Talent, the unusual ingredient in much art today, is a defining quality in plein air painting.  If it is missing - it is very obvious.  No amount of colorful interesting devices will substitute.  It shows!  …

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I see from my first blog post Dec 4 2009 that it has only been one year since I was sleepless in Spokane with the sheer excitement of finding out about all you plein air painters! The past 12 months has been amazing. I got sucked right in and I have been painting like a fiend every chance I get since. You PA artists are so inspiring! Every time I look at this site I see great art! I see a love of nature and the pleasure of being in nature. Your paintings are filled with life and living; and the… Continue

Three die hards from San Luis Valley all went down to Amalia, NM, a week or so ago: Dave Montgomery, Sue McCullough and myself, on a field trip to visit Randy Pijoan who has his home and studio there. It is beautiful country just south of the Colorado border, north of Taos. We took a chance on a break in the weather - which paid off, but the morning was desperately cold - and how cold is that? Well, it was -5 when we drove out of my driveway and I know it must have been warmer by the time we… Continue

I love painting in foreign locals because it is a chance to sit quietly and absorb my surroundings. I can't help but feel sorry for the tourists in the large groups being herded along, barely having time to snap a quick photo, because they are missing so much.



In Europe when you purhase a meal you own the table, so I look for the cafe table with the best view and then buy breakfast or lunch so I can paint. Here I am in the famous location of Van Gogh's painting Foram Square in Arles,… Continue

I did this painting form a photo(along with some pencil sketches) I took while wandering around temple bar Dublin, I think it's got a plein air feel to it.
#Working with charcoal or pencil can be a good substitute to working in oils if time does not permit