About twenty years ago artist Tom English and a small cadre of like minded painters who regularly got together and painted outdoors began to discuss the formation of a larger group of artists that could get together a couple of times a year and paint. With the goals of pursuing the further development of their outdoor painting skills at a new Montana location each “paint out” and share their insights, socialize and use their organization to broaden the knowledge and appreciation of plein air painting in the public sphere.
The Montana Painters Alliance brings kindred artistic spirits together to enjoy pleine air painting in nature’s most majestic corner. Vincent Van Gogh asked, “I have nature and art and poetry, and if that is not enough, what is enough?” We at the MPA would add one more thing to the list: good company.The Montana Painters Alliance organizes bi-annual paint-outs in breathtaking locales throughout the state. Aside from being an opportunity to travel to new and interesting scenic areas, an MPA paint-out provides us with an important learning experience as well. Battling changing light, bugs, and bad weather forces the artist to ignore minor details and quickly capture the essence of a landscape before it fades. And importantly, working in the company of other painters allows us to learn from each other, as friends.
In addition to creating an environment in which art is made, the MPA also works with regional museums to host themed shows featuring our members’ work. We try to do an MPA show at least every other year.
En plein air: French for outdoors, (or plein air painting) is the act of painting outdoors.
Plein air is an adjective pertaining to a manner or style of painting developed chiefly in France in the mid-19th century, characterized by the representation of the luminous effects of natural light and atmosphere as contrasted with the artificial light and absence of the sense of air or atmosphere associated with paintings produced in the studio.