Saturday, July 21, 2018, a plein air painting day I won't soon forget. Why?  It was a day I began with a little apprehension, "Will it be worth it to drag myself out of bed at 5:30 on a Saturday morning to get ready to paint outside all day? What if it rains?  What if it's windy or buggy?  Maybe I should just stay home.  But then if I stay home, I will be mopey all day, wishing I had done this.  I need to do this!  I need to paint!  I need to recharge!  "   

It was overcast and breezy. " What kind of light am I going to be able to paint with this over cast NESS?"   I had other places and things I should be doing." I should be home cleaning my house, or working on commissions, I could be selling at the Farmers Market or spending time with my husband and kids today!"   

Little did I know the kind of experience I was about to have.  

First of all, What is a Plein Air Paint Out? I just realized that you guys might be wondering what IS a Plein Air Paint Out.  

A plein air paint out is a competition or friendly gathering of plein air painters. Usually, the group of painters chooses a general area to gather, and the painters all set up an easel in their preferred spot, and attempt to complete at least one painting within a designated amount of time.  Some of these gatherings last for one day, while others can last for up to a week!  

Some paint outs are a competition, with prize money awarded at the end of the paint out.  Most usually have a reception for the artists after the event, where the artists can discuss their work, and the challenges of the day.  

The work is usually sold through the gallery who organizes the event, with a commission going to the gallery for any pieces sold. 

Can anyone participate in a plein air paint out? 

It depends on the event.  Some events are open to anyone who wants to participate, while others have a jury that chooses painters based on photos painters submit of their work with their applications. 

Where are plein air paint outs usually held?

They are held all over the world, in cities, national parks, etc.  

How can I learn more and find out where they are held each year? Subscribe to Plein Air Magazine 

Definition of Plein Air Painting:  Painting from life as you see it.  Painting outside, and not from a photo.  The goal is not necessarily to complete a detailed painting, but to record what is seen in terms of light, shadow, color, and color temperature, and other things the artist wants to remember.  A journal, if you will, where the record is made with brush strokes rather than with words.  

Some times the artists will sell their paintings created in Plein Air, while others will take the painting back to the studio to create a more detailed version of what was recorded.  

What was the day like? The day began as a cold dreary one, for July; I even wore a sweatshirt for the first 4 hours!  As the morning flew by, the clouds began to part and let glimpses of light peak through.  More and more people came out to ride their bikes and walk and roller blade along the scenic bike path by the river.   

What age were most of the plein air painters? One by one, the painters began to emerge.  There were about 30 of us in total, all scattered along the riverfront between the boat ramp at Leach Park, and all along the base of the I74 bridge, past that and on into Bettendorf near Bereskin Art Gallery, the wonderful host of the event.  We were a group of painters from as far away as Minnesota, from all experience levels and ages from 15 to 70 or higher?   

What mediums did the artists use for plein air painting? Some people painted with pastels, some with watercolor, some used oils, others acrylics, and others a form of watercolor/gouache mixture.   

Did the plein air painters all paint the same thing? Many of us captured the soon to be demolished bridge in its entirety, and others chose to face the other direction, painting the Davenport skyline.  Others focused on one tree with a bit of the water's edge, while others focused on the bikers coming down the bike path.  A few other painters focused on the underside of the bridge and the way the light and shadows danced over the pilings and green metal structure. 

Each piece created was unique to the artist not only for the point of view captured, but the styling of the painting, the tools used to apply the paint,  the types of brushstrokes used, and the colors chosen to capture what they thought was most intriguing about their scene of choice.        

My inner dialog as I worked while a homeless woman slept on top of the picnic table in the gazebo behind me, " Where is she from?  I wonder how old she is?  She looks so young, 30 maybe?  Does she have a family?  Are her parents worried about her?  How did she get to this point?  Is she on drugs?  Why is she sleeping during the day?  Is it because she stays up all night to protect herself?  What should I do?  If I give her cash, will she just buy drugs with it?  Why is she still wearing a sweatshirt when it is warm out?  Why does she burp so loudly and act surprised and ever so politely say, 'Oh, EXCUSE ME!'   Wait, that's what I do sometimes!  So who am I to judge!  I wish she would leave.  She's making me feel uncomfortable.  I guess it's just as much her right to be here as it is mine!  Ugh, I wish I could help her!  

When we suggested that the Quad Cities has lots of shelters, she told us she wasn't planning on being here for very long. Where is she going?  I gave her my trail mix and some chips.  At least she got a few bites of food.  Maybe I should have ordered her a sandwich from Jimmy Johns when I ordered mine!  Ugh, I feel like such a horrible person because I don't know how to help her!  What is the right thing to do?  Why does she get up and walk away and come back so many times?  Why does she randomly laugh?  Does she have a mental illness that could be treated with proper medication?  

My friend Sara's line, 'There's no such thing as other people's children.' keeps running through my mind, but I don't know what to do!  I think I just saw her roll up some kind of white paper while facing away from me when I got up to look at my painting from far away.  What is that?  She looked really paranoid when she saw me catching a glimpse of what she was doing.  I wish I knew what to do!  I don't think it was marijuana.  She never smoked anything, but she did have a pack of cigarettes.  I am so ignorant when it comes to stuff like this. 

God please watch over this woman and bring her home to a place where she feels loved and feels like she belongs and wants to work things out.  Maybe I should offer her a canvas to paint on?  I wonder what she would say if I did?  Maybe art would inspire her to make a change?  I hope she survives this difficult phase of her life.  Maybe I should tell her that the Abbey right up the hill, is a rehab facility.  What if I offend her and she goes off on me?  "