Plein Air Easton Podcast

LIVE from Plein Air Easton 2022, Tim and Jess talk with alumni artist Julie Riker. They discuss her early years as an artist and how her career in architectural restoration influenced and informed her painting technique.   "I consider myself primarily an observational painter, painting mostly from life, and often outside 'en plein air'. Painting in one session, "Alla prima" keeps the surface fresh...

It's our season finale and the kickoff of PLEIN AIR EASTON!! As the event coordinator for Plein Air Easton, Marie Nuthall is truly the belle of the ball during the hottest week and a half of the summer in Easton.  Today hosts Tim and Jess turn the mic around on her and find out what brought her to the planning side of the largest outdoor painting competition in the country.  All three share their...

Dan Weiss, president of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, served as the judge of the 2021 Plein Air Easton art competition.  As we worked with Dan during the festival, we found him to be a passionate, kind, and easy-going man that was able to say incredibly intelligent things in a way that felt connecting when other wise people may sound exclusionary.  He joined us virtually from quarantine to share...

Betty Huang is an artist, the owner of Studio B Gallery, the current president of The Working Artists Forum, and a long time partner of Plein Air Easton.  Tim and Jess sit down with Betty in the studio to find out more about how she became so ingrained in Easton's art scene. A well-respected and award-winning artist, Betty is also the owner of Studio B Art Gallery in Easton, Maryland. Betty's artw...

As one of the founders of Plein Air Easton, artist Nancy Tankersley is a visionary that anticipated the growth of the Plein Air movement and took that opportunity to begin what has grown into the largest outdoor painting competition in the country.  Tim and Marie ask Nancy about the beginnings of Plein Air Easton, her definition of Plein Air, and the broader meaning of the growing movement. Nancy...

Artist Nicholas O'Leary won the Quick Draw his first time at Plein Air Easton in 2019 earning him an automatic entry into the following festival, but when COVID altered the landscape of international travel he found himself unable to cash in his award.  With a safer situation in 2022, Nicholas is finally returning to our competition.  Jess and Tim talk with Nicholas about his inspiration and his t...

Watercolor artist Thomas Bucci talks with Tim and Jess about his careers that led him to art and the era he grew up in that felt that careers in art were risky and not likely to succeed.  He proved them all wrong when he made more selling his architectural renderings than he did as an architect. "I've chosen watercolor for its ability to quickly suggest form with loose washes and to conjure the il...

Plein Air Easton alumnus Leonard Mizerek joins Tim and Marie to chat about his long history competing at Plein Air Easton, his recent move to Florida, and his painting trips abroad.  Leonard also talks about his approach to preparing his palette and how different painting surfaces impact his works. Leonard Mizerek Fellow, ASMA, nurtured his artistic love of nature while growing up and painting in...

Today Tim and Marie are joined by artist Karl Terry all the way from the Isle of Oxney in Kent.  This raucous conversation has Karl spinning some of his favorite stories and recounting various mishaps he has experienced throughout his painting career.   "I paint landscapes and cityscapes both here in the UK and abroad. I have  been fortunate to paint with many of the UK & USA 's finest living land...

As an early curator at the Academy Art Museum, Henry Coe's artistic roots in Talbot County go back quite a ways.  Tim and Marie talked with Henry about his history as an artist and the evolutions of plein air art becoming a competition.   "I received a BA in English from Roanoke College and an MFA in painting from Maryland Institute College of Art. I began painting seriously on the eastern shore o...

Plein Air artist Crista Pisano is known for her tiny paintings and big personality.  Tim and Jess ask Crista about her origins as a young ballerina, her job painting German Christmas ornaments, and her trademark yellow Jeep (which is really more of a butterscotch color).    Born and raised in northern New Jersey, Crista began painting in oils in 1989 under the instruction of John Phillip Osborne a...

At the 2021 Plein Air Easton festival, Lon Brauer won the Judge's Choice award with his piece "Solitary Man".  In today's episode, Tim and Marie sit down with Lon to talk about his unique style, and Tim works on getting his name correct.   Lon Brauer is an American artist known for his work in figure and plein air landscape. He has a BFA from Washington University and an MFA from Fontbonne Univers...

In the first episode of 2022, Tim and Jess sit down with Kim VanDerHoek about how she found success as a fine artist NOT by selling herself but rather by building relationships.   Kim VanDerHoek is an American contemporary fine artist who creates vibrant, textural oil paintings of landscapes and urban scenes in her Southern California studio.   Born in Southern California and raised in the mountai...

Plein Air artist Tim Kelly is no stranger to controversy.  His attention-grabbing submissions have won awards that led to debate amongst the festival participants.  This years Grand Prize winning painting, "A Little Bit Louder Now", was no exception, having been painted indoors.  Jess and Tim Weigand talk with Tim Kelly (from a Popeye's parking lot) to get his take on this and other controversies...

While not his first appearance on the Plein Air Easton Podcast, it is the first time we sat down with John Brandon Sills in the podcast studio for a proper interview.  Tim and Marie dive deeper into John's artistic philosophy, how he developed it, and discuss the Renaissance Award he won this year and what it means to him. "John paints nature in all its forms, choosing to emphasize those aspects t...

Relative newcomer to the Plein Air art circuit, Jeff Williams won 3rd Place in this year's Plein Air Easton festivities.  Jeff talks with Tim and Marie about how he transitioned from Architecture into painting and what he loves about his new career.   Jeff Williams is a retired professor of architecture from Oklahoma. He has won numerous major design competitions, including first prize in the cove...

Daniel Robbins' work "Bound" won both the Best Use of Light award and the Artists Choice award at the 2021 Plein Air Easton competition.  In this episode, Tim and Marie ask him about the development of his technique and how he integrates philosophy in his landscapes.   Follow Daniel Robbins: Official Site Facebook Instagram   Follow Plein Air Easton: Official Site Facebook Instagram YouTube   To i...

Mary Veiga won 2nd place in this year's competition. Tim and Marie talk about her win as a relative newcomer to the Plein Air competition circuit. She discusses her process of developing her style and the challenges of tuning out the destructive thoughts that undermine our ambitions.   Growing up in beautiful Maryland farmland, Mary naturally drew inspiration from her surroundings. Spending time r...

Tim and Jess talk with veteran plein air painter Neal Hughes.  He discusses his business-like approach to his painting career and his transition from illustration to a career based around competitions.   A former illustrator, Neal has been painting professionally for over 35 years. His work is part of the permanent collection of the New Britain Museum of American Art and he has been accepted into...

2021 was Laurie Maher's first time at Plein Air Easton, where she was awarded Best New Artist by judge Daniel Weiss.  Tim and Marie talk with Laurie about her experience at the competition and her approach to each work.   Follow Laurie Maher: Official Site Instagram   Follow Plein Air Easton: Official Site Facebook Instagram YouTube   To inquire about being a guest or sponsoring the Plein Air East...

In today's episode, plein air instructor Chris Kolupski joins us over Skype from the top of the Colorado National Monument.  Tim and Jess find out what led Chris to this beautiful (and seemingly treacherous) painting location and his philosophy on how best to develop your artistic skills.   Chris Kolupski began painting outdoors as a teenager in the forests of Upstate New York and Canada. After wo...

Today Tim and Jess talk with artist Stephen Haynes about his ambitious new art project exploring artificial intelligence and temporary existence, all inspired by his discovery of the website This Person Does Not Exist .   Stephen Haynes is a self-taught painter currently living in the greater Pittsburgh area. A lifelong artist, Stephen spent his formative school years among the beaches of southern...

Zufar Bikbov is a long-time Plein Air Easton juried artist, winning awards nearly every year.  Tim and Jess talk to Zufar about the trajectory of his career as an artist and a doctor and how the two paths intersect.   Zufar's interest in painting came early in life from the influence of his father, a well-respected specialist in engineering. His father's dream to become an artist could not be real...

Today Tim and Jess interview long-time Plein Air Easton artist, Sara Linda Poly.  This year she won a Judge's Choice award at the festival for her work All is Quiet Now .   Sara Linda Poly, originally from the Philadelphia area, studied at university in PA, VA, MD., and with local and national artists. Sara's past experience includes illustration and design and work as assistant gallery director a...

Fresh off of his first place win at Paint Annapolis 2021, Tim and Jess sit down with Stewart White to discuss his start as an artist, his philosophy on Plein Air painting, and a little advice for artists new to the competition scene.   Stewart White is a watercolorist from Baltimore, Maryland. He is one of the rare plein air painters using the medium of watercolor. His background in architectural...