arts
the Best of
Both Worlds
Plein air painters combine a love of the outdoors with a love of art.
story&photographyamber grubb
s
ummer has arrived, signaling the beginning of many outdoor ex- For Carter, social interaction was a big reason to look into plein air
cursions: fishing in the south fork of the Salmon River, camping painting. Last year, she joined the Plein Air Painters of Idaho (PAPI), an
at Sage Hen and backpacking in the White Clouds. For local artist organization that coordinates workshops, classes and paint-outs all
Sherri Carter, summer means outdoor jaunts of her own, but she car- over Idaho. “Sometimes working in the studio gets really sterile,” says
ries something a little different in her overnight bag. Carter. “Connecting with other artists is a lot of the fun,” she adds.
While most backcountry explorers require a compass, cooking
“For somebody who works by themselves in their studio all day, you
utensils and the like, Carter’s necessities come in the form of oil paint,
miss that.”
turpentine and paintbrushes. She is one of a growing number of art- In order for Carter to succeed as a plein air painter, she needed
ists embracing the plein air movement. to change her way of seeing. She recalls her first paint-out with PAPI
The French expression en plein-air (pronounced “en plehn-ehr”)
at Ann Morrison Park. “I remember pulling my easel out and just sit-
means “in the open air” and often refers to painting outdoors. In
ting there…When you’re working from a photograph you’ve taken,
years past, impressionists Claude Monet and Pierre Auguste Renoir
everything’s already two-dimensional. But when you’re sitting in
embraced this art form. World-renowned artists Sergei Bongart and
front of a huge environment, it’s like, ‘What do I focus on? Where do I
Ovanis Berbarian even worked en plein air from their Northern Idaho
start?’”
studios. Today, plein air painting is seeing a revival. Even in Eagle, art- After quiet observation, however, Carter was hooked. “There were
ists participate in “paint-outs,” events in which they emerge from the all these birds and little things walking around…I just took my time
studio to paint on-location, much to the delight of passersby. As their to watch them for a while. [Then] a feeling came over me like, ‘This is
masterpieces unfold before dozens of curious eyes, artists both ex- wonderful. I’m doing what I love and I’m outside watching nature.’”
pand their abilities and interact with the community.
July/august 2009 19
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