This is Asheville Plein Air Painters Challenge page, while we self isolate during the COVID 19 outbreak. See Challenge on home page and share your paintings and observations. Looking forward to seeing lots more! Everyone stay well!
Sandra Moore is first to accept our challenge and as always has produced a wonderful Water Color!
Her observations:
” Went to the stream beside my house this afternoon. Rocks are so interesting. I wonder why some are covered with moss and others have none. I really enjoyed the warmth of the sun knowing this area will soon be in full shade. I am looking forward to exploring my backyard for paintings while self isolating.”
Went to the stream today after yesterday’s rain… it was really gurgling over the mossy rocks. I love to draw but usually just do a quick line guide and start painting. Today I used the TIME I had to really look and draw and feel the landscape. Wonderful day and I hope to paint from my drawing.
March 25, 2020
Second painting of the plein air season. Lovely weather out. “Jubilant Cherries”. 8 x 10 oil
March 30, 2020
WayneHolbert
Today’s work. The beach is closed, so I walked into the marsh.
March 30, 2020
Anne Marie Brown
Latest plein aire – “Anna’s Border”.
8 x 10 oil on panel.
April 2, 2020
Eddie Morris
Trying to knock a little plein air rust off! This was out in our front yard.
April 2, 2020
Nicora Gangi
On March 20 – I strolled down town to see what changes had arrived on the streets ..as James Cassara’s noted – ‘the town was deserted closed up’….I sat down to sketch-record what was hard to take in. There is a verse in the Holy writings which says:
‘The city lies desolate;
the entrance to every house is barred.
all joy turns to gloom,
all joyful sounds are banished from the earth.’
May it be only allowed for an allotted time so that its results produce what was intended . “All things bright and beautiful, All creatures great and small, All things wise and wonderful, The Lord God made them all.
James Cassara
Sometimes I just want to put down the paint brush and pick up the ink pen. Since we are limited in our travel I’ve been drawing around my area. This is Olivette Rd about a mile from my house.
April 7, 2020
James Cassara
Another ink drawing from around the neighborhood.
April 8, 2020
Patton Avenue twilight. 30” x 30” oil on canvas. No matter how I try to document my Asheville experience, I can’t seem to shake my California perspective. That’s one way of looking at it, I suppose. The other way is, I’m continuing my dedication to painting the modern experience with particular focus on light and color. Tell me what you think.
April 10, 2020
While painting remains my first love I have been enjoying my recent journey back into pen and ink. This is one of three I’ll be doing of a farm on Olivette Rd., about a mile from my house. I was intrigued by the curvature and slope of the hills.
April 10, 2020
This scene is a short walk from my house. The weather was perfect and so was the light! This is the best time of the year for plein air painting.
April 10, 2020
Cynthia Llanes Johnson
Finally braved the outdoors near my house. I found these interesting tree trunks entwined like lovers 🙂 Felt good to do a quick watercolor sketch.
April 13, 2020
Today I accepted a challenge from the pastel society. On April 11th everyone will go out on their front lawn and paint a picture of their house and/or whatever. Fortunately it was a beautiful day. In 21 years in Hendersonville, this is the 1st time I’ve ever painted on my front lawn.
April 11, 2020
Wayne Holbert
Another morning in the marsh.
April 12, 2020
A bit different approach, done almost entirely with brush. A nice copse of trees and pathway, just a few hundred yards from my house. I think this one comes closer to blending my drawing and painting style.
April 12, 2020
I found a secluded spot in the Park at Flat Rock to do a little painting. A few hours on location, then a few hours in the studio a couple of days later to finish.
April 18, 2020
Cathyann Burgess
Quick plein air.
Fairway Trees, Early Evening
12×9 pastel on Uart 400
©2020C.L.Burgess
April 22, 2020
Ventured forth to Jump Off Rock this past week and was able to catch some good thunderheads as they moved in. Soft pastel, 10 x 8″ on Uart 400 paper.
April 25, 2020
I’ve spent a lot of time looking at this view during the stay-at-home order, so I painted it.
April 30, 2020
Cynthia Llanes Johnson
The dogwood blooms by our porch will soon be gone. Such a gorgeous day today!
Enjoying sun and chirping birds except for the ‘practice gunshots’ across the valley!!
Color study in acrylic on a 9×12 canvas
May 3, 2020
Patricia Sweet Macdonald
Have been itching to get out so today with the weather being near 80 put the top back on my convertible drove to Lake Lure and found an awesome place to paint
May 3, 2020
For my birthday my kids got me some reclaimed paint made from iron oxides in the water from mining operations. I used the iron violet as my red, ivory black as my blue and chrome yellow primrose which is a lead-based yellow.. plus titanium white. I mixed my color strings on my palette before I started to give me a sense of how this would work. I am pretty happy with the overall color But it was really tough trying to push the greens into the background and cool them.
May 4, 2020
James Cassara
I continue to delight in discovering new aspects of my community. I’ve walked down this road dozens of times but always from one direction. Today I did the 3.5 mile Olivette Rd. loop from the opposite way and noticed this abandoned barn and silo, overgrown with trees and kudzu. I’m not sure what the building hinted at behind the silo is but I hope to explore further.
May 5, 2020

James Cassara
“Power Trip” 9 by 12 inches pen and ink.
Finished it just before the rains arrived.
May 6, 2020
Don Osterberg
Started this a few weeks ago at the falls before they closed Pisgah Forest. Just finished tweaking it in the studio. Looking Glass Falls, 8 by 10″, soft pastel on Uart 400 paper. Miss you all. Stay well.
May 9, 2020
JamesCassara
Did this one on site in under 30 minutes. Love when that happens.
May 12, 2020
James Cassara
“Honeysuckle Barn” Done on site this afternoon. Virtually no penciling, just a few directional marks and off I go. I’ll admit to being very pleased with this one. Solid composition and fluid brushwork in the foreground.
May 15, 2020
Kathleen Forrest
Ahh I found a spot on the Biltmore grounds to sit and enjoy lunch and nature. I did a short sketch to use for a later painting. It was too windy today to set up an easel.
May 15, 2020
See these and other Art Work done this year on Gallery 2020 page!
Everyone keep on painting!