Plein Air painting is the act of painting outdoors in the open air.
“It's fast, plein air is always quick and you never know exactly when it ends, what it's going to turn out like,” Alicia Finlayson said.
Finlayson is a fine artist from Salt Lake City. She was one of over 25 artists who participated in this year’s Plein Air Paint Out at Park City Gardens. Gallery MAR owner Maren Mullin and Park City Gardens owner Sophy Kohler started the annual event in 2017 to bring art and nature together.
Finlayson chose to set up her easel in front of a garden shed, capturing a six-pane window surrounded by pink, yellow and purple flowers.
Park City native Allie Occon set up next to a live guitarist. She chose to paint Royal Rembrandts, using shades of violet, pink and magenta to bring the flowers to life. She also included honey bees buzzing around the blooms.
“We're all over the place, just painting random corners and drawing and trying to take inspiration from the gardens, from people and everything,” Occon said.
Occon’s family was there to support her, including her two young children. When they weren’t watching her paint, Occon’s family was wandering the 10-acre gardens.
Elle Donovan also had family on hand; her grandparents lent encouragement and support. Donovan was one of the youngest painters in attendance. She said she learned about the paint out three years ago when she participated in the Young Artists Academy at the Kimball Arts Center in high school.
“It was just such a good time and such good vibes that I come back every year,” Donovan said.
Donovan is now studying computer science at the University of Utah, but she still has a passion for art. During the event, she painted a red-winged blackbird perched on an Aspen tree.
