Stuff I have learned on my Summer Vacation

Painting in the mountains of Colorado is a huge challenge for this city artist. I painted en plein air in RMNP in June, before attending the opening of "Far and Near Horizons", a touring exhibit sponsored by International Plein Air Painters (IPAP) and Landscape Artists International (LAI). The Cultural Art Center Gallery of Estes Park Colorado hosted the exhibit and it was fun to meet my fellow artists from all over the US and Canada. The sounds are different (water rushing over rocks vis a vis elevated trains screaming overhead) --- and there are HILLS instead of flats --- and I had a peaceful retreat from this busy city.

Back to Chicago where I finished up this commissioned work: Picasso Under Construction circa 1967. This huge piece of public art was pointed-up (from a maquette by Picasso) at American Bridge in Gary Indiana, and this image of the work-in-progress came from a photo of that operation.

Chicago - home of year-round outdoor painting - eek!

Winter, spring, summer, fall - young and old - the www.pleinairpaintersofchicago.blogspot.com folks are on the prowl. We did the Lincoln Park Conservatory a couple of weeks ago and all of us except one painter decided to stand in the snow outside and paint, rather than inside where everything was green (and our glasses fogged up when we went inside to thaw.)

We do manage to find places out of the wind - so last week we went inside Union Station (but somehow I ended up on the end of the platform OUTSIDE painting a train as it was coming into the station. Some people never learn!)

Pictures from these two adventures will be posted as soon as I get them onto the computer.

Check out this link: http://www.l-a-i.com/World_Tour

Mark your c alendars for April 4-15 for the PAPC show at the Palette & Chisel Academy of Fine Arts Gallery, 1012 N. Dearborn Street, Chicago 60610. Email me for particulars: nancy.albrecht@rcn.com

More soon.

Plein Air painting in Chicago in Winter

If it is over 20 degrees, and the wind is under 20

miles per hour I get out most Saturdays to paint

with the Plein Air Painters of Chicago for 3-4

hours. People stop and ask "are you a class?"

My usual response is "no, we're just crazy!"

I am participating in the following traveling show:

IPAP/LAI World Tour
LAI charter members and IPAP signature members Exhibition Schedule:
This tour offers an exceptional opportunity to view works by artists around the world. The schedule grows weekly so please bookmark and check back frequently to see what cities have been added.
2008 - 2009 Tour
April 21 - May 21, 2008
The Link Gallery
Associated with Peninsula Art School
Fish Creek, Wisconsin (Door County)
Host Artists: Aaron Holland
June 1 - July 6, 2008
The Cultural Arts Council of
Estes Park Art Fine Art Gallery
Estes Park, Colorado
Host Artists: Kathryn McMahon & Doug Martin
July 21 - August 18, 2008
Old School House Art Center
Qualicum Beach, Vancouver
British Columbia, Canada
Artist Host: Dan Gray
Opening September 18, 2008 - January 4, 2009
Terrace Gallery
Orlando, Florida
Host Artists: Brenda Hofreiter & Barbara Perrotti

You might also check out my work at www.fineartamerica.com and www.lottongallery.com

Its been a great year.