Western New York En Plein Air

In September, RTPI hosted our fifth annual Plein Air Festival, but this time with a twist: artists were encouraged to paint throughout the entirety of Western New York. Artists walked in the footsteps of Roger Tory Peterson – exploring and painting the landscapes that nurtured his passion for the beauty of the natural world. They also explored farther afield, with seventeen different counties this side of the state open to them. Painting en plein air (or painting outside) arose in the 1800s as a way of removing the artist from the studio and allowing them to discover the beauty of nature firsthand. Artists who famously created works en plein air included Claude Monet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir. Today’s artists create works that reflect careful observation, artistic interpretation, and a sensitivity to the beauty that the natural world has to offer.

Artist Karlene VanDeusen served as guest juror. Woods and water inspire Karlene VanDeusen’s expressive representation of pastoral landscapes in pastel, gouache, acrylic, and oil. Her goal is to convey the essence of a scene through emotion, temperature, and bold shapes, rather than literal representation. These days, she is primarily a pastelist. VanDeusen’s works can be found displayed in homes and offices across the United States and internationally.

Artist credit: Cynthia Beck. Watercolor on paper, 2026