The Great Adirondack Paint-Out

Perspectives from The Artist's Road

I’ve just returned from an amazing painting event sponsored by Plein Air Magazine. Eighty-seven plein air painters from all over the United States gathered for a week of painting in Adirondack Park in upstate New York - perhaps the largest gathering of plein air painters anywhere, anytime. There was no competition, no art auction or official exhibition, just a gathering of kindred spirits all bent on the single purpose of painting Nature together while sharing our experiences with each other. It was important, I believe, that there was no competition attached to this event. This rare situation allowed us to truly relax with each other and with our working processes. The collegial atmosphere created a space for fun and camaraderie and a jolly adult-camp attitude soon developed which pervaded all the week’s activities.

Eric Rhoads and his staff at Plein Air went all-out in providing us a wide variety of well-researched painting locations, a complete itinerary and illustrated maps with d…