Plein air painting – fun and free
Museum of the Islands volunteer Karen Hartshorne is very interested in using her education as a graduate level painting and drawing student, coupled with her experience at LSU, to teach plein air painting to mostly kids, although all ages are welcome, around Pine Island, beginning Monday, April 28, from 8-10 a.m., through the summer months.
Hartshorne said she will let everyone who is interested know where the next painting location will be.
“No charge, no class, just painting plein air together. Whatever medium everybody wants to bring is fine, everybody brings their own supplies. There’s no instruction — everybody works independently, and then after the two hours is up, everybody can put their work up on display for everyone else and we’ll have a little critique and that’s the point where people can ask questions,” Hartshorne said.
Plein air painting, meaning “in the open air” in French, is the practice of painting outdoors, directly from nature, with the subject in full view. This type of open-minded program structure is just the right fit for Hartshorne, as she lives by it.
“This morning when I woke up, my first thought was, let the kids paint historical sights so they can learn the history at the same time we’re painting,” Hartshorne said.
The reason for this, she said, is that the artist can then experience being present in the moment with their work and to have something to go home with after a couple of hours. The reason for declining to add an age limit is simply that Hartshorne said each parent will have to decide whether or not their child or children can handle the setting, although she admits this should not be perceived as a summer day camp or daycare-type setting, as all parents are required to stay for as long as their child is present.
“If an adult shows up and they want to paint and learn about history, that’s good, too. There are no rules — that’s why I like working with kids,” Hartshorne said.
For information about this plein air painting class, contact Karen at Giftshop@museumoftheislands.com.
To reach PAULETTE LeBLANC / pleblanc@breezenewspapers.com, please email