September 9, 2018

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Festival Week starts tomorrow when the artists arrive and begin to paint! Get a preview of the events and artist demonstration schedule here, and look below for some special opportunities available to festival attendees.

BLANK CANVAS

Commission an 18 x 24 painting by your favorite artist

Choose your favorite artist
Discuss the subject matter with the artist
Hang and enjoy your beautiful painting

Please know:

Price is determined by the artist.
Painting can be vertical or horizontal.
Painting will be unframed.
Painting must be completed within one year.
Buyer pays for shipping.

40% of your purchase is a tax-deductible donation to the Sonoma Plein Air Foundation.

AVAILABLE Saturday, September 15 at the Art Show and Sale on Sonoma Plaza.

ART WITH A MASTER - an intimate painting class with Dennis Ziemienski

Enjoy a rare opportunity to paint alongside and learn from internationally renowned artist and Sonoma icon, Dennis Ziemienski. A limited number of painters will be welcomed to a beautiful home and garden in Sonoma to paint and enjoy fine wine and nibbles.

Experience hands-on, personalized instruction and learn or improve techniques
All levels of painters welcome, from beginner to expert
Bring a piece already in progress to receive guidance or begin your masterpiece on-site
Location: a beautiful private farm in Sonoma, with opportunities to paint landscape and still life. Directions will be sent to participants
Class will be held Saturday, October 20
Limited to 12 participants
$300 per person

AVAILABLE for purchase NOW on our website and on Tuesday, September 11 at Quick Draw and Saturday, September 15 at the Art Show and Sale on the Plaza.

Personalized Cooking Class and Dinner
at Williams-Sonoma

An evening for 12 people at Chuck Williams’s landmark location with a unique, hands-on culinary experience.

This is an “after hours” event so your group will have the store for the evening. You will get started with a short tour of this special location and beautiful gardens. A private chef will then lead a custom cooking class featuring a
salad, pasta and dessert showcasing local finds that bring Sonoma Wine Country to life.Enjoy your meal in the outdoor gardens or at the marble cooktop inside the store!

Gather your group and make a bid for this Silent Auction Item (opening bid $2400) AVAILABLE at the Art Show and Sale on the Plaza, Saturday, September 15.

Sonoma Plein Air Raffle

#1 Guys Shop and Lunch: Scott Lydell certificate - $100.00, Lunch at Maya - $50.00, bottle of red wine. Value: $180.00

#2 Gals Shopping Day at the Plaza: I-Elle - $50.00, Bear Moon - $25.00,
Angelique - $50.00, Bossa Nova - $100.00, Artifax - $50.00 Value: $275.00

#3 Sonoma-Loeb Tasting: Bottle of wine, Seated tasting for four in their private area, cheese board.Value: $250.00

#4 Sonoma Plaza Afternoon: Pangloss seated tasting for four, with cheeses and charcuterie - $160.00, Pick up your specialty item from LOVE Sonoma after the tasting. Estimated Value: $235.00

#5 Café Mac: One hour of tech support/ computer instruction Value: $150.00

#6 Hair and Home: Salsa Trading Company, antique blue and white canisters - $125.00, J. James silk scarf, Estella Hair Salon shampoo and blow dry. Estimated Value: $275.00

#7 Art Easel from Fine Line Sonoma
Value: $225.00

#8 Fitness Fun: Pure Barre, one month unlimited membership - $199.00, Anytime Fitness, one month unlimited membership - $59.00
Value: $260.00

Raffle tickets are $5 each or 5 for $20 and will be available for sale on Tuesday, September 11 at Quick Draw and Saturday, September 15 at the Art Show and Sale on the Plaza.

LAST CALL FOR GALA TICKETS!

Join us under the stars at Buena Vista Winery in Sonoma, on Friday, September 14, with an opening reception at 5:30 featuring a silent auction of original works by this year's artists. This is where they bring their best work and vote on the Artists' Choice Award. Enjoy a glorious dinner, dessert and sips in the Bubble Lounge as we raise funds to support art education for the youth of Sonoma Valley!

Tickets are available on our website.

The Sonoma Plein Air Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization and 40 percent of each painting's purchase price is a donation to support art education in the community and public schools in Sonoma Valley.

September 2, 2018

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Have you seen the Keith Wicks show at BUMP?

Festival Week is almost here! Get a preview of the events and artist demonstration schedule here, and take a look at some special opportunities available to festival attendees here!

Meet Dan Schultz

When we asked Dan Schultz to tell us what he loved about being a plein air painter, he responded, "Plein air painting has been a vital part of my development as an artist. It has helped me simplify my technique and improve my color recognition while teaching me to find inspiration all around me. Also, I’ve learned to duck and cover when the wind suddenly blows my painting umbrella toward my face! I’m thinking about marketing the Plein Air Face Mask…. Seriously though, plein air painting is a joyous response to the wonder of being outside in nature. I find it a privilege to be able to respond to the beauty of God’s creation in this way. "

Welcome Dan to Sonoma Plein Air at the festival on Saturday, September 15. Follow him on Facebook and Instagram and see more on his website.

More Perils of Plein Air, by Richard Boyer

I was with a good friend painting in the small town of “Les Beux de Provence”. We had set up in a nice quiet alleyway and began the morning session with a 12x16. The wind was blowing slightly so I had my nice new black sweater on to keep of the chills away. I had the classic French easel at that time with the pallet set up in front of me, below the painting which makes for a nice short distance from mixing to actually application.

Southern France has what they call the “Mistrals." a strong wind that often blows from inland out to the Mediterranean and sometimes has been known to drive people mad. After an hour or so of painting those winds decided to pick up. Most easels as any artist will tell you tend to act much like a sail on a boat in strong gusts, forcing the would be painter to grabbing the side of it to keep the thing from flying away. Such was the case with us, my hand was going down too often to grab the wooden easel from tipping over. That's when the winds picked up even more and before I could do anything my pallet was airborne and flew up onto my chest. The easel had blown over and I stood there with a wooden pallet stuck to my black sweater. I slowly peeled off the pallet to see all the cadmium yellows, oranges and reds impregnated into the wool. I've had the experience of getting a little dab of cadmium color on clothing and found out the chances of getting it out of the material is basically nill. In my case I had medallion sized globs on my chest. The only recourse was to take off the sweater and throw it in the garbage can. Thus ending the painting session for the day, the winds won the day and the artist lost.

We think Richard will clean up nicely for Sonoma Plein Air! Visit his website to see more of his work, and come see him at the Festival on the Plaza on Saturday, September 15th, 10 am - 4 pm.

Don't miss Sonoma Plein Air Founder Keith Wicks' one-man show at BUMP Wine Cellars, 521 Broadway in Sonoma. It will be exhibited through Sunday September 9, then again September 19-30. During the week of the Plein Air Festival, an array of studio works from the Festival artists will be shown. BUMP is open Thursday-Sunday 12-6 pm.

LAST CHANCE FOR THIS FRIDAY NIGHT'S SHOW!

As a local non-profit partner, we invite you to enjoy a magical evening at Broadway Under the Stars at Jack London State Park. Visit the Transcendence website and order your tickets for Sonoma Plein Air night, Friday, September 7th. Get $7 off each ticket you purchase by using the code SPASEP7 - and $4 will be donated back to Sonoma Plein Air by Transcendence Theatre Company. A win-win for the arts and you!

August 26, 2018

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We are delighted to announce that Sonoma Plein Air Founder Keith Wicks, an internationally recognized artist (and a Sonoma Treasure Artist!), will have a solo show in his hometown in the weeks before and after the Sonoma Plein Air Festival. A masterful painter with the soul of an old master, Keith is renowned for his ability to capture the essence of the moment with clarity and intensity rarely seen in contemporary works today.

Keith paints on location throughout the world, under the vast Sonoma sky and in his Sonoma studio. An award-winning artist, Keith’s work has appeared in galleries and publications throughout the country.

In 2002, Keith founded the Sonoma Plein Air Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing funding for art education in Sonoma Valley public schools. A portion of each sale from the LUMINOSITY exhibit will be donated to the Foundation.

You are invited to the Artist's Reception
Saturday, September 1 from 2-5 pm

521 Broadway, Sonoma
The show is open Thursday-Sunday
August 30-September 9 & September 16-30

The Sonoma Plein Air Artists Studio Works show will be exhibited September 11-14

Thank you, Transcendence Theatre Company! Discounted tickets for Sonoma Plein Air fans!

August 20, 2018

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Only three weeks to the festival!

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It's back to school for Sonoma Valley, and soon the students will begin their art classes - all thanks to the generous donors, art collectors and artists of Sonoma Plein Air! Without the money raised through our art sales and donations, young students would simply not have the array of supplies, instruction and life-affirming experiences of making art! We hope to see you at the festival, or if you can't join us, consider making a donation to support art education.

The Perils of Plein Air, by 2018 Sonoma Plein Air artist Clark Mitchell

A good painting buddy recently posted on Facebook an oil painting she’d just done of a waterfall. Intrigued, I asked where the stream is and in response received an enthusiastic, “Let’s go!” This was early spring right after several days of hard rain. Accessible or too muddy? Too far to hike? Do I have time today? Of course we decided to go.

Our destination was Cataract Falls, within Mt. Tamalpais watershed in Marin County. Few people had ventured out this alternating cloudy/sunny day so parking was easy. The hike was fairly short, though quite steep up and down numerous tall stone steps, especially while wearing my overloaded backpack and, carrying by hand, my pastel box and easel. I once again vowed to pare down my plein air supplies! Next time!

First we took a number of photos, checked out various painting sites, hiked a bit further up the trail to see if there might be even better vantage points. I saw very little even ground on which to set up an easel, everything being wooded, steeply sloped, rocky and slippery; the rain-swollen cascade was pounding down the canyon at me, the sound deafening with the roar of falling water. Absolutely spectacular and overwhelming!

Once I’d set up my easel in a tight cubby, branches on my shoulder, sanded paper and pastels at the ready, I found myself shaking and dizzy. I was so excited by what was before me and my legs felt like jello from the up and down hike. There was no way I could proceed without doing brief grounding exercises just to calm down enough to steady my hand and start making the myriad decisions necessary.

Blissfully, I was lost in the process in minutes and within an hour or so came up with an almost abstract painting that expresses some of the drama and chaos of the setting.

We are looking forward to seeing what great locations Clark finds during Sonoma Plein Air! In the meantime, take a look at his website.

Thank you, Transcendence Theatre Company! Discounted tickets for Sonoma Plein Air fans!

August 10, 2018

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Partners in landscape and the arts!

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The artists of Sonoma Plein Air 2018 have a very special opportunity to paint on private lands protected by the Sonoma Land Trust - the Glen Oaks Ranch, the Laufenberg Ranch and Sears Point Ranch. Since 1976, Sonoma Land Trust has protected more than 48,000 acres of beautiful, productive and environmentally significant land in and around Sonoma County.

Dave Koehler, executive director of Sonoma Land Trust, says, “We are so delighted that the Sonoma Plein Air artists will be able to visit and interpret the beauty of our protected lands through their paintings. We look forward to sharing their art with everyone at the Festival!”

Sonoma Land Trust believes land is the foundation of our economy and our community’s health and well-being. Since 1976, Sonoma Land Trust has protected more than 50,000 acres of scenic, natural, agricultural and open land for future generations, and is accredited by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission. For more information, please visit www.sonomalandtrust.org.

Invitations to the 2018 Sonoma Plein Air Gala will be in this week's mail! Join us under the stars at Buena Vista Winery in Sonoma, on Friday, September 14, with an opening reception at 5:30 featuring a silent auction of original works by this year's artists. This is where they bring their best work and vote on the Artists' Choice Award. Enjoy a glorious dinner, dessert and sips in the Bubble Lounge as we raise funds to support art education for the youth of Sonoma Valley!

Tickets are available on our website.

Thank you, Transcendence Theatre Company! Discounted tickets for Sonoma Plein Air fans!

July 23, 2018

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A preview of 2018 Sonoma Plein Air

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On Friday of festival week (September 10-15, 2018), every artist selects what they believe is their finest painting of the week, frames it and bring it to the Buena Vista Winery in Sonoma, site of the 2018 Sonoma Plein Air Gala. The Artists' Choice Award is selected by the jury of peers. Then, a bidding war ensues via silent auction among the gala patrons for all the paintings! Here are a few of the previous winners will be joining us in September.

Eric Bowman says, “painting (particularly in California where I grew up) is my greatest passion. Although the California I grew up in is mostly gone now, there are still areas where I can paint that take me back to a place partly real, partly imagined that satisfy my soul…Beautiful Sonoma County is such a place for me and I am extremely honored and happy to be back here for my 9th year at Sonoma Plein Air!” Find him on Facebook, and keep updated on his work via his website.

Sergio Lopez, born in 1983, is a native of Sonoma County. He finds the area ever-inspiring, and never ceases to find a new gorgeous area no matter how often he explores. He enjoys discovering new vistas, setting up his easel, and creating a piece on the spot. He believes there is no better way to discover the truth and essence of a scene than by standing before it and studying it carefully. A graduate of the Academy of Art in San Francisco, Sergio is an exemplary painter in a variety of mediums, as evidenced by the work shown on his website.

Robert Sandidge lives "above the store" in an 165 year-old historic building in downtown Diamond Springs, California. With his wife Jackie, their main intent is to live an artful lifestyle in Gold Rush country with their art galley business and residence in one convenient location. He has participated in the Sonoma Plein Air event since the inception. He says, "Sonoma Plein Air is my favorite plein air event. Keith Wicks has put together a fun-filled week of painting in Sonoma Valley with a great group of artists." See more on his website.

Keith Wicks, founder of Sonoma Plein Air, was the very first Artists' Choice Award winner. He's got a beautiful new website filled with art, and a link to a wonderful story about his paintings of Sonoma's Mike the Bread Baker, whose oven is pictures at left. You'll enjoy reading it!

Want to see more about Artists' Choice Award winners? Look here.
Want to receive an invitation to attend the Sonoma Plein Air Gala? Contact us!

Thank you, Transcendence Theatre Company! Discounted tickets for Sonoma Plein Air fans!

July 15, 2018

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Focus on the Women Painters of Sonoma Plein Air, Part #8

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When we asked Susie Hyer to tell us what she loved about being a plein air painter, she responded, "the lifestyle we have is basically traveling around to paint in awesome places, meeting amazing people, experiencing the outdoors and studying nature in all kinds of weather glorious and dramatic. What could be better than that?"

Susie has been drawing and painting since she was a child. “I remember drawing a pair of ceramic flamingos my mother used to keep on her dining room table when I was four years old," she says. “I knew from that moment I would be an artist when I grew up.”

She's come a long way, after attending art programs at Moravian College, The Baum School of Art, and the University of West Florida in the 1970s. Susie continues to study and expand her repertoire and abilities, attending the Art Students League of Denver and participating in workshops whenever she can.

Her work has appeared in numerous galleries and national exhibitions, hangs in many private and corporate collections. She has been published in the celebrated books "Art of the National Parks: Historic Connections, Contemporary Interpretations," and “Landscapes of Colorado.” She has been a featured artist in Southwest Art, Fine Art Connoisseur, Plein Air and Art of the West Magazines.

Susie continues to challenge herself artistically, traveling to paint en plein air, and working from sketches and field studies in the studio. She teaches workshops and is an invited juror for local and national exhibits. Her work is represented by galleries along Colorado's Front Range and the Southwest. Visit her website to see more of her work.

She maintains a home, studio, and multiple gardens in Evergreen, CO where she lives with her husband, sometimes one or two grown children, a dog, two cats and numerous elk, deer, and other wildlife.

We are looking forward to seeing her new work at Sonoma Plein Air in September!

July 9, 2018

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Focus on the Women Painters of Sonoma Plein Air, Part #7

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Carolyn Hesse-Low tells us "it would be difficult to imagine going through life without trying to paint the beauty of it. Everywhere I look, there are gorgeous shapes put together into compelling compositions. When the light is just right, and the story unfolds, I can’t help but want to paint the scene. Once, while driving over the Grapevine on the I-5, the light was so amazing on the mountains that I stuck my camera out the window and grabbed a few shots, which I painted later in my studio. It’s best to be a passenger when a gorgeous scene races by at 70 mph!"

Carolyn’s work has appeared on the cover of PleinAir Magazine and has been featured in Southwest Art, American Art Collector, Fine Art Connoisseur and Art of the West magazines. She has been published in several books, including California Light: A Century of Landscapes, and Painting California: Seascapes and Beach Towns. Her work has received numerous awards, including Best of Show at San Luis Obispo Art Museum, the Medal of Honor at the National Arts Club, Best Studio Landscape from Plein Air Salon, Publisher’s Choice Award from PleinAir Magazine, and Award of Excellence at Plein Air Southwest Salon. Her work is represented in national and international collections.

We are delighted to welcome Carolyn back to Sonoma Plein Air. Her landscapes, figures and marine subjects capture the changing mood and rugged beauty of what she sees. Her paintings have been shown in over 80 museum exhibitions and in countless galleries and art institutions. Visit her website, and see her work in person on Sonoma Plaza, on Saturday, September 15.

It's time to mark your calendar:

Tuesday, September 11, 5-7 pm
QUICK DRAW on Sonoma Plaza
Watch the artists paint and acquire your favorites on the spot!

Saturday, September 15, 10 am-4 pm
ART SHOW & SALE on Sonoma Plaza
Artist demonstrations, live music and hands-on art activities for children.

PURCHASE A PAINTING AND SUPPORT ART EDUCATION!

July 2, 2018

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Focus on the Women Painters of Sonoma Plein Air, Part #6

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One of our most popular plein air artists dropped out of the Sonoma Plein Air Festival last year. While we missed her, she had a good reason - and we are thrilled to welcome her back.

Aimee Erickson, a previous Artists' Choice Award winner, was all set to participate in our 15th Anniversary Festival when she got the call that presented a once-in-a-lifetime painting opportunity. She was invited to participate in a cultural exchange to teach and paint in a small village is Russia, many hours from Moscow. And, the dates conflicted with Sonoma Plein Air.

All in all, 2017 was a very good year for Portland, Oregon-based Erickson. She won Best in Show at Laguna Plein Air Invitational, Best of Show and Museum Purchase Award at Pacific Northwest Plein Air and Best of Show and Clyde Aspevig Judge's Choice Awards at Olmsted Plein Air. See her work on her website and don't miss her work in September!

June 24, 2018

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Focus on the Women Painters of Sonoma Plein Air, Part #5

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Self taught with nature as her classroom and the great masters her teachers, Romona Youngquist knew at age four that painting would be her calling. Today you’ll find her paintings as far away as Germany, London and Manhattan. Her works have been published in the premier art magazines including Southwest Art and American Art Collector. We are pleased to welcome her to her first Sonoma Plein Air Festival.

Romona likes to trick the eye, using muted colors and blurred contours painted
as softly as a whisper. But in reality her canvasses are a war zone and her
weapons of choice-sand paper, ends of brushes, rags and anything
unconventional she can employ in battle. She knows the skirmish is over when
the painting has the power to speak directly to the viewer. When an onlooker can not resist stepping into her world full of atmosphere, mystery and a mood that takes you back to days gone by, she knows the battle has been won.

Her studio is tucked away in the lush Red Hills of Dundee, Oregon, overlooking vineyards. Much of her inspiration comes from her surroundings. We look forward to seeing her interpretations of the landscapes of the Bay Area! Have a look at Romona's website for more paintings, and be sure to come to the Sonoma Plein Air Festival September 15th in Sonoma Plaza.

Patron opportunities for the annual Sonoma Plein Air Gala are available on our website. Any remaining tickets will be available this summer.

June 17, 2018

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Focus on the Women Painters of Sonoma Plein Air, Part #4

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Alison Menke's journey into landscape painting began in 2011 when a three week solitary trip to Colorado turned into a five-month foray into plein air. She painted every day, camped in national parks, sold studies out of the trunk of her car, and created over 150 paintings. Here's how she tells it:

"In 2010 I graduated with a degree in Art and Art History and after walking off that University of Maryland stage with my diploma I had no real solid idea as to how an artist moves forward in the world. In reflecting upon my art education I remembered back to one of my first painting experiences. It was a plein air workshop I took in high school and one of favorite painting memories. After finishing my studies at Maryland I was determined to start painting outside! So, I asked my Dad if I could take his car out to Denver (mine wasn't going to make the trip) for just three weeks to paint! He hesitated a moment, but let me hit the road with my paints in-tow knowing that I'd be staying with my big brother. My three week stint turned into five months of travelling out west painting everyday. I camped with artists, made good friends, sold paintings out of the trunk of my car, made smart decisions, and learned so much about myself and my love for painting. Since then I've continued with my passion as nearly all my work is done outside. The spontaneity of plein air, the freshness of the loose paint and nature make it all worth it! Needless to say, my Dad was happy to get his car and his daughter back!"

Alison has spent the past three years attending plein air competitions and festivals. Between the plein air seasons of 2016 and 2017 she attended 26 competitions along the eastern seaboard and was honored with 26 awards. Her successes have garnered attention from local newspapers, Plein Air Magazine, and various publications. See her work on her website and welcome this first timer to Sonoma Plein Air!

Patron opportunities for the annual Sonoma Plein Air Gala are available on our website. Any remaining tickets will be available this summer.

June 10, 2018

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Focus on the Women Painters of Sonoma Plein Air, Part #3

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Tara Will burst on the Sonoma Plein Air scene last year with her vibrant pastel landscapes, and had us looking at the Sonoma landscape in fresh, new ways.

Tara grew up watching the creative hands of her grandmother, and had a love of creating from a young age. She attended Mount Saint Mary’s University in Maryland double majoring in Art and Philosophy. She started plein air painting about 5 years ago, going to quick draws and hoping one day to be on the “juried side” of these events she loved so much. She has since participated in several national plein air competitions painting from East Coast to West.

Tara enjoys painting quickly, trying to capture the essence of the space using bold colors and strong marks. She predominantly works in pastels, but occasionally ventures into oils. See more of her work on her website.

In 2017, Tara achieved her Master Circle Status with the International Association of Pastel Societies. She is a Signature Member of Maryland Pastel Society and an Associate Member of Pastel Society of America. Tara has been featured in the Pastel Journal’s Magazine Pastel 100 in both 2017 and 2018. Tara recently exhibited work at the Mall Galleries in London for the annual Pastel Society of the UK juried exhibition. She currently resides in Maryland with her husband and four small children.

June 3, 2018

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Focus on the Women Painters of Sonoma Plein Air, Part #2

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Kim VanDerHoek has been a popular participant at Sonoma Plein Air for several years. She began painting en Plein Air because it combined her love of being outside and creating art.

"I enjoy the challenges Plein Air painting poses. Dealing with the weather, changing light and other hurdles of outdoor painting has forced me to learn to make decisions quickly, to paint with commitment and above all, to have a plan for each painting."

Kim feels that her Plein Air work has, in turn, strengthened her studio paintings. "It is my hope that when you view my painting from across the room you can easily see what the subject is, then, upon closer inspection, you find yourself lost in the brushwork."

"In the last few years my style of painting has evolved from a traditional plein air approach to a more contemporary style. As a result, creating each piece takes twice as long. The first painting session is just about getting the information on canvas as accurately as possible, the second session is where I get myself into a lot of trouble and make an absolute mess of everything and in the final session I have to bring everything into focus and balance loose brushwork with having a certain amount of accuracy and detail. Good paintings don't just happen, they take a lot of thought and time."

See Kim's new work on her website and be sure to welcome her back to the Sonoma Plein Air Festival, on the plaza Saturday, September 15, 2018.

After graduating with a fine arts degree in illustration from the California College of the Arts, Kim worked as a graphic designer for 11 years. She left the design field to pursue a career as a full-time painter. Kim is an Artist member of the California Art Club (CAC), a member of the American Women Artists and was a signature member of the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association (LPAPA). She is a "Gamblin Workshop Instructor" and a highly sought after painting instructor who teaches weekly classes in Orange County, California.

Become a patron of our annual gala! Information on advance ticket opportunities can be found here.

The gala will be held under the stars at Buena Vista Winery on Friday, September 14th.

May 28, 2018

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Focus on the Women Painters of Sonoma Plein Air, Part #1

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Is there a "Eureka!" moment when an artist realizes they have found their path? For artist Camille Przewodek, it was during a trip to Cape Cod, where she met the teacher who would forever change the way she sees.

When Camille Przewodek met Henry Hensche (1899-1992), who had been assistant instructor to famed American Impressionist painter and teacher Charles Hawthorne (1872-1930), she immediately recognized the rare opportunity of studying with a true master. Hensche was the catalyst that made Przewodek learn to see and paint color in a whole new way.

“Ever since studying with him, and after experimenting with his methods all these years, I’m still amazed at how complex, and yet simple, the approach is,” she says. “Its foundation is using color to express form as seen in a particular light key, and not bringing formulas into your work.”

Przewodek’s painting style, which quickly became distinctive for its rich saturated color and luscious oil paint, caught the attention of numerous clients during the decade when she worked as a commercial illustrator.

“I was one of the few illustrators who didn’t look like an illustrator. I painted in a way that sought the beauty of the subject,” she says. When she landed accounts such as Alfa Romeo and Chateau St. Jean, Przewodek knew it was her commitment to directly observing and capturing the light effects of nature that made the difference. “Most illustrators would just go to the site, get their reference photos, and then go back to their studio to do a slick illustration. I would go to the sites and stay for hours or days doing color studies from life, and developing several paintings on location, then deciding with the art director which best served the project.”

That same working method influences the various painting series she continues to do today—the themes that emerge (gardens, wetlands, figures captured in the landscape) all have in common her passion for capturing the beauty of the light. You can see the full range on her website and learn more about her technique on her blog.

She is honored to be a member of a group of Hensche's former students who have reorganized the Cape School of Art as a non-profit organization dedicated to passing on the principles and enduring influence of Hensche, and his mentor Hawthorne, in educating artists and the public in the perception and use of color and light in representational painting.

Przewodek regularly serves as an entry and awards judge for painting competitions and events. She is also a much sought after instructor who annually teaches painting workshops across the country, and offers regular weekly classes on location and in her studio in Petaluma, California. She has been a regularly featured, on-stage demonstrator at Plein Air Magazine’s Annual Plein Air Convention, as well as an invited instructor, lecturer, and panelist on the Hensche-Hawthorne approach to seeing and painting color at American Artist Magazine’s Weekend with the Masters.

Camille Przewodek is a Master Signature Member of American Women Artists, Signature Member of the Laguna Plein Air Painters and Oil Painters of America, and Artist Member of the Salmagundi Club and the California Art Club.

A veteran of Laguna Plein Air and Easton Plein Air, it has been several years since Camille has participated in Sonoma Plein Air and we know festival goers will be delighted to see her work - again or for the first time.

SAVE THE DATE: Saturday, September 15, 2018
Sonoma Plein Air Festival

May 17, 2018

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Young artists are expressing themselves

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Preparations are underway for Sonoma Plein Air 2018, with festival and gala committees hard at work to bring you a week to remember in September! In upcoming newsletters we will feature our professional artists, whose talent, coupled with the enthusiasm of art collectors and patrons make our programs possible. Our goal is to bring art experiences to our youth, and we'd like to share what's happening in the programs we support.

We've been spending time with our young artists.

Our all-volunteer organization takes an active role to ensure that Sonoma Valley public schools and community arts organizations are putting their grants to good use. Each board member is a liaison to one or more of our grant recipients, and we are pleased to report that art is alive and well - thanks to our generous donors! Here are some of the wonderful programs happening now.

Students at El Verano School designed and installed a mosaic tile mural that beautifies a planter on campus.

Clay wheel classes for young students at the Sonoma Community Center inspired young potters.

Flowery Elementary School students created block prints while learning about new cultures through the Art in Action curriculum.

Sonoma Valley Seniors Kohana Bowman and Karen Torres created a senior project as a gift of art to alma mater Sassarini Elementary School by creating two murals.

The A.R.T.S. program at Sonoma Valley Museum of Art brought 4th graders in to create book art and mounted an exhibition in the museum.

Our young students are expressing themselves through art - and we invite you to share in the joy by becoming a patron of our annual gala! Information on advance ticket opportunities can be found here.

The gala will be held under the stars at Buena Vista Winery on Friday, September 14th.

April 30, 2018

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Hello Friends of Sonoma Plein Air,

We are excited about art of all kinds! Plans are well underway for the 2018 Sonoma Plein Air Festival. The jury has deliberated and several artists will be participating for the first time. Scroll down to see all the artists' names with a link to preview their work.

Our first community art show, A Valley of Talent, was held in mid-April and was a resounding success. The event at the Sonoma Community Center drew crowds all evening to see and buy art from 42 local artists who presented their works in photography, collage, and painting. Abstract and non-representational art, figurative, still life and landscapes were all featured. We plan to hold more community art events in the future, and we welcome ideas from potential participants and volunteers. S end us an email and let us know your thoughts!

SPAF Foundation Board Members have been visiting the elementary schools to see how the 2017 grants are being put into action. Here are young artists from Sassarini Elementary School learning watercolor techniques. Over the next few months, we will share more images and stories from the classrooms of Sonoma Valley schools. The students are inspired, the teachers are inspiring and magic happens because of our generous patrons and art collectors!

The Sonoma Valley High School Art Department invites the local community to their annual art show. See the next generation of Sonoma artists at the reception and awards ceremony, Thursday, May 3, at 6-7 pm, at Sonoma Valley High School, at 20000 Broadway in Sonoma. We are proud to fund art in the high school!

Save the date for the Sonoma Plein Air Gala which will be held under the stars at Buena Vista Winery. To secure your place at the party, consider becoming a patron or sponsor of this year's festival! For more information, please send us an email. Individual tickets to the gala, if available, will be sold in July and August.

The Sonoma Plein Air Foundation facilitates artists, art organizations, public schools and the community to create, appreciate and understand the importance of visual arts. We seek to engage youth through art education, foster artistic excellence, nurture a vibrant local arts community and bring people together for experiences that inspire a creative exchange of ideas.

Introducing the artists for 2018! Click HERE for images of their work.

Simon Addyman
Scott Anderson
Eric Bowman
Richard Boyer
Doug Clarke
Kevin Courter
Aimee Erickson
Mark Farina
Phillipe Gandiol
John Guernsey
Carolyn Hesse-Low
Debra Huse
Susie Hyer