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Plein Air Paint-outs
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Our Plein Air Program
We send out an email notice to all MLAA members each time we plan a plein air event. Usually this would be on Monday or Tuesday for a paintout on Thursday. Participation is free. You do not have to book a space. There is no formal instruction. Just check the email for directions and contact information, show up at the destination, and look for the easels. Normally our events are from 10 to 3 on Thursdays. We cancel for inclement weather. We love to post images of members' plein air paintings, whether done with the group or on your own. Just email the image to Maureen Carden at cardenmaureen@gmail.com.
You are en plein air on your deck
Rana Ford, confined by the pandemic, painted this splendid spray of spring blooms en plein air from her deck.
Morgan Chapel, May 12, 2022
This was a new destination for the Plein Air Painters. The Morgan Chapel, dating from 1880, is a few miles out of town on Wards Ferry Road in lovely countryside. Maureen Carden, John Sharum, Susan Kendall and new member Claire Chateauneuf made the trek.
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Clockwise from top left: Susan Kendall, John Sharum and Maureen Carden
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Courthouse Square, May 5, 2022
Sycamore in Courthouse Square, Susan Kendall
Courthouse Square off Washington Street is a great location to paint, with a choice of subjects. We painted there two weeks in a row. Left, and below right, Susan Kendall and new MLAA member Shelly Keith focussed on a dramatic .tree in the Square. Maureen tackled the old courthouse. We were very happy to welcome some new members to our group!
Maureen started on the old Courthouse
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New MLAA member Shelly Keith with her painting of the sycamore
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March, 2022
Maureen Carden finds the limestone rocks in Columbia are an interesting challenge.
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 Green building in Columbia, watercolor, by Celia Neimerow
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In March, we linked up with the Watch Resources Art Guild. We're looking forward to making art outdoors with this group on a regular basis!
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Left to right, Izzy, Alec, Ashley and Maureen
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Jamestown, February 17, 2022
Li Ching Accurso
Painters in the park! We returned to Jamestown this week. We're thrilled to have newcomers to our group this season! We've taken full advantage of this spring's prolonged dry spell to paint in destinations which will be crushingly hot later in the year.
It's always interesting when several painters render the same subject, and that;s what happened this week. Everybody was drawn to the view up Seco Street to the church. Participants painted in watercolor, gouache and oils.
It's always interesting when several painters render the same subject, and that;s what happened this week. Everybody was drawn to the view up Seco Street to the church. Participants painted in watercolor, gouache and oils.
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Above, left to right, Seco Street by Maureen Carden, Susan Kendall; John Sharum with his watercolor outfit; below left, Seco Street in a tiny vivid watercolor sketch by Li Ching Accurso.
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Jamestown, February 10, 2022
We tried out a new destination! Jamestown is three miles west of downtown Sonora. The old town , located between Highway 108 and Main Street, features a wealth of subjects, plus free parking and clean restrooms. On the left, fast work by Maureen Carden, Susan Kendall, Linda Happel and Rana Ford.
A big plus of painting in a group is watching how other artists develop their paintings. Rana focuses on color and design and often selects a small feature as her subject. Below, a study of a doorway on Main Street becomes a near-abstract exercise in color harmony.
A big plus of painting in a group is watching how other artists develop their paintings. Rana focuses on color and design and often selects a small feature as her subject. Below, a study of a doorway on Main Street becomes a near-abstract exercise in color harmony.
Stages of a painting by Rana Ford. Plein air, oil on archival board
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Columbia, February 3, 2022
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 Linda Happel
We returned to Columbia on February 3. Once again, fine weather meant a good turnout! On the right, Linda Happel painting Columbia's iconic rocks; left, top to bottom, work by Rana Ford, Celia Neimerow, Maureen Carden
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Paint Out in Columbia, January 27, 2022
Seven artists turned out to paint in Columbia on January 27. Our 2022 season is off to a great start with three new members showing up to paint outdoors. Left to right, Susan Kendall, John Sharum, Maureen Carden.
January 20, 2022: Tuolumne City
Tuolumne City Street Scene by Susan Kendall
Susan, Maureen and Celia painted this quirky street scene in Tuolumne City.
"Street Scene", watercolor, Celia Niemerow
In Memory of Susan Lea Hackett
Susan Lea Hackett at work in her home studio
Our friend Susan Lea Hackett passed away on September 6, 2021. Her unexpected death was a loss to the MLAA community. Susan was an accomplished painter and textile artist, teacher, and source of inspiration. Most of us will remember her as the organizer of the Plein Air Group. With her guidance we trekked up and down the county and found joy in painting and contentment In friendship.
In honor of Susan, we organized a plein air event in Columbia, a favorite painting destination. Some of Susan's art was on display. The weather was perfect and some of the attendees brought their easels. Many thanks to Susan Kendall for organizing this tribute.
In honor of Susan, we organized a plein air event in Columbia, a favorite painting destination. Some of Susan's art was on display. The weather was perfect and some of the attendees brought their easels. Many thanks to Susan Kendall for organizing this tribute.
Susan's friends in Columbia
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Susan Kendall painted in Columbia at the paint-out in honor of Susan Lea Hackett
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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
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Pond, by Rana
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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
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Celia Niemerow
Maureen Carden
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Plein Air Painting by Susan Kendall, Artist
Susan Kendall
Blue Oak Farm. Art above, Rana; below, Susan Lea Hackett
Painting in the Red Hills
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 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
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By Susan Lea Hackett
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Barb Young
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