Plein Air Paint-outs

In Memory of Susan Lea Hackett

We are deeply saddened to report that artist, teacher and plein air enthusiast Susan Lea Hackett passed away September 6, 2021. Susan's expeditions provided her "Merry Band of Painters" with fun and companionship while our painting prospered under her guidance. We owe her a lot. We're going to keep on painting!

Susan Lea Hackett at work in her home studio in Strawberry, Tuolumne County

Mountain scene by Susan Lea Hackett

Susan with her plein air painting gear in Tuolumne City.

Susan K

March 12, 2020: another great spring day in Columbia, where the trees are in bloom. On a Thursday afternoon there were few visitors and the charms of this old Gold Rush town were fully apparent. There's a painting everywhere you look here. Whatever the artist's style and no matter what their preferred medium, the Gold Rush era buildings provide wonderful subjects.

Building in Columbia State Park, CA.

March 3, 2020. We need rain . . . but the sunny and warm weather is so alluring. The plein air group was in Columbia for our first session of 2020. Columbia State Park was the perfect destination, with its traffic-free streets and gorgeously ramshackle buildings. The still-bare trees revealed new paintable scenes and garden trees were in bud or bloom. We made art. We had fun. We made plans to return on March 10, if it doesn't rain. Anyone can join us. All skill levels and art media are welcome.

The plein air artists, Columbia, March 3, 2020

January 6, 2020: It's winter, but we still get beautiful weather for outdoor painting. It's harder to schedule regular paint-outs, but we're still working outdoors. Susan Kendall painted on Washington Street in downtown Sonora (left), with the iconic Red Church. Maureen Carden painted the cypresses in the old City Cemetery (right).

Barbara Young painted at Crystal Falls Lake (below). She stencilled leave shapes onto water color paper and developed her sketch over that.

Barbara Young, "Crystal Falls Lake", watercolor, one color over leaf stencils, 2019

Paint-Out at the Twain Harte Canal, 11/12/2019

The Twain Harte Canal area offers a range of subjects for outdoor painters: the canal itself, the imposing trestle, woods, fields, a pond and, on this date, spots of brilliant fall foliage. The painters scattered. Different viewpoints -- and different painting styles -- always lead to different outcomes! That's part of the fun of plein air!

Pond, by Maureen

Pond, by Rana

Paint-Out at Sierra Glen, 11/5/2019

Plein Air coordinator Susan Lea Hackett organized a special treat for the plein air group on November 5, 2019. Sierra Glen, formerly an apple orchard and berry farm, is situated high up in the foothills off Big Hill Road in Twain Harte. A record number of painters showed up in perfect fall weather to be inspired by the lovely setting and the paintable outbuildings and farmhouse. Below: works in progress!

Rana Ford

Susan Kendall

Celia Niemerow

Maureen Carden

Plein Air Painting by Susan Kendall, Artist

Susan Kendall

Blue Oak Farm. Art above, Rana; below, Susan Lea Hackett

Painting in the Red Hills

Maureen and Celia at Pinecrest

A little bit about the show and our group. The Mother Lode Art Association has been hosting events for over 60 years. It is a very active group and one of the most active is the “Plein Air” painting group.
What is plein air painting?
“Plein Air” was a term coined by the impressionist artists meaning in the open air. Artists set up their equipment, hence a little studio on location. They paint in the open air and usually complete, or complete most of, the painting on location. The paintings as a result look fresh and capture a moment in time. The media used in our group are watercolor on paper, oil on canvas or board and pastel on paper. “Plein Air” painting has been gaining in popularity ever since the French impressionists, and their California companions have been showing up to do this. California in particular has a huge “plein air” community, not only because of the beauty of our state but because of the sunshine and favorable conditions for painting “en plein air”. The Motherlode, Sierra Foothills and Sierra are particularly brilliant for this type of painting because of the limitless vistas, interesting western towns and vibrant terrain.
Our group, also known as “The Merry Band of Painters”, usually meets Tuesdays on location. We call our meet-ups, “Paint Outs”. Currently, Susan Leah Hackett of Strawberry is leading our “Paint Outs” and setting up our venues to paint. We paint ensemble for several reasons: safety, helpful critiquing by fellow painters and because we genuinely like each other and like working together.
Some of our locations include, Columbia State Park, The Red Hills, Strawberry, Pinecrest, the 108 corridor, Indigeny Reserve, Sonora, Tuolumne City, Riverside Park, Fahey Cabins in Long Barn, Sonora neighborhoods and more.
What is fun to look at in this show will be how different artist interpret the same location. The diverse styles are like a signature or thumb print for each individual artist.

Merry Band painted outside the 2018 Art Show in downtown Sonora. L to R: Susan Kendall, Susan Lea Hackett, Rana Ford, Celia Niemerow

By Susan Lea Hackett

Barb Young