Ever heard of En Plein Air?  Most people haven’t.  En Plein Air is the most exciting movement in art around the world today.  It provides an opportunity for groups like small towns, large cities, national parks and local organizations to interact with artists who are painting the things that the group loves – their homes and local landmarks!  The art produced is instant promotions of the charm that makes a place like Schulenburg unique.  It memorializes images that connect us to our hometowns or places we love to visit.  It introduces new and appreciative audiences to our most beloved landmarks like our Painted Churches and some of our historic architecture.

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En Plein Air translates to In Plain Air and means that the artist paints on location, usually out of doors.  Because the sun is moving across the sky, the light changes.  Crisp, clean light of morning warms as the temperature rises and changes to the “Golden Hour” just before sun sets when the sun is literally casting a gold light over everything it touches.  This change in light color and direction transforms the image that and artist chooses to paint and the color palette he or she sees at 9:00 AM into a different picture by noon – the shadows and the highlights are so different that it demands a new color palette and a new composition.  This means the artist must work quickly and confidently to capture what they see in a completed, one-of-a-kind work of art.

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Since they have so little time to complete each work, most of the paintings are relatively small and on the low end of each artist’s price range.  Some of these artists will produce as many as 4 paintings in one day.  Most will finish 2 a day.

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This is good news for both first time and for serious art collectors.  The serious collector can find a work that can be squeezed in on their rapidly disappearing wall space and the first-time collector can find something they love in an affordable price range.  In addition, collectors and the audience get a chance to meet the artists and get to know them.  The purchase of original artwork is unlike the purchase of a couch or chair, it is about a personal connection to the image and many times, to the artist themselves.  Artwork that we love will be with us the rest of our lives and will make us smile a little each time we see it whereas most of us will own 4 or more couches in our lifetimes.

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There are many reasons that En Plein Air is so popular – one being the connection between locals and the artists.  According to the National Endowment for the Arts, less than 20% of US households own any original artwork – serious collectors represent less than .05% of the population. The artists participating in Have You Painted Yet? will be painting around town and along roadsides – feel free to stop and talk to them, get to know them.  This is an opportunity to own original art by established artists.