Preview the newest issue of PleinAir Magazine with Kelly Kane’s Editor’s Letter.
“And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer.” — F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby
With summer hot on our heels, I’m feeling the truth of the above line from The Great Gatsby this year more than ever. Barbecues, backyard parties, and summer getaways all hold the promise of a freedom and a return to a life that has been missing the past two seasons.
Pulling together photos and highlights from the spring’s plein air events for this issue, I barely touched the surface of all the exciting things going on. And this summer promises to be even busier. (Eric, I’m going to need more pages!)
If you’ve never been to a plein air event or festival before, I encourage you to revisit the annual guide we published in the December 2021-January 2022 issue or check it out online to find an event near you. You’ll get a chance to engage with top artists from around the country and see how they interpret the landscape in your part of the world. (If you’re lucky, you might even take a painting home with you.)
And if the event includes a Quick Draw or Paint Out, you can often set up and paint right alongside your heroes — or just find a spot to paint with friends in the midst of the action. Not ready for that? Walk around while the others are out painting, watch them in action, visit the exhibition of their work. It’s a learning opportunity and a chance to feel part of a community, to engage, and to reconnect with the world.
Of course, attending or participating in organized events isn’t the only way to feel part of the plein air community. There are numerous painting groups who meet once or twice a week to paint outdoors together around the country. As PleinAir Magazine publisher Eric Rhoads says in his marketing advice in this issue’s Artwise column, “[To find people to paint with] go to your local art supply store or library and post a message on a bulletin board. Look up local art clubs. If your town doesn’t have a painting group, start your own.”
If you do join a group or are already a member, or even if you and a pal just decide to hang out for an afternoon and paint at a local park, send me some pics at [email protected]. I’d love to see what you’re up to. I might even get to share a few photos in an upcoming issue.
PleinAir Magazine June/July 2022 Table of Contents (click here)
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– Online art conferences such as Plein Air Live
– New video workshops for artists
– Incredible art retreats
– Educational and fun art conventions, and much more.
