Author Archives: pleinaircortland

Local painter and instructor David Beale has been doing online classes and outdoor plein air sessions this summer. We work together in his frame shop and teach workshops together. I decided to join the group a couple times this summer. At the end of July I joined the group at one of the painter’s homesContinue reading “Ames Road”

On Father’s Day my little family drove down to Hoxie Gorge to spend the afternoon. I had been hiking here a few times and it was suggested as a painting spot by Jim Weiss. I chose a small watercolor pad, 8×8 hot press, in order to travel light. I knew I needed to pack lightContinue reading “Hoxie Gorge”

Every weekend we take a walk through campus and up through Cortland Rural Cemetery. On Saturday, June 6th my husband and son dropped me off under the shade of a white oak to do some painting. Cortland Rural Cemetery is a little gem in the middle of the city! Covering 50 acres off of TompkinsContinue reading “Cortland Rural Cemetery”

Saturday was beautiful so I took my paints and trekked out to the end of my street. It ends at the waterworks in the city of Cortland. It was my first plein air outing of 2020 (really, my first outing since our Ireland workshop in May 2019.) I broke some rules right away. I didn’tContinue reading “Melvin Ave Plein Air”

I am looking for locations to paint this summer around Cortland County. There are so many parts of the county I am unfamiliar with and would love some recommendations! The goal is to paint 5 large plein air watercolors in rural parts of Cortland. The public will be invited to attend the sessions. I willContinue reading “Call for Locations!”

I am a watercolor painter and workshop instructor based in Cortland, NY. For 2020 I was awarded an Individual Artist Grant to create plein air paintings and programing during the summer and fall. The grant is from CNY Arts through the NYSCA DEC Grant Program. Plein Air Cortland is a series of painting demos, aContinue reading “An Individual Artist Grant”

Plein Air, or “en plein air” is a French phrase meaning to paint outside. Though the idea of painting outside wasn’t a new one, it became popular in the mid 19th century – most likely connected to the invention of paint tubes and box easels! Plein Air painting was very popular with the French Impressionists.Continue reading “What is Plein Air?”