The Meadow at Stella Niagara

With the steeples of Stella Niagara in the distance, the artist's cameras were clicking on the approach to the expansive meadow. This historic site on the lower Niagara River is the only water level land and was a natural port for canoes and ships in peace and war. {More pics and info later!}

 The Western New York Land Conservancy is in the process of obtaining and preserving the acreage across from Pletcher road, owned by the Sisters of Mercy since 1907. 

Escarpment paintings

We had a good turnout for an early spring paintout thanks to Anne Zohur's invitation and hospitality. The early morning was only 35 degrees, but the sun warmed the day to nearly 60 and there was no breeze. We were comfortable painting as long as our setup was in the sun. 

An enormous view took in the whole lower escarpment area with brilliant blues in the Niagara River and Lake Ontario in the distance. Buildings and landmarks were easy to see and identify as trees were still bare, last year we painted here when the greens stretched almost to the horizon, a tiny band of the lake still glowed.

Anne Zohur, Donna Hale, Joan Turrell, and Paulette Jurek on a real coffee break.

Artist setups scattered around the lawn, Mary Jane Luce attended her first paintout with us, her easel is near the tree.

Elmwood and Allen Street, Buffalo

Paulette Jurek was the host for the Allentown paintout on a beautiful Saturday on Elmwood and Allen.

  If you sat on the sunny side of the street you were quite warm but in the shadows it was darn right cold.  Paulette painted up on Elmwood looking down. Painters Sharon Shassel Brown, Sharon Fundalinski and Bernie Smith are pictured on the sunny side. Peggy Walker took the photo and also just couldn't catch the "bubbles from the bubble man" on the corner of Allen and Elmwood. 

 Sharon Fundalinski in the shade capturing the ornate red brick across the street.

A Plein Air Selfie

Yay! The first paintout of 2014! We returned to The Great Baehre Swamp park, also called Margaret Louise Park.

As cars arrived, the artist comments included. 'I hope I have enough brown paint', 'Wow, it's a black and white day' and 'Gee, it sure is grey here'. We all see in color....just different ones, because the final paintings were quite colorful and varied.

The sky was blue, reflecting in the water, skunk cabbage was emerging in reds and yellows and greens, ghost trees shouted darks and live trees glowed mauve, orange and pinks. But, you had to be an artist to see any of this, or at least see our finished paintings, because they are a riot of color. The woods and wetlands remained fairly monochrome to the casual observer, we just do not observe very casually.

As the day turned truly grey with rain threatening after lunch, we gathered for an official 'selfie', using the camera timer.

Linda Ludwig, Joan Shaw, Sherrill Primo, Donna Hale, Kathy Schifano, Kathleen McDonnell, Joan Turrell scrunch for a shot from the bumper.

Right before the rainstorm, we gathered our paintings 'a la parking lot' for a quick critique.

Ready for Spring

Maybe there is a lot of snow out the windows, but our fair weather loving painters gathered in mid February at Kathy Schifano's to put a schedule together for the rest of the year. Joan Shaw made a list of about 80 locations that the group has already gone to paint at for inspiration. New and old sites were selected and we created a calendar of paintouts right through October. We add more dates as other ideas are presented, but the 39 definite events we planned will be enough for most of the group!

For a bonus, members brought extra art supplies and equipment to share. A random assortment from magazines, erasers and an easel went home with new owners and left a bit more room in the studios and places they had been gathering dust.

Someone said "We didn't schedule anything in March!"

the reply; "it's in 2 weeks, look out the window".

It's a good thing we skipped it, as March was roaring and nasty all month. Smart group of planners, nothing scheduled in March, nothing cancelled. April, we are ready to paint!

Donna Hale, Joan Turrell, Joan Shaw, Paulette Jurek, MaryJane Luce, Sandy Heath, Anne Zohur, Linda Piper and Kathy's empty chair.

Winter Plein Air

We can't wait until warm weather to be artists and friends, so we occasionally get together in the winter for critiques and discussions and, of course, lunch. This particular January day was bitter cold and the roads were miserable, but hardy NFPAPers made it to Sherrill Primo's with artworks securely wrapped. The idea was to bring something that needed feedback, like a painting that had an unresolved problem or a composition that lacked unity. Set on a central easel, we went through quite a few pictures, hopefully, all the paintings returned with new suggestions for resolution. 

We also got to choose a large sheet of colorful handmade paper, courtesy of Sandy Heath, and an assignment to use the paper this year and return with the result to discuss together next winter.

Sandy, Donna, Linda

Dianne Goupil, Donna Hale, Paulette Jurek, Linda Piper, Joan Turrell are amazed at Sherrill's cumulative book of 'dailys', her 2013 painting a day collection. We can't help but admire her ability to make a resolution and keep it. 365 paintings later, her work has significantly changed and she is definitely a better and speedier painter.