JANUARY 9 – FEBRUARY 2, 2025
FAQ
Plein air is a French term meaning “in the open air.” Plein air painting is the practice of painting landscapes or scenes outdoors, capturing natural light and atmospheric conditions directly from life.
Plein air painting became popular in the 19th century with the rise of Impressionism. Artists like Claude Monet and Camille Pissarro went outdoors to capture the changing light and colors in nature, aided by the invention of portable paint tubes.
Painting outdoors allows artists to observe natural light, color, and movement in real-time. It’s a unique way to practice color mixing, learn atmospheric perspective, and develop a faster, more spontaneous painting style.
Typically, plein air painters bring:
- Portable easel or pochade box
- Canvas or paper (often smaller for portability)
- Paints (oil, watercolor, or acrylics)
- Brushes and palette knives
- Palette for mixing
- Solvents or water for cleaning
- Paper towels or rags
- Sunscreen, hat, and water to stay comfortable outdoors
The main difference is the natural setting and lighting conditions, which change quickly outdoors, requiring artists to paint faster. Plein air paintings often have a looser, impressionistic style, while studio works can be more detailed due to the controlled environment.
- Changing light: The light and shadows move quickly, so artists must work quickly.
- Weather and environment: Wind, rain, bugs, and temperature changes can all be disruptive.
- Distractions: People may stop to watch or chat, which can be challenging for focus.
- Alla prima: Often called “wet-on-wet,” this technique involves completing a painting in one session, ideal for the changing outdoor conditions.
- Layering and glazing: Some artists layer colors and use glazes to achieve depth, though time constraints may limit this approach.
- Color blocking: Quickly applying blocks of color helps in capturing the scene before the light changes.
- Start small: Use small canvases to get a feel for the pace of plein air painting.
- Observe light and shadow: Focus on capturing the direction and warmth of light.
- Stay simple: Begin with basic shapes and values before moving to details.
- Practice regularly: Consistent practice helps you adapt to painting quickly and efficiently.
Yes, plein air painting festivals and events are popular worldwide! Many, like the California Plein Air Landscape Festival organized by the Desert Plein Air Association, invite artists to paint outdoors in scenic areas, often with competitions, workshops, and exhibitions. These events celebrate the plein air tradition and allow artists to connect and learn from each other.
DIANE MOORE, Founder
Diane Moore became involved with watercolor painting in 2003 following a 30-year career as a commercial real estate broker. She moved from the Bay Area to Coachella Valley and seized the opportunity to take up drawing and painting, which has become a passion and serious journey, studying with local artists and nationally recognized workshop instructors.
Diane has traveled to many locations in Arizona, New Mexico, Southern California, and even Italy, to paint en plein air. She paints in watercolors and acrylics, sometimes combining them with ink and other watermedia. Her subjects include landscapes, seascapes, florals, western scenes, and people. She has won many awards, and her work hangs in the Coachella Valley Cultural Museum and many private collections.
Diane also emerged as a leader in the Coachella Valley art community, having served as president of Coachella Valley Watercolor Society and the historic Desert Art Center, located in Palm Springs. She founded the Desert Plein Air Association, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, with Daniel Foster, former executive director of the Riverside Art Museum and the Oceanside Museum of Art.
RICK J. DELANTY, Judge
Rick J. Delanty has been painting his native California landscapes and seascapes for more than four decades. He works in an impressionist style, en plein air and in the studio, using an exuberant calligraphy of color and brushstroke that conveys emotion and movement. He maintains a home studio and gallery in San Clemente, California.
Rick’s work has been included in invitational plein air events across the West and exhibited in museums and galleries across the nation. He has won regional, national and international awards, including finalist recognition at the 15th Art Renewal Salon competition in 2021 and the Plein Air Salon in 2016 and best of show in “The American Landscape” national exhibition in 2014, the ISAP Online Exhibition in 2013, and the Borrego Plein Air Invitational
Rick served as curator for the California Impressionism show in 2015 at the Huntington Beach Art Center, judge for the Art Muse international painting competition in 2019, and faculty for the 2019 Plein Air Convention in San Francisco.
DREW OBERJUERGE, Judge
Inland Empire native Drew Oberjuerge has served as the executive director of the Riverside Art Museum since 2012. A proponent of collaboration and community partnerships, she has led the RAM board and staff through the transformation of the 67-year-old organization, strengthening the sustainability of core programs (collections, exhibitions, art education, preservation of the historic Julia Morgan building) while embracing new art practices and establishing The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture of the Riverside Art Museum (aka The Cheech). This work resulted in RAM receiving the 2023 Museum and Library Service National Medal, the nation’s highest honor given to museums and libraries that demonstrate excellence in service to their communities.
Prior to joining the Riverside Art Museum, she was the founding director of the Art Works Gallery, a center in downtown Riverside dedicated to wellness and recovery through the arts. She previoysly worked at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum.
She holds a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Southern California’s Sol Price School of Public Policy, where she was a Dean’s Merit Scholar. She holds a bachelor of arts in Italian literature and in political science from the University of California, San Diego. She is a recipient of a 2019 61st Assembly District Woman of Distinction Award and a 2016 Riverside Arts Academy Leadership Award. She is a member of the Inland Empire Regional Leadership Academy Class of 2018 and Leadership Riverside Class of 2015.
She and her husband, Oui, have a daughter named Oona who loves art as much as her parents.
MICHEAL OBERMEYER, Judge
Southern California native Michael Obermeyer received a bachelor of fine arts in illustration at California State University, Long Beach. During a 20-year career in illustration, he created works for Disney Studios, the Anaheim Angels, McDonnell Douglas, Coldwell Banker, and the U.S. Air Force. He is equally comfortable with the landscape and the figure. Many of his paintings are in the U.S. Air Force Historical Art Collection in the Smithsonian Institute and the Pentagon.
The Laguna Plein Air Painters Association presented Michael with its Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015. He recently won the Collector’s Choice Award, Artist Choice Award, and Fine Art Connoisseur Award at the Laguna Beach Invitational Plein Air Competition, as well as the best of show at the Grand Canyon Celebration of Art and the Kern County Plein Air Festival and the gold medal at the Carmel Art Festival. His work is in the collections of Marriott Hotels and Resorts, The Irvine Company, Hoag Hospital, California State Parks, and others, including private collections.
Michael serves as the president of the prestigious California Art Club and is a Signature Member of both the California Art Club and the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association.
His paintings are currently showing at galleries in Carmel, Pasadena, Balboa Island, and Laguna Beach, where he is a regular exhibitor at the Festival of Arts.
He maintains his studio in Laguna Beach, California.
DANIEL FOSTER, Curator
Daniel Foster has been an arts and community leader for the past 35 years in the San Diego, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties. He is the former executive director of the Oceanside Museum of Art and the Riverside Art Museum and former president and CEO of the Inland Empire Community Foundation, largest public community foundation and nonprofit leader in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Additionally, Daniel has founded/co-founded seven community-based nonprofit organizations, including the North County Arts Network, Arts Connection of San Bernardino County, Inland Empire Funder’s Alliance, and ShumwayRanch.Org.
Daniel earned his bachelor of science at University of Southern California Marshall School of Business, studided art and philosophy at University of California, San Diego, earned his MFA at San Francisco Art Institute (a double degree with honors in new genres and sculpture).
He lives in Pinyon Crest, located in the Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mountains National Monument above Palm Desert.