A group of plein air painters will give interested people the rare chance to see ‘art in action’ as they sit painting at their easels in a garden during the summer holiday season, as part of an exhibition to be held in Cape Town in mid-February.

Plein air painting is done outdoors, bringing artists both the inspiration of magnificent locations and challenges they would not face when painting in a studio or from a photograph, such as capturing a scene on canvas before the constantly changing light or weather conditions dramatically alter the view.  The term comes from the French ‘en plein air’ which means ‘in the open air.’

Members of the 20-strong Plein Air Painters of the Cape have been meeting every Monday for the past six years, except in the very worst weather, to paint in different beautiful spots in the Cape, and then to share a picnic lunch and exchange information about their art and art-related matters.

The group was started by artist June Hyman, who previously organised similar monthly outings on behalf of SASA (the South African Society of Artists), a large art group to which all the artists belong. Finding that many artists could not finish their paintings because the SASA group moved to a new location every month, Hyman decided to form a splinter group that could meet more frequently and return to the same place, if they wished, even though outdoor conditions are never precisely the same.
The open air sessions have not only provided the artists with advantages such as learning to work fast as they strive to capture the particular play of light and shadows before it disappears forever, and enabling them to sit out in safety in more remote locations, but have also forged strong bonds of friendship and support among the individual painters who usually work solitarily in their own studios.

The group members provide constructive feedback on each other’s work, and share tips and information generously. ‘I’ve noticed that the work of the group in general has developed by leaps and bounds because of these outings,’ says Dianne McNaughton. ‘We don’t compete against each other: in fact, we’re all ecstatic when somebody else does well, as our work is so individual.’

Noeline McMaster, another longstanding group member, points out that even when several artists paint the same scene at the same venue, the results are always strikingly different, as each individual brings his or her own perception and style of painting into the mix.

Each artist’s style is as individual and recognisable as a person’s handwriting, and is almost impossible for another to copy. ‘You can’t even reproduce your own work, let alone someone else’s,’ says McMaster, explaining that if an artist tried to copy an earlier work, standing in exactly the same spot and painting in similar conditions, the two paintings would still be markedly different.

McNaughton says there is even less likelihood of any two artists producing similar work because when the group arrives at a venue, the artists scatter to find a subject to paint, and don’t sit around in a circle. Some may choose to paint a close-up picture while others choose a wide vista, or may even paint the painters.

The individual artist has to make the decision on what to paint within minutes of arriving at a venue so that no productive time will be wasted. McNaughton remembers finding it daunting to try and isolate a section of the vast vistas before her to compose a picture when she first joined the group. ‘It’s hard to go out and try to paint what you see: it’s too big,’ she says. ‘You learn all these new things about creating a painting when you’re working outdoors.’

Painting in the open air regularly every Monday morning calls for commitment and discipline, as it requires loading up, lugging around and unloading easels, paints and brushes, as well as all the other paraphernalia needed for a day out, including sunhats, sunscreen, umbrellas to ward off sun or rain, refreshments and  insect repellent. ‘Some painters can’t cope with it, as it’s like moving house,’ McNaughton jokes.

Although it’s easier to paint indoors where there’s no sun to dry out the paints on the palette or create a heat haze that dulls the colours, and no wind to blow the easels over onto the ground and add extra ‘texture’ to the surfaces of paintings, the plein air painters thoroughly enjoy working in atmospheric weather conditions that add real drama to their work.

The group attracts much attention from interested passersby when working in more accessible locations, with people wandering over to look at their paintings. ‘We even ended up on foreign television once, after a cameraman from Korea photographed us while we were sitting on hill with our umbrellas and easels,’ says Hyman.

This summer’s exhibition will be the fourth held annually by the group. The individual artists also regularly show their work at other exhibitions, such as those held at Kirstenbosch botanical gardens, and in galleries, selling their work internationally. They work in a variety of mediums: oils, watercolours and acrylics, and examples of their other work, including still life and abstract paintings, will also be on display.

The exhibition, to be held at McMaster’s Tokai home studio, will be open to the public from Friday 13 to Sunday 15 February 2009. The artists will take turns to paint live in the garden throughout Saturday and Sunday, chatting to visitors while they work and offering a close-up view of the creative process. As the paintings will be sold directly by the artists, no third party commissions will be added to the cost. Prices will range from about R1 000 to R8 000 each, and lower-priced, unframed paintings will also be available, enabling buyers to enhance their home or office decor with eye-catching original artworks, without breaking the bank.

A gallery of the plein air paintings can be viewed on www.pleinairpainterscape.blogspot.com, and artworks can be packed for delivery to buyers throughout South Africa and around the globe.

For more information or map directions to the studio, contact Noeline McMaster on 082 974 1141 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it