We Say Goodbye to Lyn Boyer

The plein air community is feeling a wave of sadness this morning as we’ve recently learned that artist Lyn Boyer has passed away.

Eric Rhoads shared, “I’m shocked to report that artist and dear friend Lyn Boyer has passed away. She was in good spirits, in no pain, and had just visited her daughter Amanda for dinner Thursday and only mentioned she was tired. Lyn had heart surgery months ago to repair a lifelong problem caused by a childhood illness. She has been gradually regaining strength.

“Lyn was a spirited, joy-filled artist. She did a couple of videos with us, taught at the Plein Air Convention, and was on my show several times. It’s hard to believe she is gone. Please keep her family in your prayers.”

“Lyn was my closest friend and confidant and I’m not yet sure how I’ll navigate life without her,” said fellow artist Jane Hunt. “My husband was bemused by the fact that she and I would frequently spend hours on the phone but always call back later about ‘one last thing’. She was simultaneously insightful and hilarious, and it’s hard to overstate what a tremendous loss this is to the world.

“She was so wise that I actually kept a list of her quotes from our conversations on my phone – something that no other human has ever inspired me to do. One from a couple of weeks ago that spurred hours of discussion: ‘Would you rather have what you don’t want or want what you don’t have?’ Two weeks ago that question confounded me – but now it’s even more poignant, as I would give anything for one more day with Lyn.”

Lyn has been described by fellow artists as a real joy, a kind soul, and having a true passion for painting as well as being a talented musician.

Carrying on the great traditions of representational oil painting and passing that torch to her students were two of Lyn’s great passions in life.

Lyn was an award-winning plein air and studio oil painter with works that hang in private collections across the United States. After returning from studying art at the Royal Melbourne Institute in Australia, Lyn began a 25-year career as an American illustrator and painter, garnering awards from the Oil Painters of America, Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine, PleinAir™ Magazine, Southwest Art, the Society of Illustrators, the Art Directors Club, the Illustrators Workshops, and the American Institute of Graphic Arts among others.

Lyn’s early inspiration came from the great illustrators of the Golden Age of Illustration and their contemporaries, the American and European painters of the late 1800s and early 20th century. She was captivated by not only the power of the images but their story-telling ability. Lyn took the focus, energy, and ability to respond in the moment required in plein air painting and used it to inform and bring life to her studio work.

A devotion to painting en plein air and teaching took Lyn on the road for much of the year before returning to her studio in Durango, Colorado for the winter months. Her commitment to teaching began with nearly a decade as an illustration instructor and continued through her workshops, instructional videos, demonstrations, and private mentoring. Lyn’s commitment to the arts expanded to bring the common languages of painting and music together as a board member for the Durango Celtic Festival, partner in the Painter-Musician collaborative, Interplay Artists™, with musician David Curley and in painting workshops using sound as a tool to unlock visual creativity.

Lyn’s bio above is adapted from her website, LynBoyer.com.