A New Season for the Connecticut Plein Air Painters Society

A Big Thank You to All the Past Leaders of the Connecticut Plein Air Painters Society

I'm happy, thrilled, honored.... and yes, to be honest with you a little nervous about accepting the position of President of the Connecticut Plein Air Painters Society.

I've painted with CPAPS  since 2013 when I joined them for my first Paint out at Elizabeth Park in Hartford. I have always admired the integrity of the group and the caliber of many of the painters having national recognition is very impressive.

Each time I would meet up with them I would find a genuine group of sincere artists who were very friendly and welcoming of artists at any level.

I met several beginner artists that came for their very first time plein air painting to those who have been with the group for 25 years. And All were warmly welcomed! 

Jane Zisk is one of the original founding members 25 years ago. I've painted with Jane at a few different events and when I bumped into her at  Lyme Art Association receiving day we chatted more about the history of CPAPS.

Jane tells me that the group was formed when her and a small group of painters traveled to Weir Farm in Ridgefield, CT to paint one day. This was way before the Plein Air Movement was a popular thing. Jane was inspired by the story of Julian Alden Weir who owned Weir Farm. A place for Weir to create his stunning landscape and portrait work as well a place where he would invite his artist friends to the 153 acre property. 

In 1898 Weir and two of his fellow artists, Childe Hassam and Henry Twachtman formed a group of 10 American painters called The Ten to exhibit their work as a unified group. The group stayed together for two decades and had a reputation for putting on some of the best exhibitions in the country at that time. The group comprised of the following 10 famous  painters.

 Frank W. Benson, Joseph Rodefer DeCamp, Thomas Wilmer Dewing, Childe Hassam, Willard Leroy Metcalf, Robert Reid, Edward Simmons, Edmund C. Tarbell, John Henry Twachtman, and J. Alden Weir.
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source: wikipedia.org 
​https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_American_Painters#/media/File:Ten_American_Painters_(The_Ten).jpg

I am grateful to all the past presidents and those who volunteered their time to keep CPAPS running for the past 25 years. It takes a group effort to make the shows, events and paint outs happen. As well as the communication and website coordination. 

I'm excited about the future of CPAPS because of my love and passion for my home state of Connecticut and I hope several of my plein air artist friends feel the same way and want to see our group continue to grow and flourish.

I have a lot of ideas circulating around in my head and looking forward to sharing and implementing them with the CPAPS painters and to get the word out to bring more awareness to the beauty our state has to offer.

A call to my fellow plein air artists: Let me know if you'd like to be apart of keeping our CPAPS group going.

Keep creating, 

​Linda