The Plein Air Artists of Central Kentucky gather each week during the late spring through the early fall in beautiful outdoor locations throughout the region.  Each week is hosted by an individual in the group which includes artists from Boyle County and the surrounding counties as well as from Somerset, Corbin and Lexington.

En plein air is generally translated from the French as “outdoors”.  Artists paint outdoors in natural light.  The practice has been around for centuries, but became much more widely known during the French Impressionist period.  The local group is loosely structured.  While most often, artists are working in oils or watercolors, several members have experimented with fiber, photography and collage.

During the winter months, the group retreats indoors and studies varying topics each week led by group members who are willing to share their expertise.  An annual exhibit of the year’s work is presented at the Community Arts Center.

This week the Plein Air artists, hosted by the Arts Commission, painted at the home of Tim and Lisa Montgomery on Lexington Avenue in Danville.  They welcomed 25 high school students from Kentucky School for the Deaf and the Forkland Community Center for a sunny day capturing interesting elements around the grounds of the historic home.  Teachers Alex Meckes of KSD and Pat Williams from Forkland circulated among the students offering suggestions and tips on technique and perspective. 

Plein air painting sessions rarely result in a finished piece of art.  As the students and adults left for the day, they took photographs of the scenes they had been working on to be able to recreate the desired light and angles of the beginning work.