The 15th annual Winter Plein Air painting retreat was an experience of extremes: little snow and a hard rain followed by bright sun and deep freeze gave us pristine "wild ice" on the lake. As always, the camaraderie and dedicated time to paint reinforced friendships and inspired us to come back again.

We never said it's easy. Getting there means hauling yourself across a frozen lake with your gear. A snomobile hauls the big bags and we pull sleds for the rest. This year's journey was like a chapter of a Jack London story. With no snow, we had to haul the sleds up the wood decks to the lodge. Not fun.

Our efforts were rewarded with bright sun, beautiful ice, and lots of subject matter to paint that in previous years was hidden under heaps of snow.

On Wednesday we held the world’s first Easel Race on Bearskin Lake. The rules were simple: Push your easel across the ice and once it stops, push it again until you cross the finish line. It’s actually harder than it seems.
Competition was fierce but Neil Sherman (whose runaway easel from the previous day became the brainchild of the event) prevailed with just one push – sailing his French easel handily across the goal line. He was followed in close proximity by Kurt Schulzetenberg taking silver and Janey Palmer taking the bronze.

OPM has had a busy spring filled with workshops and paint-outs around Minnesota, with more to come! Here are some photos from our paint-out on the Mississippi in Hastings after workshop with Andy Evansen, our paint-out in Saint Paul at Wet Paint, our workshop with Dan Mackerman building cigar box pochades at Art in Motion in Holdingford, and a paint-out at Charlson Meadows Renewal Center in Excelsior.

OPM was invited to have a paint-out on October 1, 2022 at The Landing, a historic site with costumed interpreters and 19th century village of buildings on the Minnesota River in Shakopee. This was great fun, with curious visitors of all ages and plenty of interesting and beautiful subject matter to paint. This could be on our regular rotation of paint-out locations, with possible event this holiday season when the village and buildings are lit and decorated based on different cultural and religious traditions of the various immigrant and indigenous community members who interacted there during the mid-19th century. Stay tuned for more info, and consider joining us on some winter paint-outs even if you're a fair weather painter.

Good afternoon Plein Air Artists,
 
City of Plymouth Parks & Recreation and myself, would like to invite you to be a part of our new fall event, “Brushes on the Boardwalk”.
 
Brushes on the Boardwalk will be a free event to the public, inviting everyone to come join us as we celebrate art and nature along our greenway space.
 
Northwest Greenway Pavilion offers picturesque views of the wetland and local wildlife. It’s also a perfect location for plein air painting with spaces available to set up along both our boardwalk and near the Pavilion space early that Sunday morning.
 
We’re hoping to include for the community viewing of your work (both as your painting, and have a small display with your contact information). I would also be able to provide a meal to those that are able to attend and interested in demonstrating their plein air painting at the event.
 
This is the first time we’re offering this event. However, I anticipate a good turnout (200-300) and will also provide free family art activities, food truck, and light music in the pavilion space from 2pm – 5pm.
 
If you would be interested in attending and painting before and during the event, please contact me by Monday, August 9th so I can ensure spacing is accommodated.
 
Thank you,
 
Alyssa Fram | Recreation Supervisor (Arts & Active Adults)
City of Plymouth
[email protected]
3400 Plymouth Boulevard
Plymouth, MN  55447
Phone: 763.509.5225 - Fax: 763.509.5207
www.plymouthmn.gov

On November 7, 2020, Neil Sherman and organizer Allison Eklund teamed up to host a Zoom workshop for members out on Artists' Point in Grand Marais, Minnesota. Using lessons learned from Mini-Workshops during Plein Air Grand Marais, we were able to combine digital tech with analog painting for an informative, interactive painting workshop. Two iPhones, two iPads, a lapel mic and industrial-strength car battery and AC charging station helped make it happen despite the chilly weather. This successful workshop bodes well for future educational and social programming as we all look for ways to stay motivated and connected during the pandemic. Stay well and keep painting, everyone!

Several months have passed, and the world has been in a state of pandemic paralysis. OPM pivoted to dual-track programming, including livestream or video conference activities for board meetings, membership meetings, and our first-ever members' workshop with both in-person and video conference participation.

Painters attending at Kami's gorgeous property near Stillwater, with her home, studio, and location of St Croix River School of Painting, overcame pandemic anxiety, excessive heat and thunderstorm warnings to be rewarded by a perfect morning workshop in the shade looking toward her subject: a giant cottonwood tree at the edge of an expansive marsh.

Many thanks to Kami and to those who attended in person and online. Now we know: We can have it all! Flexibility is key for organizations like ours during unprecedented planning challenges posed by the pandemic. We can do this.

*What is a landscape felter? Grand Marais, Minnesota artist Elise Kyllo pushed the limits in her felted wool creations, hauling dyed wool and felting needles on skis to "paint" felted wool landscapes out in the winter wilderness.

Photos from OPM's first organized painting trip to Pagosa Springs, Colorado. Some of us arrived by way of New Mexico: from Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and Edgewood, with stops at Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument, Echo Amphitheater near Ghost Ranch, and for me, plenty of horses to paint and ride. This fantastic trip filled with camaraderie, drop-dead gorgeous scenery, and painting adventures deserves to be repeated!

Every year for ten years, hardy painters from Minnesota, Wisconsin, South Dakota and Ontario have gathered at YMCA Camp Menogyn to paint the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in the heart of winter. This year was our coldest ever, with daytime temperatures as low as -34F. But the good company, good food, warm cabins and spectacular scenery more than compensated for extreme-cold painting conditions. We're already excited for next year.

Photo credit and thanks to Christopher LaForge, Poetry and Photography