Amanda Lovett
Gainesville, Georgia
Painting for me is a never-ending journey of discovery and exploration. I have a fascination with light and movement and love finding new ways convey the message I am after. My goal is to leave an image in someone’s mind long after they have walked away from the painting. Whether I paint a landscape, animals or a still life, it is always an intriguing journey in which I hope to include the viewer.
Antwan Ramar
Orlando, Florida
While painting I am always exploring new ways to interpret the scene. I feel like a finished Plein Air painting that does nothing more for the viewer than tell them what you painted, is a personal failure. I feel painting becomes an ART, and not just a SKILL, when you are able to convey to your viewer a finished piece that is greater than the sum of its parts. Transcending the realm of the literal and the job of the camera, that’s where I believe the magic of a painting captivates and inspires.
Audrey Cushman
Trent Woods, North Carolina
I am new to plein air painting, and I am excited to participate in my first plein air event! My first career was in school counseling, but I developed a stronger passion for the arts when I became a mother in 2010. My goal as a painter is to shed light on the beauty in the world around us. Often what catches my eye is as simple as the fleeting light on an object. I am inspired by the marshes, sailboats, pine trees, beaches, tobacco barns, and farmlands that surround me in eastern NC.
Charles Cashwell
Sautee Nacoochee, Georgia
My paintings are about a fleeting moment. I try to capture that moment by first establishing a light and dark pattern. Then with the push and pull of values, color and design, take my viewer to the same place and hopefully show them that thing that first inspired me. I may use oil or acrylics, my palette consists of a warm and a cool of the primaries and I use the largest brush I can find for the job. I work very quickly to establish my large shapes once that is done I can take some time to put in as much or as little detail as I find necessary.
Craig Reynolds
Gadsden, AL
As a young man Craig learned a deep appreciation for the outdoors, old farms and barnacle laden harbors with history told by the well-worn scars. Traversing the countryside with his artist father instilled in him to use his talents to record these precious memories within his paintings. Craig’s method of painting from life brings a sense of atmosphere, capturing the essence of the scene to depict a more dynamic painting. Craig believes painting on location helps to capture DNA of the scene.
Crista Pisano
Nyack, NY
Crista is known for her small scale format landscape paintings and is a member of numerous art organizations, and is represented by Sylvan Gallery in Wiscasset, Maine and Box Heart gallery in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Trippe Gallery in Easton Maryland.
Dan Beck
Leland, NC
“This artist life is surely an adventure. To constantly strive to get better at my craft as well as remain open to what I see and feel and think is an ongoing way of life. I am aware that no two people see the apple the same way, no two people see the stream the same way, no two people see the model the same way and no two people see the painting the same way.”Dan Beck is a member of the Plein Air Painters of the Southeast.
Dee Beard Dean
Johns Island, SC
Dee Beard Dean, nationally-known artist and instructor, has been painting all of her life. Her greatest inspirations have come from painting on location where all the senses are elevated. She is the founder of Plein Air Painters of the Southeast, a well-recognized professional organization of plein air artists. She is also well known for her portraits, as well as her figurative and landscape paintings, and has done many noteworthy commissions. She has received many awards throughout her art career and has been published in many regional and national journals. Her artwork can currently be seen at galleries around the country.
Deliece Blanchard
Winston-Salem, NC
A cellist, as well as a painter, Deliece has degrees in biology and music from the University of Virginia and shares a studio with four artists above a bakery. Her painting, “Blanket of Light,” won third prize in the December Plein Air Salon and will appear in the May 2023 issue of PleinAir Magazine. “Whether I am painting in the wilderness or mixing color swatches in my studio, painting brings me joy. I paint en plein air because I love being in nature, and I experience a sense of timelessness and peace when I’m outside.”
Durre Waseem
Corona, CA
Growing up in a joint-family that loved to draw and paint, art became a part of my everyday life. So far I have seen three stages of my progress in art. Firstly, when right after my graduation I started teaching at the same university and learnt more from painting with my students than under my professor’s instructions; secondly, when I started painting a more manicured scenes of California than bustling chaos of historical Lahore. And thirdly, when I started participating in national and international shows and pleinair events since 2019.
Elizabeth Rhoades
Belle Haven, VA
I have been painting in plein air since my teenage years, over 50 years. I started out painting in watercolor, then moved to dry pastel, and now paint in oils. I am typically drawn to water views, particularly marsh scenes. I prefer painting nature to urban settings. In my work I strive to make the viewer feel the deep space of a place, it’s time of day, weather, and light. I am fascinated by the way light bounces off objects and forms, and how surfaces pick up color from their surroundings.
Hai-Ou Hou
Stevensville, MD
Hai-Ou Hou was born in Beijing where she received her B.F.A from Central Institute of Fine Art and Design. She earned her M.F.A. from Towson State University. She taught at the Hubei Fine Art Institute, China. She is currently owner and director of the Chesapeake Fine Art Studio.
Jeff Steiner
Minneapolis, Minnesota
“How long does it take you to do a painting?” said the passerby. “About an hour” I say. If you really want to know, I started in 1966 sculpting with sticks and wire along Lake Zumbra, Victoria, MN. Jump ahead to 1976, University of Minnesota, paired with a semester at Tian Jin University in 1981 ending in a BA in Architecture. Thirty-nine years of designing public buildings, dropped me at an easel with the thrill of water, paint and textured paper. It has taken me 56 years to do one painting at a time.
Jeffrey Michael Markowsky
Savannah, GA
In 2022 Markowsky, “The Plein Air Nomad” stepped away from full time academia and is currently traveling across North America painting, living a nomadic life. He also Illustrates and serves as an Ambassador for the outdoor recreational clothing company American Backcountry. Markowsky was honored to win the Museum Purchase Award at 2022 Plein Air Texas in San Angelo Texas. In the same year he was awarded Best of Show, 2nd Place and Artist’s Choice at Central City Plein Air in Colorado.
Jill Glassman
Berlin, MD
I’m attracted by color and the contrast of light and shadow, and I love to paint it as simply as I can. Like many artists, I started out with a “xerox” mentality thinking that I must duplicate exactly what I see. In 2017 I began to paint plein air and it dramatically changed the way I see and paint. You must be quick to capture the light effects and it really loosened up my painting style.
Jim Laurino
Litchfield, CT
Oil Painting is something I’ve done since I was in my early teens. I enjoy the impressionists foremost, and over decades of painting, my style and chosen subject matter reflects that. Framing has always been a passion for me as well. Although framing is a more mechanical endeavor, I employ reclaimed material which requires a less precise, more creative approach to construction. My heavy brushwork and thick paint application requires a less delicate frame, and after years of altering building methods and materials, I think the pairing works. I consider my paintings, in my frames, to be my unique “Product”, and I find collectors of my work relate to that.
Jim Rehak
Seaford, DE
Over time I’ve viewed my plein air painting excursions as an opportunity to work on my self. What better situation to practice moment to moment awareness? We are continually shaped by the experiences that move through us. Painting allows us to share those experiences. An artist’s response to nature, light and everything around us can be expressed in paint…and each artist’s response is unique. Plein air painting in particular allows for an intuitive and personal interpretation and has been a good fit for me.
JJ Jiang
Cary, NC
JJ’s childhood was spent in China during the Cultural Revolution. During that era of madness, drawing, writing and poetry kept him sane, shielding him from the chaos outside. Drawing and painting have become inseparable parts of JJ’s life. They came to him naturally, helping shape his view of the world and himself. JJ’s paintings have been juried into four different national and international shows – OPA, NWS, AWS and AIS. He has signature membership with OPA and NWS, and master status with WSNC. He loves teaching at his studio in Cary, NC and throughout the region.
John Thomas Eiseman
Hebron, MD
I had a long successful career in sales and marketing for the Paint and Coatings industry – I sold paint for a living. It paid for houses, cars, kid’s college and family times. I have always been frugal. Also, I have always painted on the weekends and evenings… sometimes to the chagrin of my wife and my kid’s little league schedule. Four years ago – in an empty nest – my wife said…”go – retire early and get out and paint…we are fine…” I did. Now I participate in about 10 – 12 plein air events a year.
Karen Lee Crenshaw
Jacksonville, NC
A sense of place. That is the goal of my landscape paintings, for the viewer to “see” what I am seeing and to feel that is a place they have been or would like to visit. Plein air painting inspires me to capture the quality of the light that sets off that connection. Many of my paintings depict the pinkish-blue tones of early morning light or the amber tones of late afternoon. I also enjoy painting nocturnes, and I was happily awarded “Best Waterfront” last year at Suffolk Plein Air.
Katie Dobson-Cundiff
Sarasota, FL
Inspired by Spanish painter, Jouquin Sorolla and Russian painter, Sergei Bongart, my passion is drawing and painting from life. I enjoy being outdoors painting places and subjects revealing the essence of everyday life. I was fortunate to have a father who was a successful illustrator teach me the basics of how to draw and paint, sharing his knowledge and love of the fine arts with me. I find it important and fulfilling to also share this knowledge and everything I have learned throughout my artistic journey, as well as my art, with others.
Larry Smith
Peachtree Corners, GA
My “Briar Patch” is a stimulating location, paint brushes, canvases, palette knives, bug spray and a sturdy easel. I introduce them to tubes of colors longing to be set free. This is my “Happy Place” where I can explore beyond what is there. I baptize the entire canvas with a warm color. Then begin to bring it to life with large brushes, and darker paint, to yield simple shapes and values. Soon thick strokes of color begin to overtake the canvas, and I am tempted to give my palette knives and fingers permission to join in on the fun.
Lyudmila Tomova
Cary, NC
I jokingly call my approach “create-destroy-create” for this is exactly how I paint – an ever-continuing rhythm of gestures. My love of painting figures also translates in my plein air work where I almost always add figures in their natural environment. Some of my recent awards include Best in Show for the 2022 Suffolk VA Plein Air, an International Artist magazine feature with a 6-page article and many others. I started painting en plein air at age 13 as a student in the Special School of Fine Arts in Bulgaria where I’m from originally.
Martin Geiger
Staunton, VA
Martin Geiger is a figurative painter and draftsman who works and lives in Staunton, Virginia. He attended art school in Philadelphia at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and graduated in 2019, after four years. Words that describe his work might include light, geometry, space and activity. He is constantly chasing implied grandeur and action, compelling him to explore constantly to find the most invigorating subjects in his immediate area. While he tends to return to oil painting, his curiosity often lures him into other mediums like graphite, charcoal and watercolors.
Mat Barber Kennedy
Chicago, Illinois
I’ve spent my painting career celebrating the quirky and the overlooked, the everyday and the banal. As an architect I watched buildings go up. And as a painter Im more interested in celebrating them as they crumble. In 2008 I was awarded the prestigious Turner Medal in London…and I still haven’t gotten over the thrill.
Millie Gosch
College Park, GA
Painting outdoors from life is a praise and a worship. To me it’s like breathing. I am drawn to simple spaces like open fields and the low country; sunshine and late afternoons.I love painting competitions because they keep me measured up and in tune with my fellow artists. Every little success, whether a good painting, an inspiring art group, or an award is always a blessing. However, my favorite accomplishment is achieving signature status in the American Impressionist Society and becoming a member of the Plein Air Painters of the Southeast.
Natalia Andreeva
Tallahassee, FL
From my early childhood I was intrigued and fascinated by the enigma of art, this magical process that turns “nothing” into the harmonic tune of chaos. I adore this something that gives birth to new feelings and associations. Learning art techniques did not diminish my interest and surprise, on the contrary, it has deepened my passion for art. In fact, all this may be the reason why the actual process of creation gives me the most pleasure. Each work is a continuation of the quest and each new step develops my feelings and intensifies my exploration of the magic of art. I prefer a personal experience of my subjects, painting landscapes, portraits, still life on location; and I follow my mood in choosing the motive. I love color. I believe it is power, it burns, it cools, it speaks, and I think, it is part of the spell.”
Pearl Horng
Midlothian, VA
A practicing emergency physician, I began my career in art 10 years ago during my medical training. I have known since I was a child that art was my true calling and that I would always return to it again. What I love most is the process of finding my painting – in the relationships between shapes and within the character of the light. The possibilities are infinite and exciting. Last year, I was awarded the first prize Gino Award at Paint It! Ellicott City.
Ralph James
Woodlawn, VA
North Carolina’s Outer Banks are home to white sandy beaches, picturesque lighthouses, and ocean breezes that sweep over the unspoiled coastal terrain. These and other Atlantic coastal areas are often the inspiration for my landscape and wildlife scenes. They are the places that have my passion, my heart, and my concern. I try to portray light and atmosphere accurately. These attributes turn an otherwise ordinary painting into a dramatic scene of great beauty.
Rhonda Ford
Easton, MD
I thoroughly enjoy painting en plein air. Having moved to Easton Md five years ago it is hard to avoid getting bit by the plein air bug. I set a goal for myself a few years ago to sign up for some local non juried events to test myself and I was happy to find out that I enjoyed the process and found some success as well. I was fortunate to be awarded First Place in 2021 and 2022 at the Paint Worcester County (MD) plein air event which is held every year in September.
Rose S. Kennedy
Hope Mills, NC
Plein air painting is a joy for me, and makes my soul sing! I feel a spiritual connection with the landscape when out in nature capturing a scene. The challenge of getting the essence of a painting down quickly with shifting light patterns, weather changes and intrusive “no see ums” is a fulfilling experience that drives my desire to create. Many lessons have been learned through this practice that carry over into my studio work. My style is painterly, with expressive marks and harmonious hues that convey a sense of warmth and serenity. Detail is implied rather than described, allowing the viewer opportunity to linger and engage with the painting on a personal level. Most recently my work has received honorable mention awards in the American Impressionist Society Online Members’ Exhibition and at the Suffolk Plein Air Festival.
Russell Jewell
Easley, SC
A simple black square is a window to everything in the world… in the dark. Therefore, regardless of the subject or medium, all that matters is light. In other words, without light there is no form, only the dark square – an image of everything in the world… in the dark. Visually, only light allows for observation. Exponentially, only enlightenment pushes aside shadows within ourselves. Is it then not true the world we observe and the world we imagine both demand light for observation, thus creating enlightened worlds to be shared with others?
Thomas BUCCI
Camden, Maine
I’ve chosen watercolor its ability to quickly suggest form with loose washes and conjure the illusion of detail with crisp brushwork. This approach to watercolor requires me to work quickly. I’m willing to take the risks associated with that to realize its potential. Sometimes a landscape serves up a ready painting idea and I use it directly. More often ideas come from something less complete; a glimpse of atmospheric effects or sunlight landing on a surface. I paint at every opportunity, putting these ideas down on paper. There’s a feature article on my work in Feb/Mar 2020 Issue of PleinAir Magazine entitled “The City As Muse.”
Vlad Duchev
Baltimore, MD
My process of painting is very simple – I will only start painting if I can see a complete painting in my mind with all the steps from start to finish. Paint it in your mind first – then transfer it to the canvas.