
Whether you prefer to set up your easel on a windy bluff, in a quiet forest, or along a sun-drenched street, ask yourself: What do I see? More importantly, what do I feel? Let that answer guide your approach, and your paintings will be unmistakably, beautifully yours.
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