Popularized by the French Impressionist painters of the nineteenth century,

plein air painting has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity world-wide. Plein air

paintings are produced on location in the open air to capture the effects of light

and color on the landscape. They are challenging as one must deal with weather

and the elements, simplifying the subject and painting quickly. They are the best

way to capture the transient effects of light and shadow in nature. For me, plein

air painting is not an end unto itself, but a way to gather information that

photographs cannot reproduce as a reference for large, more refined works in the

studio where time is not a factor.