At Rocheport Plein Air, painters work at pace to produce works capturing the shifts in light and shadow. The three-day event provides ample opportunity to paint in a wide range of scenic outposts while interacting with passersby.
Aspiring and established artists alike will converge upon mid-Missouri for three days of outdoor inspiration. Columbia Art League’s Rocheport Plein Air, to be held Sept. 12 – 14, places painters in such scenic vistas as the Katy Trail, the Missouri River, the lavender fields of Lookout Farm, Les Bourgeois Vineyards, and historic Rocheport.
Columbia Art League Executive Director Kelsey Hammond said one of the goals is to create something fun for artists already working en plein air and also to inspire artists who might be trying the technique for the first time.
“Our mission is to help artists wherever they are along their paths,” Hammond says.
Simply put, plein-air painting means painting outdoors. This practice became popular in the 1800s, when oil paints packaged in tubes became available. Prior to this development, artists had to mix their own paints from pigments, which meant they were largely confined to their studios. The new paints offered portability, and more artists started to take their craft outside.
Hammond says the goal of painting en plein air is to capture the qualities of light and shadow across a landscape in a particular moment in time. Often, this is a dynamic process characterized by looser brush strokes and softer forms.
“A lot of times you’re working quicker than you would in a studio,” Hammond says. “You can’t come back to it much later because the rule is you are making it out in the world. You’re not touching things up back in the studio. You’re not working from reference photos.”
Rocheport, Hammond says, lends itself especially well to this style of painting thanks to its abundance of beautiful outposts. But there’s also the convivial nature of the town, which gets a lot of foot and bicycle traffic due to its spot on the Katy Trail and charming Main Street area. It’s only natural that passersby will strike up conversations with the artists they encounter. And these interactions are another element that can’t be recreated in the studio.
“That’s part of the plein air experience,” Hammond says. “They can expect to talk about their work and getting their name out there. When people hear artists talk about what they do, they’re invested.”
In addition to the opportunities the event creates for participating painters, there’s plenty for non-artists to enjoy as well. Artist Marilyn Cummins will lead a workshop on watercolor painting, which might just be encouragement some need to try plein-air painting for themselves. Another artist, Hope Martin, will lead a nature sketching workshop. There also will be a workshop on cyanotype photo processing—a project even the youngest child can enjoy.
On the final day of the event, there will be a VIP Sneak Peek cocktail reception, during which ticket holders can enjoy some sips and snacks while viewing works created over the past three days, chatting with the artists, and, should something strike their fancy, get a “sold” sticker stuck under it before the free awards reception opens.
Artists interested have until Aug. 28, 2024 to register. Registration also is required to attend the workshops.
All photos courtesy of Columbia Art League
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