BRATTLEBORO — Love to work outside in the summer? Join a small group of artists to paint in the plein air tradition - in the open air.
In the spectacular summer beauty of the Vermont countryside, River Gallery School welcomes any and all levels of artists to join them at the Hilltop Montessori campus in the hills of Brattleboro for “Plein Air Landscape: Painting with Pastels Oils” with Helen Schmidt.
Amidst Hilltop's quaint pond, rolling hills, fields, budding wildflowers, and buildings, artists have to opportunity to work in either pastels or oils with one-on-one instruction, open work time, and the inspiration of the out of doors.
Since the advent of paint tubes and portable easels, people have been painting in this plein air fashion, also called peinture sur le motif or painting what the eye actually sees.
Painting outdoors reached a height of popularity within the emergence of the 19th century Impressionist movement. Painters such as Monet, Renior, Pissarro, Cezanne, and Van Gogh, radicals in their day, painted the passage of time in vivid and varied color while capturing the dynamic and momentary effects of shape, movement, and natural light. Impressionistic artists strove to capture the transient and fleeting moments and “impressions” the objects and scenes left on their senses.
While not all plein air painting is impressionistic, painting outside offers students of all levels and abilities the opportunity to experience the act of creation in a natural and dynamic setting.
Schmidt, a faculty member of The River Gallery School for the last 12 years, says, “Plein Air painting enables the artist to work directly from nature. There is something magical about painting outside in the natural light that allows the artist to settle into his or her surroundings and to interpret impressions in a direct and authentic way.”
The class begins Thursday, July 2 through 23, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and is open to ages 12 through adult. River Gallery School provides indoor spaces in their studios on Main Street for class in the event of rain. All materials are provided, and students are welcome to bring their own materials and easel.