Plein Air Painters of Oregon will work their magic with watercolor, pastel, and oils at Art at the Ranch at Black Butte Ranch (BBR) on Friday, July 9.

They will be painting all day on the lawn in front of the Lodge, and then selling their works at the art show, which begins at 4 p.m. on the deck at the Lodge.

There will a silent auction with no-host beverages and appetizers at 5:30. The proceeds from the silent auction benefit the BBR Art Guild which gives scholarships to Sisters High School students continuing in art education, as well as donating to the art departments of the Sisters Schools.

Plein air painting comes from the word “open air” in French, meaning the entire painting is conceived and executed on location. For centuries artists have been painting en plein air primarily using this method as a source for larger studio landscapes. The Impressionist painters of the late 19th century shocked the art world by presenting their outdoor work as the finished piece. Since then artists around the world have enjoyed sharing their plein air works as fully valid finished pieces.

The magic and spark of plein air comes from the artist’s response to the intensity of color, light, the elements, the temperature, wind, humidity, and the challenges of bugs and changing light. Painting en plein air is an intense experience that requires immense concentration and quick reactions. A landscape caught from this exhilarating experience often has a freshness and liveliness that can’t be achieved in the studio.

Plein Air Painters of Oregon (PAPO) was established as a non-profit organization in July of 2003. The purpose of PAPO is to share a love of painting outdoors in Oregon with like-minded people.