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Plein air group paints the great art-doors

Sunlight lazily sparkles through the trees, cresting its honey summertime slowness over the handful of artists scattered throughout Rosedale Gardens.

“Isn’t she cute?” painter Barbara Best whispers, as she looks up towards a fellow artist, Liz Nordlund, as she settles a bright blue bucket hat on her head.

Best looks down again at her sketchbook, concentrating on a small, delicate painting in the upper right corner of the page, which she has divided with bright tape into four crisp squares for four separate paintings.

Best is quiet. In this space without human voice, birds sing, swaying in the trees. The constant, steady twinkling sound of fountains idles just below conscious notice.

Barbara Best, right, shows off her work for a quick picture at Rosedale Gardens on Aug. 8, 2024. Photo by Carolyn Bick.

Plein air art

Like every Thursday throughout the summer, this peaceful morning of Aug. 8 finds the Peninsula Art League’s plein air artist group capturing the changing light and shadow in the medium of their choice.

On this particular Thursday, they are joined by the Tacoma Urban Sketchers, a group of artists who hail from just across the bridge. They join the plein air artists on the third Thursday of every  month.

The art of painting “en plein air” — a French term, meaning “in the open air” — is quite literally what it is: Creating art outdoors.

While this might sound no different than creating art in a studio, venturing outdoors to create comes with a suite of challenges that PAL’s plein air group lead has come to relish. And the challenges aren’t what you might immediately expect.

Greenery frames artist Jenn Lewis, as she creates at Rosedale Gardens on Aug. 8, 2024. Photo by Carolyn Bick.

In addition to needing to pack a kit with an easel, brushes, and paint, “we don’t always have water available … and there’s no bathroom lots of times where we go,” said Cathie Johnson, the watercolor artist who serves as the group’s current lead.

Addicted to creativity

Johnson has been creating since she was a little girl growing up by the shores of Alki Beach in West Seattle. She continued to cultivate her practice, sketching near Lake Union, during her time at the University of Washington, where she earned an undergraduate degree in art and education.

Liz Nordlund paints her interpretation of a sculpture at Rosedale Gardens on Aug. 8, 2024. Photo by Carolyn Bick.

Though she taught as a special education teacher in Oregon for nearly two decades, Johnson still worked as an artist, showing her work in different shows and galleries throughout the years, and actively participating in the Watercolor Society of Oregon. Her deep passion for art always stayed with her, she said.

“I think you’re kind of an addict if you like art,” she joked. “It’s hard to get rid of that little creative side.”

Lori Johnson outlines her creation at Rosedale Gardens on Aug. 8, 2024. Photo by Carolyn Bick.

In 2010, Johnson retired to the area, where she got involved with the PAL and subsequently the group, then led by Anne Knapp, a pastel artist who is also a member of the Northwest Pastel Society (NWPS). Knapp is still a dedicated plein air group member, and joined the group the morning of Aug. 8.

A plein air workout

The group’s “season” kicks off with Gig Harbor’s annual Garden Tour every June. But the artists — about 10 regulars in all, Johnson said — tend to meet up before that to stretch and exercise their plein air muscles.

In addition to physical considerations, Johnson said that the group likes to practice. Actually painting or drawing from real life is distinctly different than using a photo for reference. The main difference, she said, is the way the changing conditions — light, ocean tides, clouds — force an artist to think differently.

Rachael Lewis works on her interpretation of a sculpture at Rosedale Gardens on Aug. 8, 2024. Photo by Carolyn Bick.

“You really have to see what’s happening right now in front of your eyes. A photo stills things. It fixes the light. It fixes the shadows. And when you’re out, it’s always changing,” Johnson said. “I find it to be more of a challenge. Working from photos to me is easy. I’ve done it for years. But being outdoors, painting is much more challenging.”

Sculpted antlers can be seen over Liz Nordlund’s head, as the artist paints the sculpture at Rosedale Gardens on Aug. 8, 2024. Photo by Carolyn Bick.

Artists welcome

Johnson said that anyone who wants to join can check out the group’s schedule for the rest of the open-air season. Some members of the group also meet indoors at the Fox Island schoolhouse, during the winter, she said, and folks are welcome to join that, too.

Johnson’s “hard sell,” as she puts it, for anyone on the fence, is that everyone starts somewhere with plein air painting. The trick is not listening to the little voice that might erode a person’s confidence and intimidate them out of just trying it.

“We’ve got so many beautiful places around here to paint. You know, the harbor, the parks, flowers — whatever you like to paint, get out and try it. Because it’s a totally different thing than painting in the studio.” Johnson said. “And, you know, start small. Just do some drawings when you go out and call that good. And then add color to it as you move along. … I think you’ve just got to get out there and try it.”

Barbara Best, lower center, and Liz Nordlund, top center, paint at Rosedale Gardens on Aug. 8, 2024. Photo by Carolyn Bick.