En plein air is a French expression meaning “in the open air,” and refers to the act of painting outdoors with the artist’s subject in full view. It is said to enable an artist to better capture changing conditions of weather and light. French Impressionists Claude Monet, Camille Pissarro, Alfred Sisley, and Pierre-Auguste Renoir all advocated for this painting style, and much of their work was done outdoors under the soft light of a white umbrella.
On August 15th of this year, the thirteenth annual Plein Air Paint Out was hosted by the Snoqualmie Arts Commission. Due to social distancing, this year, the Arts Commission invited Alex Trapp to represent all artists. Mr. Trapp painted in three downtown locations in honor of this year’s Railroad Days, and based on a Facebook vote, participants selected “The Wheel,” as the 2020 Plein Air Paint Out winning artwork that will be used for the annual poster.
Inspired by the historic lumber bandmill wheel at Railroad Avenue and River Street, the painting will have a poster based on it and available for sale to the public.
The event is hosted by the Snoqualmie Arts Commission, with a mission of keeping a vibrant arts scene in Snoqualmie. The Falls Compounding Pharmacy in downtown Snoqualmie contributed to this year’s event by hosting a three posters’ pop-up gallery.
Alex Trapp is an award-winning and published contemporary American Impressionist painter. As a longtime resident of Seattle, WA, Alex spends many of the wet months painting in his studio bringing to life memories of the seasons before. “I use plein air studies I create in the field to remind me of a time and place from the seasons before. I work to bring those feelings back to life in the studio in order to offer the viewer a visual poem.” [1] More of his work can be seen at Alex Trapp Fine Art.
For more information contact Sally Rackets at sallyrackets@comcast.net
[1] https://www.alextrappfineart.com/about
