Plein air artists display works at Folsom gallery

Cynthia Abraham Gallery at 48 Natoma

FOLSOM — Have you ever been to a scenic spot and seen an artist with an easel out in the meadow painting the landscape or bracing the winds on a rocky ocean cliff capturing the breaking waves? These are what are known as plein-air painters.

Plein-air painting is about leaving your studio behind and experiencing painting and drawing while actually being in the landscape. The method goes back for centuries but was truly made into an art form by the French Impressionists. Their desire to paint light and its changing, transient qualities, along with the new availability of transportable paint tubes and the box easel (the forerunner to the light-weight easels of today) allowed artists the freedom to paint “en plein air,” which is the French expression for “in the open air.”

The Granite Group is one of the premier plein air groups in California. Its members will have more than 60 amazing landscape paintings in oils, acrylics, and pastels on display at the Gallery at 48 Natoma in Folsom, June 23 to Aug. 31.

Fresh air

As an off shoot from the prestigious California Art Club, in 2004 artist friends Paul Kratter and Bill Cone loosely formed The Granite Group. Cone called Kratter and asked if he would like to camp and paint big granite vistas in the Eastern Sierra. Cone only wanted to invite artists and to be able to paint from sunup to sundown and not cook or clean. He also wanted the gear portered up to one location and not have to move because the fishing was bad or move every day to another location. “I’m in!” said Kratter and so it began. Since that time, they’ve had nearly 50 artists join them from all parts of the United States.

This juried exhibit of The Granite Group of plein air painters includes nationally known artists: Kratter, Kevin Courter, Suzie Baker, Aimee Erickson, Kim Lordier, Lori Putnam, Jim Wodark,

Joe Mancuso, Terry Miura, Carolyn HesseLow, Jeff Horn, Philippe Gandiol, Scott Hamill and Sergio Lopez.

Regional artists include: Cone, Ernesto Nemesio, Charity Anderson, Carol Tarzier, Erika Perloff, Gary Blackwell, Jeanne Sofen, Mark Fehlman, Michele DeBraganca, Randall Stauss, Richard Lindenberg, Susan D’Arcy and Tia Kratter.

“It is amazing to paint and enjoy the camaraderie one only gets from camping side by side for nearly a week in some of the best mountain scenery anywhere. To stand where Edgar Payne once stood and painted is extraordinary,” Kratter said.

Visit the gallery Through Aug. 29 in the Community Gallery the annual Folsom Art Center Adult Art Classes Student/Faculty Art Show is on display.

Current selections include art from classes in Chinese brush painting, ceramics, drawing, acrylics, watercolor and more.

An opening reception for both exhibits is planned 6-8 p.m. Friday, June 23.

Entrance is free and open to the public with complimentary refreshments and live guitar music by Daniel Roest.

Also, this same evening is a free Summer of Music Concert at Folsom City Lion’s Park (located down the sidewalk from the gallery), 7-9 p.m., featuring Wasted Space performing classic rock. See more details at Facebook.com/ FolsomParksandRec.

The Gallery at 48 Natoma is located at 48 Natoma St. in Folsom. It is managed by the Folsom Parks and Recreation Department and displays art by regional and national professional artists, area museum collections and traveling exhibitions — offering high quality, original art exhibits to the community that otherwise may not be experienced in this area.

The gallery is open to the public 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday with evening hours, 6-8 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays, Call (916) 461-6601 to reserve a free tour appointment time. More information is available at folsom. ca.us, the Gallery at 48 Natoma.

Friday,

Ever wonder about that special item grandma thought so highly of? Bring it in for a FREE evaluation. Photograph can be used for larger items. Each visitor to our El Dorado Hills event on June 30th is requested to bring no more than 2 (two) items for complimentary appraisal. Visitors will be seen on a rst-come, rst-serve basis; no