LOCALadk Magazine
Issue link: https://localadkmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1501551
LOCALadk 46 The Adirondack region has become a hotbed for plein air painting events in 2023. Franklin County is home to three of them, including the original, nation- ally recognized Adirondack Plein Air Festival in Sara- nac Lake. What is plein air painting? Plein air is a French term that basically means paint- ing out in the open air, outdoors. Instead of painting for hours indoors in their studios, day or night, artists take their paints and easels to outdoor locations. Natural light and scenic views, whether wilderness or farmland, industrial or village locations, offer unlimit- ed subject matter. Plein air paintings have to be done fast because the lighting and weather can change during the course of a few hours. So rather than hav- ing days or weeks to contemplate their work, plein air painters work much more intuitively, painting what they see, quickly. It can be both frustrating and very relaxing to just focus intently, and be totally absorbed in the landscape around you. Why has plein air painting become so popular? First of all, it's not just an Adirondack thing - a reviv- al of interest in plein air painting began some 20 -plus years ago. Small groups of artists often chose a loca- tion and went out and painted as a group, sharing the experience. Festivals, or painting competitions devel- oped as artists learned that their audiences enjoyed the whole idea of being able to watch an artist at work one day and then be able to purchase the wet, framed painting the next! This experience is especially mean- ingful when people live in the area being painted, and recognize the views. Plein air festivals arrive in the Adirondacks In 2009, Sandra Hildreth, a Saranac Lake painter and one of the founding members of Saranac Lake Art- Works, read about these plein air festivals and decid- ed to organize one. The Adirondack Plein Air Festival started out with just a few local artists who painted for 2 days and then hung a show of their work on a Sunday afternoon. A few people came to see it. Now, after 15 years, the event has a national reputa- tion, a juried selection process, 5 1/2 days of painting, gives out over $5000 in prizes, and hosts a huge show and sale in the Harrietstown Town Hall in Saranac Plein Air Festivals: An Artistic Celebration of the Adirondacks Story and photos by Sandra Hildreth