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As an artist living in rural America I have struggled to find an art group to belong to. As an artist I've also struggled with finding my style. Plein air has narrowed down both of these topics for me.
Years ago when I began my journey as a fine artist my sister suggested I find myself a 501c3 and volunteer my time. I've been involved with a few but usually felt disappointed as some tend to profit the cities only & others benefit big recognized artist but not the ones who need exposure. Some even exclude amateurs and children. while other groups only allow visual art but no music or craft or literature. I hadn’t found a group that shared the same same vision as what I personally would like to be a part of in my area. Most of them are located so far away that the option was moot.
In 2017 my mother called when she saw an advertisement for a Fair Plein Air Event near where I live. I had seen other Plein air events advertised by this group but they usually occurred during the annual plein air events I attend so I was never able to go and meet the group at this location. On a few occasions, I drove to the Gallery only to find the doors locked and the farmers merchant restaurant next door boarded up. Each time my heart would sink and no one in the area had any idea where I was talking about or if they did, didn't know too much about why it was closed or the organization within.
Following the phone call with my mom, (the gallery advertisement included the hours they were open) I went and signed up for their paint the fair event and met a member from the Gallery. This plein air event takes place every year during the local Gasconade Fair in July which is a very hot time of the year here in Missouri when I ordinarily do not have events scheduled. My daughter had also just asked the day before if she could go to this fair with a friend of hers so I went ahead & signed up for just the one day to paint.
At this annual event you must purchase a fair pass along with paying the fee to paint so knowing I'm not as die hard as some artist in the heat and I still have a few years with my daughter at home I only planned the one day.
Fair day came so I loaded my car with the usual, easel, canvases, paints, water bottles, brushes, sketchbook, pencils, markers, frames, tools paper towels, waste bag and a rolling Art bag for one trip. At the time I used acrylic. My daughter and I met her friend and her family at the park and I set out to find an area with shade to paint. I chose to do three small canvases as a triptych piece because I wasn't sure what the market for fine art was here. I used 3 small 5"x5" canvas's and frame them for a horizontal view as they usually sell quite well. I chose to paint the midway & rides at the fair. When I finished the 3 piece our temperature had reached 95 degrees and it was still before noon. Not liking extreme humidity I decided to get to the air conditioned exhibit hall to frame my piece and turn it in.
The director from the gallery was right inside at a table and happily greeted me. She offered to frame my work for me so I could cool down, have some water & start another painting. Where was I? This doesn't happen at events. She was so sweet and seemed to know what she was doing pulling out a toolbox so I let her frame the three piece tryptic. Just as I was getting ready to go back out and search for something new to paint a man came in and said "I can't find any artist", I need my cow painted. Again I froze in amusement... where was I? This doesn't happen. He looked at me and said "are You an artist?" I answered yes and pointed out the little paintings I had just completed. He asked "can You paint a larger painting?" and we ended up discussing prices right on the spot.
I followed the man in denim overalls to his lovely cow only to find his daughter sitting there like a child with her pet dog. She was about 9 and was very interested in me setting up my easel and came to peek around my shoulder as I began doing preliminary sketches. She asked if I liked being an artist and I told her I loved being an artist and just like that our friendship began. This was her cow Buddy and she had raised him herself. Her dad wanted to get a painting of Buddy, so she would have it to remember him by. It stirred my emotion for the little girl and her pet as I set my space in the stall.
I did not grow up on a farm but had grandparents with a farm that to me was the most magical place on earth. My father lived there as a child and told us stories about how he became attached to animals and how hard it was on him growing up when the went to market. Buddy the cow reminded me of the bulls my grandfather had..he would yell don’t go near that, when we were near the fence that contained his prized bull on the other side. Sometimes when we were on the farm my grandmother would be outside working in the gardens & walk by with a chicken wrapped in a towel petting it and say ok-now you can go inside girls. They always protected us from the ugly truths & dangers of it all. It must have been the smell, of the cows in the stalls & the hay that surfaced earlier days gone by at my grandparents farm.
I asked the girl if she would like to be in the painting and she smiled ear to ear and returned kneeling next to buddy. Because everything moves at the fair this event allows photo references. They also allow you to take the pieces home to “tweak them” which I don’t like to do. The silent auction is on the last day of the fair. I sold most of my paintings that event and grew to know the community a little better.
It’s a community of working people who put God and family first before themselves. I met a few of the other artist primarily local artist some professionals some just artist. I felt very welcomed at this event by all of them. After the event the group asked me if I would like to become a member and I was happy to do so.
The following year I attended the Paint the Fair, this time I noticed a couple artist painting from large printouts they had printed from phots they had taken earlier in the day. I asked them why they were doing that and wasn't it breaking the rules? They seemed surprised and said that thats what the've always done. I explained to them that plein air is actually painting from life and studying the light and it’s atmosphere. Just capturing an impression or mood of what is in front of you - a moment in time. It is different than studio painting. I also explained that looking at 2d printout to paint from will usually leave the painting flat or with less emotion than painting from life. I’ve always considered it the point of plein air to learn how light effects an object..and how to capture it quickly as natural light is continually changing. It forces you to understand light, shadow & tone. Using a photo freezes the light & real plein air painters that compete for prizes a lot of time consider it cheating to look at photos as all the work is already done.
They were curious to know more and asked me to attend the next board meeting which was the groups annual meeting. They ended up nominating me for board representative and I accepted. Not normally being a joiner, this was foreign to my nature. At the next meeting they asked me if they could use my artist contacts to solicit plein air events as they has lost some of their bigger artist. I told them only if we set it up correctly without printouts, not using cameras to paint from and have awards for the artist rather than silent auction. I explained to them that plein air artist work very hard and that time is their livelihood and that their are certain expectations that artist have when deciding witch events to spend their money and time to attend. They agreed and elected me to oversee the event.
At the annual meeting I met a woman that attended who lives in the city but is a big supporter of the gallery and stays weekend at a family farm near the town. She liked one of my triptych's and said if only it were her farm she would purchase it. I informed her I was a plein air painter and that and I would be happy to paint it if we could figure out a time-she said her schedule was very busy and the day was so beautiful too bad I couldn't come today-I told her everything I needed was in my car. This happened to be in December in Missouri and it was 80.
We met at her house an hour later and I joined her on her 4 wheeled mule-she drove me to the most amazing view and said this is what I'd like painted. She came back an hour later and was so excited she said she couldn't believe her eyes. We visited a bit and she asked a lot of questions. She explained to me that the founder of the gallery was her dear friend that had passed from cancer and that she shared the same visions of what an art group should be as me. She believed her friend had channeled me to help them. She wanted to know more about plein air & was instrumental in helping set up & get support for the event. She said…I love this and “this” is what the gallery needs to do -she loved the idea of professional artist coming to the community so the local artist and art patrons could learn & share the experience of how professional artist work & what their creative processes are.
The next year and 1/2 was quite challenging as everyone has their own idea of how a plein air event should be. Everyone involved with small rural art groups seems to know more than the next person and their is always that fear that comes with change or the unknown so they tend to react but I know this is just fear of the unknown & normal human nature. Because they wanted to solicit my artist friends that I’ve made over the years - I stayed the course and kept true to what I believe a plein air should be. I had to present plein air to two cities that had zero idea what I was talking about. They loved my passion and agreed to help but really couldn't understand what a plein air event was. I also ventured to other cities to recruit judges that were capable of such a big endeavor. At the time we had a tiny board comprised primarily of local artist and retired people who are willing to work for free as it’s a non profit. Some feeling have been hurt during the process including mine but somehow we all pulled it off and believe we have brought awareness about fine art to a very small community that had never ever heard the term plein air. Now that it is over they have a new understanding of what and how professional artist are and how they work.They were humbled and honored to have artist of this quality in their little rural community’s.
Three days after the event the Gallery participated in the Halloween event "Witches Night Out" that another local shop owner puts on. It’s a night out downtown street festival for women to shop, dance and just celebrate before deer season as holidays approach. The local shops that participate stay open downtown as well. The temperature had dropped to 36 and it was pouring down rain so a lot of the witches came in the gallery to warm up. Some of them had followed the event on fb some just came in to get warm but they were all amazed to see new art and by new artist.
When I told those that didn't realize we had artist from 4 states painting all weekend-they would say “but it was cold and raining” I would say plein air is outdoors “plein air artist are not sissy’s”..lol, they would turn to the paintings (mostly sold) and study them. The artist had captured that perfectly and they would turn around and say "I SEE" in amazement. Some signed up to be members some just came in and asked about painting. Some asked if we offered workshops for plein air or if we will hold more paint outs and some asked about sip and paints events..the plein air event has brought light to a little art gallery in a very small downtown area.
The event has proven to be a success in connecting the arts to the community. It seems their is an interest here in our little community and I believe the founder “Anna” played a giant role in all of it!!!

*(updated) We are in our 4th year now of having “The Gasconade Fall Plein Air” and it has grown with leaps & bounds!! We have had some of the best national artist attend..news has spread & more of the community is interested in being sponsors. We now have a separate committee which I am still on, that works all year to make the event happen. The Gallery is still the umbrella to which the event runs. We are bridging the gap to neighboring cities in the county. We have new members at the Gallery and are now creating other events literature & music & expanding the events that already exist.
If you would like to donate to the event or gallery go to https://www.artworksonmain.org
Or
https://www.gasconadefallpleinair.com
Covid has been a tough time for nonprofits & businesses in rural cities as we have had to close doors several times & not have events for a while so donations are very welcome. We were able to have our event as it’s primarily outside & not one of the City Sponsored events both years & we moved the venue for the sale to a larger location for social distancing. As luck would have it our Final day sale was already held at a location that actually has an outdoor pavilion with walls that we can open if the weather allows. Like I said..I do believe “Anna” and her friends above have played a giant role in bringing plein air to a rural town. 🙏

DescriptionBreak the chains. This is a mural commissioned by the Freedom Center Recover LLC. located in Union Missouri. The Freedom Center is a company that helps people who suffer from substance abuse & addiction. The wall is 17’x6’ and was created using Emerald Designer Edition Interior Latex Paint. (Acrylic). It is located directly inside the building in the main lobby. The mural is composed by layering a thin washes of the deeper shades and then slightly using heavier layers while incorporating white to achieve the lighter hues to created a ethereal effect. The chains & birds were then hand painted using black to create a silhouette layer. If interested in a mural for your home or business please contact the artist.