The upcoming weekend in Sonoma is filled with art - at the Sonoma Community Center, Arts Guild of Sonoma and the Sonoma Valley Museum of Art - all venues whose programs are supported through generous donations to the Sonoma Plein Air Foundation. Please join us at these special events to celebrate community and artistic expression!
Friday the 13th is a lucky day for art lovers!
We are delighted to announce Sonoma Plein Air's first community art event - A Valley of Talent - featuring original work by local artists in the mediums of drawing, painting, printmaking, photography and collage. Discover the work of 42 artists - from established professionals to talented amateurs. All work is for sale - with 40% of the proceeds going to support youth art education in Sonoma Valley. ONE NIGHT ONLY!
A Valley of Talent
Friday, April 13 5 pm - 8 pm
Exhibit, Art Sale and Wine Reception Sonoma Community Center
276 E. Napa Street, Sonoma
While you are at the Community Center, head upstairs to Gallery 212 and see the "Barbie: Rescued and Reinvented" exhibit of 100 cast off Barbies rescued from local thrift stores dressed in tiny trash couture by local artists. The dolls will be available for sale. Admission $1.
This is a companion exhibit to the Trashion Fashion Show, held Saturday April 14 at Sonoma Veteran's Memorial Hall. Trashion Fashion is a runway show for outrageous, beautiful, theatrical and humorous fashions created by artists, ecologists and dumpster divas from recycled materials. More information and tickets.
Small But Grand!
Friday, April 13 - 5pm - 7pm Reception The Arts Guild of Sonoma
140 E. Napa Street, Sonoma
The A.R.T.S. Student Exhibition, funded by Sonoma Plein Air Foundation, brings 4th and 5th grade students to the Sonoma Valley Museum of Art for visits, studio activities, art instruction and a special exhibit. Be sure to see the exhibit of book art in the A.R.T.S. Student Exhibition.
COMING SOON IN THIS NEWSLETTER!
We will announce the professional artists who have been selected for the
2018 Sonoma Plein Air Festival
The wildfires of October came and lingered, and the after-effects are still with us. Homes were lost, homes were spared. Mountains burned, vineyards provided fire breaks. Rainfall has encouraged blades of green grass to poke through charred ground. The community came together #sonomastrong and continues to demonstrate that "the love in the air is thicker than the smoke."
Should we have a Sonoma Plein Air in 2018? Will the artists come? Will the collectors buy art? Last week, our Board of Directors made that decision.
The 15th anniversary of Sonoma Plein Air was a celebration like no other
Sonoma Plein Air 2017 was our best year ever. The weather was remarkable, the roster of artists was exceptional, our gala event at Buena Vista Winery was a great party, and the Festival in the Plaza was busy with art lovers all day long!
Thanks to the generosity of donors and sponsors, artists and art collectors, we will present $138,650 in grants for the current school year to the public elementary schools, charter schools, middle schools, high schools, special education programs, and four community art organizations in Sonoma Valley.
Sonoma kids need art now more than ever
For years, we've talked about the importance of art in education as a way to open minds, express creativity and innovation and build self-esteem. But the recent fires remind us that art also heals - as students express in images the feelings for which they may not be able to express in words. As Pablo Picasso said, “Art washes from the soul the dust of everyday life.”
Let's work together to make it happen in 2018
On this Thanksgiving, we are grateful beyond measure. We know there will continue to be many ways to contribute to the well-being of Sonoma Valley.
Thank you for donating to organizations offering direct support to those who lost so much in the fires.
Thank you for supporting the local businesses, restaurants, wineries and lodgings that fuel our local economy.
Thank you for supporting Sonoma Plein Air. We are counting on you join us in September 2018 for our 16th year - save the dates for a special Gala event on September 14th and the Festival on the Plaza September 15.
With all our best wishes, The Sonoma Plein Air Foundation
P.S. If you missed this video at our gala - take a few moments to learn about the importance of Sonoma Plein Air directly from the students and teachers.
Juxtaposition, Greg LaRock,
Sonoma Plein Air 2017 Artists' Choice Award Winner
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.
Enjoy this preview of work from the 35 Sonoma Plein Air artists. Please join us Saturday to see the new works and support art education for Sonoma Valley youth.
Eric Bowman
Kevin Courter
Danny Griego
Debra Huse
Eric Jacobsen
Richard Lindenberg
Terry Miura
Mikyoung Osburn
Devin Roberts
Tom Soltesz
Tara Will
Paul Youngman
Pati Bruce
Mark Farina
George Handrahan
Susie Hyer
Paul Kratter
Wayne McKenzie
Niles Nordquist
Anette Power
Robert Sandidge
Robert Steele
Jim Wodark
Dennis Ziemienski
Hiu Lai Chong
Philippe Gandiol
Carolyn Hesse-Low
Peggy Immel
Greg LaRock
Clark Mitchell
Michael Obermeyer
Robin Purcell
David Savellano
Brian Sindler
Keith Wicks
Kim VanDerHoek
LIVE ARTIST DEMONSTRATION SCHEDULE: 11:00 am Mark Farina - Oil Painting
1:30 pm David Savellano - Watercolor Painting
3:00 pm Kim VanDerHoek - Oil Painting
The Farmer's Market in the Plaza is the happening place in Sonoma on Tuesday nights - but tomorrow, it's going to be even better! Many of the artists participating in Sonoma Plein Air Week will be setting up their easels in and around the Plaza and painting against the clock - in QUICK DRAW!
The clock starts at 5 pm and at 6:30 pm all paintings will be put on display for sale - FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED!
Here are some photos from past Quick Draw events. Artists quick studies are often available for a significantly lower price - and 40% of the purchase price is your direct donation to supporting art education for the kids of Sonoma Valley. Be at the southeast quadrant of the Plaza at 6:30 pm - don't miss the chance to bring home an original painting. Cash, checks and credit cards gladly accepted.
New this year on the plaza: BLANK CANVAS
On Saturday, September 16, several of the Plein Air artists will be offering a blank canvas for sale - an opportunity for you to commission an artist to create a 18" x 24"painting - you work together to determine the subject matter. The artist creates it within the year and you arrange for shipping and framing. As with all painting sales at Sonoma Plein Air, 60% of the purchase price going to the artist and 40% as your donation to Sonoma Plein Air. Individual artists determine the pricing. Prices and full details will be posted at the Festival.
Please visit theArtists Page on our website and click their names to visit their website, where you can see a range of their work.
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.
In just one week, Sonoma Plein Air will fill the Sonoma Plaza with beautiful works of art from 35 nationally renowned artists. Over the past few months, we've given you a preview of who they are. If you missed any newsletter, or just want to refresh yourself on the line-up, you can find the information here.
The four California-based artists featured below are returning to Sonoma Plein Air - be sure to welcome them on Saturday, September 16th! Find the full event schedule here.
Jim was born in Denver, Colorado, but grew up near the flatirons. Both of his parents are artistic and he was tremendously influenced by them and the natural beauty of the environment. Cartooning was his first love and he worked in that field for 15 years. In 1990 Jim moved to California and a few years later met his wife, Julie. It was at this time that he began to paint with oils. The birth of their first child, Clint in 1998, focused his desire to paint while being a stay at home dad. In 2000 they had twin girls, Sophia and Gwen. Believe it or not this helped him focus even more! For the last 10 years he has been able to paint everyday and has had great growth and success.
Jim says, “I want to inspire and be inspired through painting. To bring beauty into people’s lives. I have been blessed with a passion to create. I am thankful that people respond to my work and that it makes a difference in their homes and businesses. Everyday I look forward to what I will paint next."
Jim has won numerous awards at the local and national level. He belongs to several painting groups: the California Art Club “Artist Member”, the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association “Signature Member”, and The Oil Painters of America and the American Impressionist Society. See more at his website.
Richard Lindenberg is regularly invited to many plein-air events and participates in annual Northern California shows that raise funds for numerous causes. He is one of the MALT (Marin Agricultural Land Trust) painters and other shows include MarinScapes, Laguna Plein Air Invitational, Zion Plein Air, Napa Valley Art Festival, the San Luis Obispo Plein Air Festival and the Door County Plein Air Festival. Richard is an artist member of the California Art Club and Co-Chairman of the CAC Northern California Chapter.
Richard has had his share of painting adventures. He tells us, "The painting above, titled 'Gem Lake Point' is from a trip I made this August with the Granite Group high up into the Sierra’s. Paul Kratter (another SPAF artist) and Bill Cone invited me along this year because the hike up to our camp at Chickenfoot Lake (10,000 ft) was only a 3 mile climb with modest elevation gain… that made it possible to join the group after my recent extensive hip revision surgery eleven months ago. Although there was some trepidation before the hike… I was able to hop the boulders and ford the streams with everyone. Of course the mules carried the load which made it all posssible. What a thrill to be totally off the grid for 6 days of painting with friends… so much so that even the nasty skeeters were only a minor annoyance. For sure this was a bucket list trip!"
Paul Youngman hails from just over the hill in Napa Valley, and is a longtime participant in Sonoma Plein Air and popular painter of the California Wine Country. He majored in Fine Art and Graphic Art at the University of California in Los Angeles, and became an architectural and free-lance illustrator. After twenty years in the commercial art field, he chose to expand upon his natural ability as a painter. Through numerous one-man shows and invitational exhibits, Paul's paintings have won wide recognition among serious corporate and private collectors and even appeared in the film, “Bottle Shock.," the story how California wines beat French wines in a blind tasting.
Paul is a member of California Art Club and Signature Member of the Oil Painters of America. He has been featured in American Art Collector, Art of the West, Southwest Art Magazines, as well as Art Talk, and the coffee-table book, “Art of the American West."
Kim VanDerHoek graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in illustration from the California College of the Arts in Oakland California,and worked as a graphic designer for 11 years, before leaving the design field to pursue a career as a full-time painter. She learned to paint by painting en Plein Air because it combined her love of being outside and creating art.
Kim says, "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. It is my hope that when you view my painting from across the room the large shapes make a strong visual statement and you can easily see what the subject is, then, upon closer inspection, you find yourself lost in the brushwork."
A signature member of the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association (LPAPA), a member of the American Impressionist Society (AIS), a member of the Southern California Plein Air Painters Association (SOCALPAPA), and an Artists member of the California Art Club (CAC), Kim is a highly sought after painting instructor who teaches weekly classes in Orange County, California.
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.
The artists are packing up their gear and heading to town - get your first glimpse on Tuesday, September 12 at Quick Draw.
One of the local favorite activities in Sonoma is the Tuesday night Farmer's Market in the Plaza. During Plein Air Week, the artists are invited to set up their easels around the Plaza to capture the activity. Everyone is invited to come and watch, and when the whistle blows - all paintings are popped into frames, put on easels and sold - right on the spot! If you are in town, or close, come by for the fun and immediate satisfaction of bringing home wet paint. Quick Draw starts at 5 pm and ends at 7 pm on the southwest corner of Sonoma Plaza.
"Painting in Sonoma county and beyond is such an inspiration. It has everything from rolling hills with spectacular vineyards, farms with herds of sheep and cows, acres of flowers, rusty trucks & tractors, the town square, dramatic cliffs and ocean and even sweeping vistas to San Francisco Bay. An artists dream location!." says Debra Huse, a a contemporary American Impressionist and long-time participant in Sonoma Plein Air.
Debra uses rich color and bold fluid strokes to capture the light and drama in her plein air and studio paintings. A Signature Member of the American Impressionist Society, the American Society of Marine Artists, Laguna Plein Air Painters & Pastel Society of America, she began formal painting when she was ten even stretching her own canvases in private lessons. At age 11, she was awarded a scholarship and attended college courses at the prestigious John Herron School of Art in Indianapolis, IN. Debra continued her art studies at Indiana University. A full-time painter since 1998, Debra has a studio in Newport Beach, California.
Visit her website to see more of her work, and be sure to say hello to the model for this year's advertisment, which you can see below.
Artist Mikyoung Osburn is making her debut at Sonoma Plein Air. Earlier this year, she came up from her home in Pasadena on a location scouting trip! You can see her work on her website.
Mikyoung was born in South Korea and moved to to the US in 1998. As a child, she excelled at art. She attended college in South Korea and upon graduation worked for the next 10 years as a graphic designer. During this time she began to explore Fine Art, researching every book and reading everything she could. When she arrived in the US , she decided it was time to try to express myself through Fine Art.She began taking classes from well-known Korean Fine Art painter and 3 years later converted her home garage to a studio.
Mikyoung told us, "I love all things that contain their own beauty. From a pile of of deadwood fallen from an old tree on a Hawaiian farm to a field of gently rolling hills each with their own abstract coloring. My love of fine art has taught me to take notice of the extraordinary in the everyday settings of life. And the moment I discover this beauty is such a gift to witness. It is these very treasures I have witnessed that I try to share with others through my art."
Dennis Ziemienski doesn't have to travel far from home - and we are fortunate he's been making the trip from his studio in Glen Ellen for many years to support Sonoma Plein Air's mission of providing art education to Sonoma Valley youth. He and his artist wife Anne (a former SPAF board member) saw firsthand the value of our work when their daughter attended local schools.
A native San Franciscan, Dennis graduated cum laude from the California College of Arts and Crafts. Interest in representational drawing and painting eventually led him to New York and a successful career in illustration. Dennis’ strong and richly colored images borrow much of their inspiration from early 20th century painting and posters. Dennis turned his attention to fine art in 1999. The major influences in his paintings are Maynard Dixon, Frank Brangwyn, Ernest Blumenschein, Edward Hopper and Maurice Logan...ironically, all were illustrators, at one time, during their art careers.His paintings and illustrations have been in many one-man and group exhibitions and have won numerous awards. Dennis was selected as the official artist of the 2006 Kentucky Derby.
Dennis’ work is in the permanent collections of the Tucson Museum of Art, Bakersfield Museum of Art, the Booth Western Art Museum, Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West, and the Buffalo Bill Museum. His work can be seen at Altamira Fine Art in Jackson Hole and Scottsdale, Medicine Man Gallery in Tucson, Manitou Galleries in Santa Fe and on his website.
George Handrahan returns to Sonoma Plein Air after another year of painting adventures. George tells us, "I was out painting with a good friend who just happens to be a great artist. We were painting in the scenic Ogden Valley in Northern Utah. It was a beautiful calm day, birds were singing, the temperature was just right and the light was perfect, We had finished our paintings, all we had left to do was decide where to eat lunch and then clean everything up. Just then, a gust of wind came up and blew his painting high into the air. I ran, leaped and caught it with one hand saving the painting from sure disaster. I didn’t even smear the paint. Amazed, we both looked at each other for a moment and then started laughing uncontrollably. Then, another gust of wind came and blew over my easel, palette, brushes and finished painting all face down into the dirt. Sand stuck to everything! My painting was completely ruined (but the texture was interesting). I told my friend he owes me a painting because I saved his but he didn’t save mine! To this day, we still laugh about our windy excursion."
With over 70 major awards, listings in 7 books on prominent artists, and paintings sold through major auction houses, George has been painting the beauty of Utah, California and New England landscapes for more than forty years. See his website for more beautiful images.
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.
On September 16, you can see their work in Sonoma Plaza. Here's a preview:
Susie Hyer from Evergreen, Colorado is joining us at Sonoma Plein Air this year. You can follow her work on Facebook, Instagram and on her website. We asked her about her plein air painting experiences, and she replied, "I am drawn to plein air painting not only to study nature from life, which I believe is crucial to my understanding of objects in the landscapes that I paint, but really for me its about standing out in nature and being able to experience the scene by not only visually, but all my senses.
It's been my nature to always do outdoor activities from the time I was a small child so it seems totally natural that painting would take me outdoors. Painting where I live in Evergreen is spending time with deer, elk, foxes, squirrels and all manner of wildlife large and small. Painting at a creek and having a heard of elk move past, with my easel at the center of that herd, is an experience not many people get to have. Singing birds, gurgling brooks, the sound of waves moving in and out confer a restful peace on a restless soul. Plein air painting takes me out of my head, (which in my case can be a scary place), and into my heart.
Plein air painting is a good excuse to gather information and materials to make larger studio paintings, but instead of the opening act, it has become the main event. There is a freshness to those paintings I just may not get in the studio. Then there is the camaraderie of painting with other artists outdoors that speaks to my social side, when I have spent enough time introverted and alone in the studio. This ads some kind of balance to what can be a somewhat crazy lifestyle ... my life is a blessed collection of amazing people and places that continue to inspire me."
In the 1970’s, Peggy Immel took a weekly class from Jack Pellew at the Silvermine Art Center School in New Canaan, CT. That workshop was her introduction to plein air painting. Mr. Pellew always started the day with a demonstration. One week it would be in oil and the next week in watercolor. Then, after his demo, the students would paint outside and he would critique their work at the end of the day.
Says Peggy, "My love of plein air painting began with, and has continued since that first class. It was a seminal experience for me. I spend about half of my painting time in the studio and half of it painting on site. That means I’ve probably spent over 30,000 hours plein air painting during the last 40 years since that first wonderful class at Silvermine. Wow! That’s a long time to be standing outside in front of an easel by anybody’s standard. So, why do it? Well, first of all, it’s fun. And it’s addicting! Mountain climbers call it 'feeding the rat.' I start each painting with the belief that it will be better than my last one I like the quote I heard recently about the great cellist, Pablo Casals. When asked why he was still practicing 4 or 5 hours a day at 83 he said, 'Because I think I’m making progress.' So, there you have it, the three main reasons I plein air paint. It’s fun, I think I’m making progress, and I’m feeding the rat."
Peggy hails from Taos, New Mexico. You can preview her work on her website, and follow her on Instagram, and Twitter.
A native of Southern California, Michael Obermeyer has received many accolades for his art, including the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association “Lifetime Achievement Award” in 2015. Visit his website to see his body of work.
“Painting offers me the opportunity to create for myself, to allow others to see how I perceive life around me, and to totally escape from the real world for awhile. I enjoy painting outdoors and working quickly. It keeps my paintings fresh and spontaneous. I especially like to paint as much of the open space that I can, as it seems to be rapidly disappearing.
When painting outdoors, en plein air, I must work quickly due to the changing light. Therefore I have a limited palette of four to seven colors. This orderly layout also enables me to mix clean, fresh color.
I try to find subject matter that fascinates me. Nature provides the perfect balance of shape, value and color - the three elements that I find most important in painting. It can be so satisfying and I feel blessed for that.
The actor Gregory Peck once said, 'I love my God, my wife, my family, and my job. I am the damn luckiest man on earth.' As someone who gets to paint for a living, that pretty much says it all for me."
The 15th Anniversary Sonoma Plein Air Gala Dinner is officially sold out. Thank you to our generous donors and sponsors!
Gala guests can refer to the "Frequently Asked Questions" page on our website for specific details about the evening.
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.
Over 15 years of Sonoma Plein Air, several artists have participated in multiple years. Mark your calendar to see new new work from old favorites! The Festival takes place, Saturday, September 16th, from 10 am-4 pm at Sonoma Plaza.
Mark Farina's very first plein air experience was almost his last. (Lucky for us, he persevered!) He was extremely self-conscience about painting out-of-doors in public.He went out at daybreak, parked along Asilomar Boulevard in Pacific Grove, hid behind his car and started painting. About forty-five minutes later two patrol cars pulled up and two policemen jumped out and asked what he was up to.He stood up with his painting held over my head. They laughed. Apparently the residents across the road called the police suspecting that he was up to some kind of nefarious activity. About two weeks later, he drove by that painting spot and saw that two new NO PARKING signs had been put up.
Says Mark, "In the twenty-five years since I have found that plein air painting has provided me with a foundation and inspiration for my quest to become a competent painter. Painting from life allows more of a connection to the subject and the opportunity to study the subtleties of nature. It has provided me with humorous, frustrating, and spiritual experiences." See more at his website and Facebook.
An award winning Northern California painter, Philippe Gandiol was born and raised in France and moved to California in his early 20’s. He has painted with oils for over 25 years. He pursued an independent program of study taking classes in France, San Francisco and Sacramento and with several renowned West Coast painters. Philippe likes to paint a variety of subjects including landscapes, cityscapes, still life and figures “en plein air” or in the studio. He works as much as possible from life, believing that only in life can he find the full range of light and color he wants in his paintings and the spirit of his subject matter. He is actively involved with the California artist community, art events and fundraisers. He taught for many years at the Davis Art Center and now teaches privately out of his studio or in Plein Air. See more on his website and Facebook.
Paul Kratter says, "Plein Air painting is physical, not hard, but it can be trying. Outdoor conditions can be quite difficult, especially windy weather ot changing conditions. It's these variables that can add something exciting to the painting process. Trying to capture a moment of time or light speeds up the process and sometimes adds much needed vitality to a painting." Paul returns to Sonoma Plein Air in September, after his annual painting trip to the Sierra. You can find his latest work on Instagram, Facebook and on his website.
Niles Nordquist has developed over his lifetime an eye trained to capture the nuances of nature and the landscape. He searches for the uncommon view of a place, one that is not only new to him, but also that displays the powerful effects of light, that captures the sense of place and time, the essence of the present moment. Visit his website to see more work.
He says, "I enjoy plein air painting and have for more than 50 years. (I must have started when i was two.) The Sonoma Plein Air Festival has been a favorite of mine since its inception. Like many artists here, I began as an illustrator in Los Angeles. Painting from actual subjects is the basis for all my work, including studio creations - there is no substitute. The Sonoma area is ideal for the wide variety of subjects and the high quality of the juried artists. I am looking forward to this year's event."
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.
What a week! New kindergarteners, rising seniors and all grades in between walked into their classrooms in Sonoma Valley public schools. And thanks to the support of people like you - art lovers, artists and believers in a robust arts education - these students will have a wide range of hands-on art instruction and experiences that will inspire them to succeed as they take their next steps.
Meet Anna Stava, 2017 graduate of Sonoma Valley High School and the seventh recipient of Sonoma Plein Air Foundation's Lewis E. Cook III Scholarship. Her love of art started with Photography, and after a junior year Yearbook class, she became passionate about graphic design. Her love for learning led her to concurrent enrollment in a Santa Rosa Junior College Course in Adobe Illustrator and she volunteered her time to make posters for Prestwood Elelmentary School and her Senior Class T-shirt. She starts her college career at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo this month.
In our next newsletter, we'll share more about the fabulous artists coming to town for the Sonoma Plein Air Festival. This week, we are lifting the curtain to share with you what is happening behind the scenes.
The volunteers of Sonoma Plein Air are in "back to school" mode, too. Work happens all year to keep the Foundation fulfilling its mission to provide financial support to our schools and community arts organizations.
Grant applications are now coming in and being carefully evaluated.
Our first ever pre-show "Invitational Exhibition" opened at Adastra Wine & Art, and paintings from our previous Artists' Choice Award Winners are selling - with 40% of proceeds coming to the Foundation.
Volunteer hosts from the community are preparing to house our wonderful artists for plein air week.
Assignments for the big day - the Art Show and Sale on the Plaza - are being coordinated.
In other words, lots of work is being done behind the scenes to make our 15th Anniversary Year the best yet. We hope you will join us!
Would you like to be a volunteer for Sonoma Plein Air? Let us know what you are interested in!
We have opportunities throughout the year, as well as during Festival Week.
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.
Artists work hard to develop artist statements - to give us a quick glimpse into their inspiration and process. When we read their statements, and see their work we "get it" and we think you will, too. We hope you will come and see their work in person - and perhaps start or add to your art collection - at the Sonoma Plein Air Festival, on Saturday, September 15, in the Sonoma Plaza.
Light to the City, by Hiu Lai Chong
"I enjoy using vivid colors and sensitive brush stokes to express mood and feeling in my paintings. I'm often inspired by the people I meet, the history and culture I experience, and the beautiful nature we're surrounded by. My goal as an artist is to try and capture what I see to better understand the world we live in."
Hiu Lai's portrait of the Golden Gate Bridge received vigorous bidding at the 2016 Sonoma Plein Air Gala, and she painted a range of intimate and broad landscapes to show and sell at the Festival. We are excited to see her work this September.
Hiu Lai Chong, who lives in a Maryland suburb of Washington, D.C., received her early art training in Hong Kong and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Her paintings have won numerous awards, and she is currently featured in an exhibition of contemporary and historic paintings at The Irvine Museum.
Hiu Lai is an artist member of the California Arts Club, Laguna Plein Air Painter Association, Portrait Society of America, Signature Member of the Oil Painters of America, the American Society of Marine Artists and Mid-Atlantic Plein Air Painter Association, and member of the Washington Society of Landscape Painters.
Until the Festival, you can follow her on Facebook.
Sonoma Valley View, by Greg LaRock
"My oil paintings are painted en plein air or based on plein air studies. I believe that capturing the landscape from life is the only way to study light effects, values and color as nature intended. I also believe that with the advent of the camera it is not my job to depict a scene exactly. As an artist I try to create a work of art that uses composition, color, value and focus. Just like a good book or a move, a well-edited painting speaks volumes. As I like to say, my paintings are "based on a true story."
Greg LaRock’s passion is to capture the outdoor landscape and its ever-changing light and beauty. The challenge of depicting the three-dimensional world onto canvas is a difficult pursuit, but when it all comes together, it is an extremely rewarding experience.
Greg is signature member of Laguna Plein Air Painters Association, American Impressionist Society and American Society of Marine Artists and an artist member of the California Art Club. He has won numerous awards for his painting excellence at plein air events across the country, has been juried into four of the Oil Painters of America national shows, awarded a “Jury’s Top 50” at the Greenhouse Gallery’s Salon International twice, was an invited artist nine times to LPAPA’s annual Plein Air Invitational. He has also been profiled in Plein Air Magazine with an article on “Ideas for Better Paintings,”,featured in Southwest Art’s “Artist to Watch” column and included in a Jack Richeson Fine Art Series book “Plein Air New Mexico.”
You can find him on Facebook, Twitter and in September, at Sonoma Plein Air.
Missouri, by Devin Roberts
"Painting out in the landscape is where I find the most joy, wonder and peace in my life. When I create different pieces of art the thing that remains constant every time is the desire I have to convey the sense of mood and mystery that I feel when out in nature and to hopefully take the viewer on a journey that results in a clearer vision of our beautiful planet. If I can help that viewer escape for a few moments from the monotony of their life, if I can take them out of their office or home and put them on the top of a mountain or beside the ocean, I have fulfilled my purpose."
Devin Roberts is making his debut at the 15th Anniversary Sonoma Plein Air Festival. He won First Place in Plein Air Magazine's Salon competition in June/July, and he'll be featured as "An Artist of Note" in the August 2017 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Early collectors, take note!
Devin splits his time between the Midwest States and the Puget Sound of Washington State. Born in the foot hills of the Cascades and raised up and down the west coast as a child, nature has always been an important part of Devin’s life and as a result he has put his primary focus on painting the landscape. His days are spent either in the field studying directly from nature or in the comfort of the studio painting well thought out emotive pieces. He attended the gage Academy of Art in Seattle and workshop study under Jim Lamb, Mitch Albala and Jeffery Watts.
You can find him on Facebook, where he has over 19,000 followers.
It's five weeks to Festival time, but you can see some pretty great plein air art while you are waiting...
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.
The Artists' Choice Invitational Exhibition paintings have arrived! Here's a sneak peek of the unpacking, before the show is hung
at Adastra Wine & Art.
Michael Situ sent us this beautiful Laguna Beach landscape.
We were pretty excited by this knockout nocturne by Aimee Erickson.
See those empty hooks on the wall? Sonoma Plein Air Board member Irene Cook knows someone was trying out this powerful landscape by Eric Jacobsen!
When you are in Sonoma, be sure to see the entire collection of new paintings for sale by our Artists' Choice Winners from the past 15 years, and view a special selection of watercolors from private collections honoring Artists' Choice Award winner and 2016 Sonoma Treasure artist, the late Dick Cole. The Invitational Exhibition is at Adastra Wine & Art, 5 East Napa Street, opposite the Sonoma Plaza, throughout the month of August. Hours are Thursday-Monday from 12-6.
It's a great time to be involved with
Sonoma Plein Air!
For the past 15 years, a steadfast group of volunteers has worked to put on what has become a signature event for Sonoma Valley. Nationally-acclaimed artists put their signatures on paintings for sale, agreeing that 40% of the purchase price will go directly to fund art education for elementary, middle school and high school students. The Sonoma Plein Air Foundation is the major funding source for art education in Sonoma Valley public schools. We need one more signature - yours!
You can put that signature on a check for a Quick Draw painting at the Farmer's Market event on Tuesday, September 12.
You can sign on a credit card authorization to purchase a great painting at the Sonoma Plein Air Festival on Saturday, September 16.
You can sign digitally to make a donation to fund art education
You can sign up to be a volunteer and help continue the Sonoma Plein Air tradition. We are actively seeking community members with financial and marketing expertise to help us fulfill our mission of providing art education to the youth of Sonoma Valley.
Thanks for reading! We'll be sharing more news next week.
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.
Every year, the line-up changes. New artists are juried in and long-time favorites submit their finest new works to be ensured of a coveted spot. The week of September 11 begins with 35 artists heading into the vineyards and fields of Sonoma and Napa, out to the Pacific Coast and down as far as San Francisco. And on Saturday, September 16 they will bring the fruits of their labor to the Sonoma Plaza - to sell their work to raise funds to support art education for youth in the Sonoma Valley.
We've asked artists to share anecdotes about their lives and painting experiences. Here are some interesting tales:
Which Sonoma Plein Air artist has gone supersonic?
Robert Gantt Steele began his education studying architecture. After US Army service, he completed his Master of Architecture at the University of California, Berkeley. He then became a professional architect and worked as a designer in Switzerland. He then won a Fulbright Grant to study design in Vienna, Austria. While there, he realized that painting, not architecture, would be his life’s work.
Returning to the USA, he studied painting at the Art Students League in New York and at the Academy of Art in San Francisco where he has also taught. Since then, his many commissions have included paintings for the musical revival of “Showboat” on Broadway, many illustrated books, murals for a National Park Service National Monument in New York, and paintings done in France for Smithsonian Magazine.
His military service and art have a fascinating connection: since 1983 he has painted in a USAF program in which professional artists are escorted to the many Air Force bases in the world and to their often exotic locations. He's been to Japan, Korea, Okinawa, and the Philippines as guest of the Air Force, painting all the way. A number of years ago, he was asked to fly back seat in an F16 fighter jet from a base near the Florida keys. While he could not actually do a plein sketch while supersonic, he did plenty on the ground. Says Steele, "The mission is to record the life and times of Air Force people and to show our paintings in the Pentagon and elsewhere that acknowledge our debt to them."
Who could it be out there in the night, painting in the neighborhood?
Brian Sindler made his first appearance at Sonoma Plein Air in 2016 and introduced us to his tonalist, comtemporary style, with simplified forms, contrasting tonalities and color harmonies. Like many fine artists, Brian had another career - after earning a bachelor of arts from Columbia College in Columbia, Missouri, he worked as a musician for years, and he did not take up art until he was into his thirties.
Sindler began classes at the American Academy of Art in Chicago in 1996. From 1997 through 2001, he was enrolled at the School of Representational Art, a French-style atelier in Chicago. Since then, he has exhibited widely in individual and group shows. In additional to gallery exhibitions, he has been a regular exhibitor at the Salmagundi Club in New York, the Plein Air Festival in Door County, Wisconsin, and the Cedarburg Plein Air Competition. This year, he was awarded Best in Show at the Milwaukee Museum Mile Plein Air and Best of Show and the Artists' Choice Award at Jefferson Plein Air.
Says Sindler, "Because most of my paintings are nocturnes, I've been asked by fellow artists if I am a vampire or if I ever sleep? The answer is NO, to both questions."
Brian posts his work regularly on Instagram, probably before the sun rises.
It's true. This award winning painting started with ants in her pants.
Robin Purcell is a watercolorist, returning to Sonoma Plein Air for our 15th anniversary. She's also active on Instagram and Facebook where you can get regular glimpses of her work.
The resume of her awards and associations is deep: seven consecutive times in the California Art Club's Gold Medal Exhibition; the California Art Club's On Location in Malibu Exhibit and The American Watercolor Society Exhibition at the Salmagundi Club. Most recently her paintings received the Award of Excellence in Watermedia at the 16th Annual American Impressionists Society Exhibit and the best watercolor award at the Carmel Art Festival. Purcell is an Artist Member of the California Art Club, Signature Member of the American Watercolor Society, The National Watercolor Society, The Laguna Plein Air Painters Association and a Master Signature Member of the California Watercolor Association.
And she's got spunk. Says Purcell, "During the second day of the Carmel Plein Air Event there was a downpour so intense my palette became came a lake of pale colors and the drying time was way too long. As I gathered up my gear, something stung me hard on my leg. I shook out my pants and a large red ant fell out. It had probably climbed up to get out of the rain! The welt was large and painful and growing fast so I took large dose of an antihistamine to stop the reaction and fell asleep. The next morning I was still very drowsy, but it was sunny so I dragged myself out to paint and told myself I'll just stay two hours and see what happens. I was so tired from the antihistamine, I was hanging on to the easel for support. And I simplified the scene as much as I dared. And the painting won Best Watercolor."
See you at the Festival - Saturday June 16th - Sonoma Plaza
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.
Each Friday evening of Sonoma Plein Air, the participating artists gather to display what they consider their finest painting of the week. Every artist has one vote to cast for the painting they believe is "the best of the best" and that artist wins the Artist's Choice Award. All the paintings are then auctioned at our Gala Dinner which, along with the Saturday Festival, raises significant money to fund art education in Sonoma Valley Public Schools and through community art organizations that reach the youth of Sonoma Valley.
The first Artist's Choice Award went to Sonoma Plein Air Festival founder, Keith Wicks, in 2002. In celebration of our 15th Anniversary, we are hosting a special show and sale for the entire month of August - featuring the current works of past award winners. Have a look at their winning paintings on our website, and come see the show and taste the fine wine at Adastra Wine and Art on the Sonoma Plaza. We are grateful to Adastra for their generous sponsorship of Sonoma Plein Air and look forward to an exceptional exhibition of new work from these acclaimed artists.
In addition to Keith Wicks, we are delighted that the following former Artist's Choice Award winning painters will be participating in the 2017 Sonoma Plein Air Festival.
Who will win the Artist Choice Award in 2017? Be among the first to find out at the gala dinner at Buena Vista Winery on Friday, September 15. There are still Patron opportunities available and tables are going fast! General admission tickets, if any remain available, will go on sale in July.
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.
