What is Plein Air? And what is a Plein Air Competition?

Painting ‘ en plein air’ is certainly nothing new. ‘En plein air’ is simply French for ‘in the outdoors.’ Impressionist artists are known for paintings done on-site. Claude Monet painted the same haystack many times so that he could portray the effect of changing light as the day or seasons progressed. John Singer Sargent is best known for his studio portraits, but many books have also been written about his quick sketches and paintings in watercolor.

“Stacks of Wheat (End of Summer, Morning)” by Claude Monet

“Haystack, End of Summer” by Claude Monet

On September 29, U City in Bloom will be holding its ninth annual Plein Air Competition and Festival. In recent years, such events have become very popular. They generally have a structured format. Monet and Sargent may have polished up their paintings in their studios, but studio work is not permitted in most competitions. The artists check in with blank canvases, stamped so that a studio-painted canvas cannot be substituted. After a certain amount of time, the day’s finished artworks are turned in for judging.

U City in Bloom changed our plein air format during Covid, when we were avoiding anything that involved crowds. We decided that September would be “Paint U. City” month, and that judging and the reception would take place outdoors. Artists could paint anywhere, at any time during the month and turn in three pieces for judging on the final day. They were asked to limit work on any piece to six hours, with no touch-up in the studio. Paint U. City month was so well received, we have kept it in addition to the traditional one-day event since then.

Come to our wind-up reception on September 29 at the U. City Community Center. You will be dazzled by the artwork, like the two examples of impressionistic paintings from past U City Plein Air events shown below. https://www.ucityinbloom.org/pleinair/