2023 plein air artists
ARTISTS ARE LISTED IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER BY LAST NAME
Please scroll down to see all artists
Sandy Ackerman
I grew up in a small town on the Mississippi River in Minnesota, spending most days in the fields and woods and on the banks of the river.
This gave me a great appreciation of the outdoors. I never really wanted to be anything other than an artist and studied drawing and painting at the University of Minnesota, the College of Art and Design, Eastern Michigan University and continued to take classes and attend workshops whenever I could. Several years ago, I began painting the landscape on location with other plein air painters. I felt this was the perfect way to combine my love of the woods and rivers with my love of art and I have never looked back. I belong to several Plein Air painting groups and spend summers traveling and painting in Plein Air events. My goal is to bring a bit of the beauty and harmony I find in nature back to the viewer in my paintings.
My paintings can be viewed online at www.sandrasackerman.com
Instagram at Ackerman.sandy
Facebook.
You can contact me through my website or at sandysackerman@gmail.com
Lynn Anderson
Lynn is a contemporary impressionist painter from Grand Rapids. Summer becomes a busy time of painting in native preserve areas and at the beach. It is a wonderful excuse to be outdoor however I do prefer to paint on sunny days with strong shadows and color highlights.
Judith Brunko
I have been painting in oils for 25 years. I studied art at the Art Student’s League in New York City with renowned artist, Harvey Dinnerstein. In Colorado I studied with the great artist, Quang Ho. I attended Rocky Mountain School of Art and studied with Kim English.
I often paint in studio but my love of painting from life” en Plein Air”. Capturing the beauty of the outdoors is my joy. I paint with a loose, flowing painterly approach in my art.
I have participated in many shows including:
Oil Painters of America, Western Regional Show, 2018, 2021
Glen Arbor Plein Air, 2022
Leland Plein Air, 2023
Colorado Plein Air Artists, 2017, 2018, 2019
Georgetown Plein Air, 2019, 2021
Instagram: judithbrunko
Kurt Bullock
Nature has always been central to my life, but to now portray nature on a linen panel with oils and brushes produces a deeper understanding of—and more pressing concern for—the environment we humans so often take for granted and seek to dominate. Currently entering my third year of painting, my ambition is to better articulate this tension: to be ever more fearless, energetic and playful in my brushwork, and so avoid patently earnest yet encumbered depictions of the world. When I hold a paint brush in my hand, I intend to engender an expressive interpretation of the natural wonderland that surrounds and suffuses me—a visual rendering that is genuine though intuited, representative though abstracted.
Mary Ann Challa
Mary Ann is a lifelong Michigan artist who paints in oils, acrylics and watercolor. Her style, while representational, reflects her unique approach to the interplay between color and light.
Inspired by nature in all its forms, Mary Ann has taught classes and conducted art workshops at Aquinas College in East Grand Rapids, Stonecliffe on Mackinac Island, Abaco Island in the Bahamas, and Ocean Point, Maine.
Interpreting the many aspects of light and movement through plein air painting is exciting for Mary Ann. She enjoys being surrounded by nature, using the environmental elements of landscape to inspire and continually improve her technique and the interplay of light, shadow, and shape.
Mary Ann earned the Bachelor of Fine Arts from Aquinas College, and has taught arts education for Grand Rapids Public Schools and Goodwillie Environmental School in Ada, Michigan.
Brenda J Clark
Brenda is a full-time artist and owner of the Brenda J. Clark Gallery. The gallery was established in 2003 and represents only her artwork.
Clark is recognized for her bold individual feel for a scene that will challenge you. Her brilliant colors exist not to copy an appearance, but to reveal a meaning. Subtle undertones and rich textures make you pause and study. Paintings are acrylic on paper, wood and canvas in all sizes. Her paintings begin and end on-location (outside) 99% of the time. She has always been a plain-air painter.
Previously, Clark taught within the Department of Art at Michigan State University from 1989 -1999. She received a Bachelor of Arts in 1984 from Truman State University, Kirksville, Missouri, and a Master of Fine Arts in 1989 from Kent State University in Kent, Ohio. She resides in Leland, Michigan with her spouse and daughters. She was born and raised in northeast Missouri.
Kat Dakota
I pursued a creative track throughout my life, but it wasn’t until my late 50’s I discovered painting as my passion.
I aspire to paint loosely, wet into wet, to capture “what matters” – spirit, a feeling or memory. This desire creates challenges and frustrations – feelings I now gratefully accept. After all, my silent inner soul wants an audible external voice. And it wants to be heard through paint strokes. No wonder it’s art “work”. But it’s also a process that rewards.
My inspiration comes from God’s creative compositions and the grateful and giving people who surround me.
I’m not seeking a “style”, but I hope you recognize my work through my exploration and ability to create art that “speaks”.
Carolyn Damstra
Carolyn is a Okemos-based painter working primarily in acrylics, and also explores oils and watercolors. She travels frequently, especially to the Leelanau Peninsula, seeking inspiration and the perfect spot to set up her easel. “It is an ongoing act of courage to paint; to not be afraid to load a brush and trust your intuition and experience to guide the outcome. Plein air painting is the ultimate meditative experience of living in the moment for me. It is exciting to hold this conversation between nature and pigment, flow and vibration, and share it with others. My art is inspired by my frequent practice of walking outdoors. This is a meditative, healing practice for me. A Japanese practice called forest bathing, or shinrin-yoku, is about connecting with nature through our senses. Shinrin-yoku bridges the gap between us and the natural world. I welcome viewers to walk through my art in a similar way.”
Carolyn has participated in numerous solo and juried state and regional exhibitions, holds several plein air painting competition awards, and was selected as an Artist in Residence at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. Recently, several of her paintings have traveled internationally as part of the Art In Embassies Program, U.S. Department of State, to Fiji, Serbia, and Belgium. She holds a BFA in studio art and an MA in art history, both from Michigan State University.
Visit her website at www.carolyndamstra.com and on Insta @carolyndamstraart
Martha Elchert
Martha is a local watercolor artist who paints both in studio and Plein Air, although she is happiest when painting on location. Martha finds Plein Air to be the perfect pairing of her passion for watercolor and her love of the outdoors. She says that a Plein Air painting is more than just visual art. It captures a moment and is influenced by all the artists senses.
Martha Elchert is the recipient of many awards for her paintings. Her watercolors are held in public and private collections throughout the United States. Martha is a signature member of the New Mexico Watercolor Society.
FB Martha Elchert Fine Art
Tracy Goll
I have always enjoyed the out of doors, travelling to remote locales of beauty that fire my imagination.
I'm a Michigan based painter, mostly painting with oil or acrylic. After retirement I started taking classes at Flint Institute of Art with Jim Ames and Tim Widener. I became totally hooked on learning techniques and painting everywhere.
Plein Air painting gives me a treasure trove of breathtaking scenic places to capture with my brush and paint.
I'm excited to be a first time participant in Northport's Plein Air Paint Out. The beautiful peninsula and company of many accomplished artists is truly inspiring. I can't wait to share my artwork with our viewers.
Bonnie Gonzales
From the moment that first stroke of color makes contact with paper, I am enraptured. As a child, spending summers on Glen Lake in northern Michigan, the dazzling shades of blue water showcasing this idyllic setting etched a permanent place in heart. As a landscape artist, whether en plein air or in the studio, the brilliance of pastels allows me to capture the love of my surroundings while expressing myself without boundaries. The rapidly changing light that occurs while painting on location challenges me to work loosely at the easel and has strongly influenced my style...which I find most satisfying.
Mary Guntzviller
Mary is well known for her transparent watercolor paintings, Mary also forays into oil and acrylic, fabric, sculpture, and resin. She has been published in Quilting arts Magazine, has illustrated a children’s book, and won many awards.
An instructor since 1993, Mary’s primary goal is to instill self-confidence in her students. Her classes are filled with humor, interaction, and demonstrations.
F. Susan Harrison
I retired early from a job in airport management 25 years ago. Only then did my husband and I discover Leelanau County and all its beauty.
This eventually led me to try bringing some of that beauty to a canvas. I am VERY new to plein air painting but love painting outdoor scenes in Leelanau. I’m excited about putting my “skills” to test with a timeline. I paint with acrylics so that should help.
Debra Howard
Debra has been an artist and adventurer her entire life. She spent her childhood in Miami, Florida, where she first discovered her love an air with color, light, painting, and sailing. She studied at Ringling School of Art in Sarasota, and began her art career in San Francisco, where she opened her first illustration studio. After 17 years as a successful illustrator, she closed her studio to concentrate on fine art painting. “I realized that the career I had found so satisfying was being taken over by the computer. I missed the feel of the brush on canvas.
In response, she provisioned her Peterson 44 sailboat with art supplies, her old dog and her 4 year old daughter and began cruising. After almost 27 years of travelling, sailing and painting aboard, Ling Ling, she has come ashore and has turned her creative focus to painting the Eastern Shore and the Leelanau and Old Mission Peninsula in northern Michigan.
Her introduction to the Eastern Shore came by way of Tangier Island. A tiny, remote island in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay. She lived there for 3 years, as the artist-in-residence and then as the Executive Director for the Tangier History Museum. She accomplished the task of painting a painting a day to document the seasons and changes on this disappearing island. Her work was featured in The American Scholar Magazine. The experience changed her; “I paint now with more energy, passion and immediacy,” Howard says, “which coincidentally reflect the very nature of the island. The island is raw.”
After years of travelling and painting from a sailboat she switched from sailing to camping. “I now travel from April to November exploring and participating in Plein Air events in my little RV trailer with emphasis on northern Michigan.
Debra has been juried into (and won) Plein Air competitions in Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, Michigan, Maine, Georgia, Delaware, New Jersey, Tennessee, Indiana, Texas, Louisiana and Virginia, including prestigious events such as Easton Plein Air, Paint Annapolis, en Plein Air Texas and Bath County Plein Air. She is a Signature Member of the Mid-Atlantic Plein Air Painters Association (MAPAPA), Northport Arts Association, Glen Arbor Art Association, Crooked Tree Arts Center and the Somerset County Arts Council.
Artist-in-Residence for: Tangier Island, VA, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Big Cypress National Preserve, Everglades, Florida and the South Carolina State Parks..
Her work as been featured in the American Scholar Magazine and Plein Air Magazine as well as numerous newspaper articles. She travels through the year, pulling a small RV trailer, competing in plein air competitions around the country and offering art workshops and artists talks.
Logan Hudson
I’m a representational painter working in Northern Michigan, who started painting professionally in 2020. My work consists of primarily oil paintings and drawings of the Midwest. I have found beauty in the simple and seemingly ever evolving elements of this region, both in the landscape and people. Much of my experience comes from plein air painting and working from life. My aim is to represent reality in the most concise and compelling way I can. The result is often a gesture of what I’m seeing.
My work can be viewed at loganhudson.org
Instagram: loganhudsonart
Phone: (231) 493-2260
Email: loganhudsonart@gmail.com
Michelle Jahraus
I am Michelle Jahraus, an artist in love with the Leelanau Peninsula, all of Northern Michigan, and beaches, shorelines, and water everywhere! Plein Air painting, (painting outdoors, in the landscape or beachscape) fuels my brushes and easel for painting on location or back in my studio. My paintings capture the soul of this peninsula and beyond so that my audience can connect with it, love it, or recapture their own special memories.
I am inspired to share the spirit of Leelanau with others. As a fifth generation year round resident, I am influenced by the coastal and rural lifestyles, work ethic, the seasonal challenges, and most of all, the awesome natural beauty. I began early, sharing images with crayons, and later earned a double major in art and geology at Wheaton College, IL. which enabled me to understand and portray land and seascapes. Still learning, growing and always painting, I invite you to join me on my painting journey of our beautiful peninsula.
Victoria Jendretzke
Born 1971 in Fort Walton Beach, FL. Received a BFA in Ceramics and Industrial Design from the University of Michigan Art School. Earned a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction with a specialization in Children’s Literature from Pennsylvania State. Worked as an elementary art teacher in Plymouth-Canton Public Schools in Michigan for 10 years. Also worked as a Customer Services Manager at The Headley Whitney Museum in Lexington, KY. Worked as a substitute teacher at both the HS and MS level for the Issaquah Public School district in WA. Currently she is pursuing painting as the next chapter in her career.
She paints a wide variety of subjects including florals, landscapes, portraits and abstracts. No matter what her subject color plays a strong role in her work. Her most recent work is primarily acrylic abstract paintings based on photos from her travels and color theory. Frank Stella, Fran O’Neill and Yong Hong Zhong are her main influences. Her work has been exhibited in shows in KY, WA and MI. including the University of Kentucky Arboretum exhibit, the Seattle Artists League’s Salish Sea exhibit, Northwest Watercolor Society’s Waterworks exhibit, Plein Air Washington Artists Little Gems show, Michigan’s 75th and 76th Annual Watercolor Exhibits, the Women’s Caucus for Art Michigan Seeds of Change and Resilience and Grosse Point Art Association Follow the Thread Exhibitions.
I love plein air because being out in nature is meditative and brings me joy. My brain loves drawing the contours of trees, mountains, and flowers. The colors in nature are dazzling and a photo still doesn’t quite capture that level of beauty. The changing light, bugs and weather make it a challenge but the camaraderie of other artist and the joy of seeing what they choose to paint make it all worthwhile.
FB Victoria Jendretzke
Instagram Vjendretzk
Kathleen Kalinowski
Kathleen is a contemporary impressionist painter captivated by the light, atmosphere and colors of the landscape. She is passionate about painting directly from nature, en plein air, fully immersed while interpreting the beauty that speaks to her. Kathleen’s plein air work informs her studio paintings aiding in the memory of creating the poetry of place and time. Her award winning work in oil and pastel has been accepted into regional and national juried exhibitions, and numerous gallery and solo exhibits through the past thirty years of her career. She is honored to be represented by three Michigan galleries.
Website: KathleenKalinowski.com
Instagram: kathleenkalinowski
FB: Kalinowski Fine Art
Judy Kelly
I love the challenge of being outdoors and capturing a fleeting moment in time in my paintings. My inspiration comes from the beauty of the landscape. My favorite subjects are old farms and rural landscapes. I enjoy working in a variety of mediums and appreciate the complexities of laying out and executing a painting while outdoors. Equally, I paint for the pleasure people experience when viewing my work.
Website: https://www.judykellystudio.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/judykellystudio
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/judy.novak.kelly/
Jessica Kovan
Jessica is a mixed media artist and educator. Her art is characterized as thoughtful, storytelling and layered. Drawing inspiration from the world around her, she explores the intersection of art, nature, the environment, and human decision making.
Drawn to working in mixed media and collage, her paintbrush, scissors and glue become tools for seeing and understanding.
Jessica is a signature member of the International Society of Experimental Artists (ISEA) and the International Society of Acrylic Painters.
website: jessicakovan.com
Dolores Ladd
Dolore’s love to do anything creative led her to begin studying and participating in art. The process of creating art allows you to look at many things from a different perspective. Once you have developed the “artists eye” you never really look at the world in the same way. As one of my teachers put it “there are twice as many things to look at”. Plein Air is equally thrilling and terrifying as there is limited time and no do overs.
dolores.ladd61@gmail.com
Instagram: Dolores Giza Ladd Art @doloresgizaladd
Brant MacLean
I am retired now and live in Detroit with my wife, Marcella. I have been painting for about 25 years now, starting with some community art classes and painting from a model in the 1990s. Later I started painting with the Michigan Plein Air Painters, which really gave fuel to the fire. Plein air painting, and painting consistently with a plein air group has helped me in a big way to become a better painter. My studio paintings are freqently better than my plein-airs because I have the time to analyze and work on my ideas, but the ideas often come from my experiences painting “en plein air.” And the plein air paintings often have a feeling of freshness that is hard to duplicate in a studio. I have learned from painting plein air the differences between photos and painting from life, the things that photos can never capture, and the problems with painting from photos (extremely valuable). I've been forced to find beauty in things that I would not have noticed before, and I've discovered whole new categories of subject matter by painting next to other artists. Plein air painting has improved and maintained my drawing skills, since you have a 2-3 hour window to complete a painting. And did I mention it is fun? It's a challenge for sure, but I can't count the times I have come away with a deep feeling of contentment and pride in capturing something beautiful.
Mark Mahaffey
Internationally recognized artist Mark E Mehaffey is a signature member of the American Watercolor Society; Dolphin Fellow, the National Watercolor Society, Watercolor USA Honor Society, the Transparent Watercolor Society of America; Signature Life Member - and Distinguished Master, Watercolor West, the Rocky Mountain Watermedia Society, the Louisiana Watercolor Society; Signature Life Member, the International Society of Experimental Artists, Signature Life Member and the International Society of Acrylic Painters among others.
Mehaffey has won major awards in juried exhibitions internationally including the Silver Medal of Honor (twice) and the Arches Paper Co Award from the American Watercolor Society, the Beverly Green Memorial Purchase Award from the National Watercolor Society, M. Grumbacher Gold Medal from Allied Artists of America, the Skyledge Award from TWSA, Biennial Award from the 2010 Shanghai Zhoujiajiao International Biennial Watercolor Exhibition, Best of Show from the San Diego Watercolor Society and guest artist for the Salon De L’Aquarelle 2015, Antwerp, Belgium. In 2016 Mark was honored with the new designation of ‘Distinguished Master’ by the Transparent Watercolor Society of America for having over 20 total paintings accepted.
He wrote “Creative Watercolor Workshop”, published in 2005 and it was rereleased as “Creative Watercolor and Acrylic Workshop” in 2013 published by Northlight Publishing. Mark’s latest book, ‘En Plein Air Acrylic’, Walter Foster Publisher was released in 2019. Mark has also created twelve instructional videos. He has appeared in many publications. He was featured in “Masters of Watercolor” written by Konstantin Sterkhov and “Inspirations & Technical Breakthroughs: Secrets from the Contemporary International Watercolor Masters Volume 1” written by Zhou Tianya & Ruan Hoe.
Mehaffey’s paintings are included in corporate public and private collections including Blue Cross Blue Shield and The Arches Paper Co., USA. In 2018 Mark was invited to participate in the International Watercolor Masters Exhibition in Weston Park England. His work is included in the permanent collections of transparent watercolors at the Neville Public Museum, Green Bay, Wisconsin, the Muskegon Museum of Art, Muskegon, Michigan, the National Watercolor Museum of Mexico City, Mexico City, Mexico, Quanhua Watercolor Art Gallery, Zhoujiajiao, China and the Dachong Art Gallery, Zhongshan, China.
Mark is a popular juror, workshop instructor and lecturer.
Tami Maisel
When I enter a plein air paint out such as Northport, it’s all about the challenge. There is limited time to think (much less paint), limited supplies you can carry or manage outdoors, and absolutely no control over the weather.
For me, the goal is to represent a scene, not duplicate it. I search for the magic balance which conveys mood and atmosphere but still leaves the story unfinished.
Dan Malski
Creative Designer and Illustrator.
I possess a BFA in Industrial Design and post graduate studies in Transportation Design.
Professionally, I have worked as an Industrial Designer, an Interior Architectural Designer and a Transportation Designer.
Semi-retired but still in private practice, Malski Industrial Design, llc, I provide Creative Design Services. In my free-time, I enjoy Plein Air Painting, cooking, working on my residence, making furniture, working on the “motor pool” including 15’ boat, . . .
Kim Kwaz Mckerracher RN
Kim has been a nurse for over 40 years She took up painting and drawing to help deal with the stress of deaths and burnout “Painting nature and people can bring beauty into our lives To experience God’s creation through quiet reflection with painting, is peaceful and healing to my spirit.” Kim uses layers of oil over acrylic with a palette knife to make her unique creations
KimKwaz.weebly.com
Justin Millard
Born and raised here in Northport, I’ve been an artist for as long as I can remember. I started out with pencil drawings and in 2009 started to paint with gouache and more recently oils. Painting with oils has been a truly humbling experience and at the same time so very exciting. I’m lucky to live in such an amazing area with so many truly impressive artists!
Stefanie Moran
Stefanie resides in Brimley, Michigan. She has been creating art for much of her life and enjoys dabbling in a variety of mediums. She received her BAA in Art with a Design/Graphic Design concentration from Central Michigan University. Stefanie is a member of the Oil Painters of America and in 2022 she collaborated with a fellow artist to form EUPPA, a plein air painting group for artists in her area.
Plein air painting has enhanced the way Stefanie views the world and has it improved her studio painting. Whether she is in front of a canvas or a passenger in a car, she is studying the interplay of light, color, and texture of the landscape around her. Stefanie’s plein air journey has taken her to breathtaking locations from rugged coastlines to majestic mountains and forests. Her goal is to transport viewers into the heart of her travels and to capture the fleeting beauty of each moment.
http://www.stefaniemoran.com
http://www.facebook.com/stefaniemoranfineart
www.instagram.com/stefaniemoranfineart
Sue Quinlan
There is so much joy in plein aire painting - being outside while creating art in such a beautiful locale. The Leelanau peninsula is located on the 45th parallel, which means that artists here are experiencing the same wonderful light as the Impressionists did when they painted in the south of France. We are surrounded by colorful waters, rolling hills, sand dunes, beaches and glorious trees. No artist could ask for more and I’m very grateful to live and create here.
Barbara Reich
Barbara Reich paints a variety of subject matter, but her first love is landscape. Early instruction instilled in Barbara the intense desire to draw better, paint color with more emotion, and always hunt and study the changing light. With her keen appreciation of the natural world, along with many years spent working on location, Barbara’s insight into the geographical subtleties that characterize Northern Michigan helps her to convey what is truly essential…its spirit.
Website: https://barbarareich.com
Email : barbreich@barbarareichstudio.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100011446667340
Stephanie Schlatter
I am a storyteller, telling the stories of the land, the people and the places that resonate in my soul — and, perhaps, in yours, as well. The brush is my pen; the canvas is my page; the finished images are moments and memories frozen in time for you. I invite you to come along with me as we enjoy the vibrant, beautiful destination we call home – Michigan. Let us cherish the journey that takes us there and use paint to preserve the joy it inspires!
Deborah Schlosser
Plein air painting to me combines three things one's Spirit requires, Nature, Creativity and Community. Painting frees your mind and soul, I am grateful for the opportunity to be challenged and to receive and bring joy.
Robin Sorquist
Robin is an artist who works with multiple mediums and is currently focusing on painting en plein air. She loves creating and showing the beauty of God’s world through her artwork. Each painting captures a moment that is unique to that day and time. This way of painting challenges the artist to adapt to the ever changing world around her.
Michael Tavares
I've been painting for most of my adult life. After attending Henry Ford Community College studying art and design l ended up with a career driving delivery for UPS for 40 years. I did keep painting all along. After I retired from UPS I discovered plein air painting and fell in love with it. I've been a member of the Michigan Plein Air Painters for 7 years now and participate in many plein air events. This event being one of my favorites . Please enjoy the art!
Paul Tibedeau
Plein Air painting has been a life-changing event for me. It has introduced me to a whole new group of friends and fellow artists that love the outdoors. There is nothing that can compare to having your easel set up and creating a piece of art in whatever medium you enjoy in plein air. The colors, the smells, the sounds and friends are all part of being a plein air painter. I am always looking for a shimmer of light or an explosion of color somewhere in my composition and hopefully record the moment before the sun changes my inspiration. But that is the fun of being a plein air painter!
My social media contact information is: tibedeauart@gmail.com
Judith Tummino
Judith has spent the last 40 years painting the coasts of Maryland, Michigan and the beautiful landscapes of Italy. Her work is included in collections such as the Dennos Museum Center, the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts and Grand Valley State. Her love of painting continues on as she attempts to capture the essence of the moment.
website JudithTumminoArt.com
Barb Valentine
I spent 10 years with watercolor, then experimental painting. I finally came back to oils, which I began with during my teens. After studying with several well known artists, I settled on the Cape Cod method of Henry Hensche. Hence, plein air and painting from life. I am more inspired when I see what I am painting. I can also make creative changes, to offer my own reality.
I graduated from the University of Michigan and earned a master's degree from MSU, raised a family and spent many years in education as an administrator. After retiring I took up gardening, then painting.
Visit my website to see more art. barbvalentine.com
Adam VanHouten
Adam is a professional artist who has years of experience teaching as a visual art instructor, painting workshops, and as an adjunct painting instructor at Northwestern Michigan College. VanHouten received his Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Painting and Art Education from Western Michigan University and a Masters in Education from Michigan State University. His paintings are in both oils and watercolor and have a unique impressionistic style reflecting scenes of Northern Michigan. “Plein Air painting is the most challenging form of painting as you have to adapt and adjust to every circumstance. However, it has provided me with the most growth as an artist…I love being able to paint with my feet in the water, hearing the nearby sounds of birds, and the occasional wave hitting the shoreline. It is all of this sensory information that comes through in my final artwork.”
https://www.adamvanhoutenartist.com/
https://www.instagram.com/bluehomeartist/
https://www.facebook.com/adamvanhoutenartist/
Jenny Vaughn
I’m excited to be participating in the 2023 Northport Plein Air Paint Out for the first time! I am a watercolor artist and life-long Michigander who is very happy to be spending some time in beautiful Northport for this event. The amazing beauty of Michigan’s outdoor spaces caused me to fall in love with watercolor many years ago. I love how the layers and transparency of watercolor lends itself to landscapes and shorelines.
At home in Trenton, I paint in my studio and along side other local plein air painters who inspire me. Two years ago I founded a non-profit Artist in Residence Program created in memory of my son, Jordan. The program was created to honor his memory and continue his artistic legacy. The vision of the program is to promote and strengthen a diverse culture of art in the community by fostering a creative, supporting environment for local adult emerging artists to develop new work and creatively explore new ideas in a safe and inclusive environment. All proceeds from the sale of my art helps fund this program and continues to inspire me.
jvaughn5@yahoo.com
@jennyvaughn34
https://www.teadoneartistinresidenceprogram.com/
Neil Walling
I have been painting most of my life but I discovered plein aire painting about 20 years ago. Since that time I’ve done roughly 500 paintings in locations from France and Ireland to Mexico, Maine, Arizona, Florida and, of course, here on the Leelanau peninsula.
Painting on site can be the most challenging way of creating art. Temperature, wind, bugs and ever changing lighting are a few of the challenges an artist faces when painting outside, but it teaches observation, drawing and speed. It makes an artist learn to paint only what is important to telling the story in an interesting way.
Gene Rantz was a great plein aire artist and I’m honored to be able to participate in this event that is named for him.
David Westerfield
Michigan resident David Westerfield was a career graphic designer and illustrator. He now pursues his love of painting both in the studio and on location, regularly traveling to favorite spots in Michigan, California, Florida, and Hawaii.
www.westerfieldstudio.com
www.facebook.com/david.westerfield
www.instagram.com/davidwesterfield
david@westerfieldstudio.com
Pamela Wilburn
As an Artist, Mother Nature usually provides me with all the inspiration I need; with her ever changing subtleties and unbridled fury. I find a need to share the essence of these experiences through impressionistic landscapes. Watercolor is my preferred medium because of its luminosity, transparency and unpredictable nature. Painting en plein air is my preference as it puts me in the center of the swirling elements and atmosphere. My mind sees more clearly and I become one with the surroundings that I am painting. When Michigan weather prohibits outdoor painting, I retreat to my studio.
I hold a bachelors degree in Art Education and have spent many years as a graphic artist and an art educator, before becoming a full time artist. I belong to several watercolor organizations and have signature status in the Michigan Water Color Society and the International Society of Experimental Artists.
PamelaWilburn.com
Facebook: Pamela Wilburn
Tom Woodruff
Tom is fascinated with the creative process. He’s explored many different mediums and made a career of some. As a painter, Children’s Book Illustrator, stained glass artist and Teaching Artist, he has been delighted to share his love of Michigan and the Great Lakes Region with students and teachers throughout the state.
This is his fourth year participating in the Plein Air Paint Out.
Thanks to his many friends in the field he has found a love for oils and Plein Air, and looks forward to years of growth and friendship.
Cynthia Yates
Cynthia seeks to record the natural beauty in Michigan and nearby states, often focusing on this region's fascinating waterways, flora, fauna and accompanying built environment. Her plein air paintings primarily are done in her life long painting medium, water color, or occasionally in oils. In addition to plein air painting events, she exhibits with Great Lakes Plein Air Painters Association, Michigan Water Color Society, and local juried shows such as those at Lawrence Street Gallery in Ferndale, and at the Birmingham Community House's Our Town exhibit.
Lisa Marie Yontz
Plein air painting allows freedom from overthinking while demanding forward progress. Both the art and the artist are infused with energy. I endeavor to be inspired by nature to create a painting I love whether abstract or traditional. This is why I enjoy plein air.
Angela Zybel
Angela is an award-winning artist in en plein air and blogging and the first artist to win a Professional Development Mini-grant through the MCACA. I have 2 B.A.’s from Michigan State University in General Business and Advertising and continued my art education through Oakland Community College and the Flint Institute of Arts.
Not only do I love being outdoors and surrounding myself with the therapeutic effects of nature, but I also feel like I really accomplished something with painting in the environment.
My work has been published multiple times.
See more about my work at www.angelazybell.com