Plein Air: Painting the American Landscape

 The PBS film "Plein-Air: Painting the American Landscape" is now available and is showing on many PBS stations across the country. This beautiful six-part series provides public television viewers with an educational and engaging look at painting "en plein air" (landscape painting on location). Jean LeGassick, Kenn Backhaus and Matt Smith recently returned from Alaska after filming three episodes for this series. Each of these artists has an episode showing them painting: Jean is featured doing a painting demonstration of a rushing creek in the lush rain forest near Juneau. Matt is featured painting the dramatic landscape in Denali National Park. Kenn’s episode focuses on a picturesque old boatyard in Seward.

Also participating in this series are artists Ron Rencher painting in Taos, New Mexico, Frank LaLumia painting in Trinidad, Colorado and the hardwood forests of the Upper Michigan environs, and Charles Sovek painting in the Cape Cod area. Charles' episode will be particularly poignant: sadly, he unexpectedly passed away recently.

If you are interested in seeing this 6 part series, please contact your local PBS station and request that they include it in their programing.

Go to www.pleinairamerica.com for more information and to order DVDs of the series.