Plein air fiesta
50 juried artists
Plein Air Painters of New Mexico holds its 2020 Santa Fe Plein Air Fiesta this March culminating with an awards ceremony and the opening of an exhibition of the new paintings at Sorrel Sky Gallery, March 13. The exhibition continues through March 27.
Fifty juried artists will have four days to paint “the unique subjects of the Southwest, such as colorful rock formations, cobalt skies, and meandering adobe walls from Albuquerque to Taos.”
Shanan Campbell, owner of Sorrel Sky Gallery, observes, “Santa Fe is an ideal location for the PAPNM Paint Outs and their Plein Air Fiesta. The unparalleled blue sky, limitless vistas, unique rock formations, and adobe buildings provide an environment of endless inspiration. I might be a bit partial, but could there be a better place for these artists to paint?”
The images accompanying this article are from the 2018 fiesta and are by artists who will participating this year. The
Gauging Station by Lyn Boyer was the 2018 grand prize winner. Boyer will not be participating this year.
The event’s coordinator, John Meister painted the 10-by8-inch Pedernal Cholla at the 2018 paint out. He says, “I’ve been painting plein air for nine years. I avoided cholla when I first started. I just didn’t know to work with them.” Today, various cacti populate his paintings.
After a 20-year career in illustration and graphic design, he turned to painting. “I painted in the studio at first and now it’s about half and half studio and plein air. I consider plein air painting as a classroom for the artist. I’ve really learned to see color in places I’ve never seen before. Dealing with weather, bugs and changing light you learn to evaluate a scene quickly and capture what you need fairly quickly. You have to concentrate on the essence of what you’re trying to capture. I paint faster and I don’t over paint as I might in the studio. It really helps you become a better studio artist as well.”
During the exhibition at Sorrel Sky, Peggy Immel, a Master Signature Member of Plein Air Painters of New Mexico, will teach a three-day workshop at the gallery, March 6 to 8. It is titled “Making Your Paintings Sing.”