Plein Air Painting

What is Plein Air Painting?

“En plein air” is a French expression meaning “in the open air” and refers to the act of painting outdoors with the artist’s subject in full view. Plein air artists capture the spirit and essence of a landscape or subject by incorporating natural light, color, and movement into their works.
Come give it a try! No experience necessary!

This Week's Painting Locations & Announcements

LOOK HERE FOR LAST MINUTE CHANGES TO OUR SCHEDULE.
Especially during summer months, rain will be a determining factor. Please watch the weather forecast for the area we are to be painting at and check emails and website for last minute announcements.

THIS WEEK  
7/1 – Wednesday – Salty Sams Marina, 8:30-11:15am, Fort Myers Beach, 2500 Main Street, FMB, 33931. Salty Sams and Parrot Key Caribbean Grill share the same parking lot. Do not set up on the actual docks! For those interested, we can have lunch at Parrot Key following our critique.
  • Remember – No Saturday scheduled paint outs during the summer.
  • Looking ahead, remember our next show “Essence of Water” has a take in day of July 21. Another great opportunity for us plein air painters to show off our skill at painting water! 
  • There is no Lunch & Learn this week due to July 4th but the following Saturday 7/11, Dana Enders will be the Lunch & Learn speaker, and the topic will be “Painting with Limited Strokes” We will be investigating how artists can actually say more by painting less! This presentation will be inside the gallery in the cool AC,

What We Do

We paint on Wednesday and some Saturday mornings, at a different location each week.  We start around 8:30-9:00 and gather for a critique at 11:30. This is a friendly gathering to share our paintings and encourage each other. Staying for the critique is not required but strongly encouraged! Saturday paint outs may be in the morning or late afternoon/evening. Check the current schedule.
Our monthly schedule will rotate between locations in and around Fort Myers and the surrounding areas including Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel, Cape Coral, Estero, Bonita Springs and sometimes even Naples. 
The paintings we do each week can be seen on both Facebook and Instagram! Follow Us!

Upcoming Schedule

Always check the THIS WEEK’S PAINTING LOCATIONS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS at the top of page before coming to a location. Often the weather plays a significant factor during the summer months. If you are on the group email blast, any changes will be emailed out also.
JULY 2026

7/1 – Wednesday – Salty Sams Marina, 8:30-11:15am, Fort Myers Beach, 2500 Main Street, FMB, 33931
7/8 – Wednesday – Lighthouse Beach, 8:30-11:15am, 110 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel Island 33957
7/15 – Wednesday – Edison Park Neighborhood,  8:30-11:15am, 1619 Llewellyn Drive, Fort Myers 33901

7/22 – Wednesday – The Promenade at Bonita Bay, 8:30-11:15am, 26811 S Bay Drive, Bonita Springs, Florida 34134

7/29 – Wednesday – Bowditch Point Park, 8:30-11:15am, 250 Estero Blvd., FMB

Group News...

red umbrella

TIP: Painting Under an Umbrella 

Many of you stop painting in plein air due to the heat in the summer. Painting under an umbrella greatly reduces how hot it feels when outside painting. It is well worth purchasing one. 

SO WHAT TYPE OF UMBRELLA SHOULD YOU BUY?
You don’t necessarily need to invest in an expensive professional plein air umbrella. There are many other alternatives. You just want to make sure that the underside of the umbrella is white or silver because if it is a color, that color will reflect down on your pallet and canvas and alter the colors. I suggest NOT clamping your umbrella to your easel because if a strong wind comes, it can act like a kite and take your entire set up down. If you like to sit and paint, they sell small umbrellas that clip to a lounge chair. Another very affordable umbrella is The Wondershade Umbrella for $59.It comes in many different colors and is very sturdy. I personally have one.  Click Here for Amazon Link

UPCOMING SHOW THEME IS THE ESSENCE OF WATER: The theme is open to interpretation and is not specifically a plein air show however it is a great opportunity to do some plein air painting!  Intake is July 21  (9-noon). Show runs from July 22 – September 8th.

 

plan ahead clip art

As your summer starts, I want to make you aware of two plein air shows that will be taking place next season. If you like to plan ahead, spend some time this summer painting pieces specifically for these shows! More details for these shows will be posted in the fall when they become available.

Iconic Images of Southwest Florida – This annual show is in collaboration with the Gulf Coast Painters of Naples and Bonita Springs and the Pastel Society of Southwest Florida. Previous years this show has been at the Norris Center. We will have a different location this year. It will be hosted by The COCO Gallery in Naples. Chairperson is Dana Enders. Receiving is Dec. 1st and the show runs through Tuesday, Dec. 29th. Up to 3 framed entrees can be submitted along with 5 unframed, matted and bagged pieces for the bin work.  All work submitted must be 80% completed in plein air.
FMBAA Gallery – Plein Air Exhibit – Receiving is Jan. 12. Show runs through February 23. 
All work submitted must be 80% completed in plein air.

 

Lunch & Learn Series – Every Saturday but there are several coming up that will be most helpful to plein air painters! 
Find the Lunch & Learn schedule under the workshop tab on the website. 

Lee County Parking Pass

Frequent Locations

Keep scrolling to find the individual locations, listed in alphabetical order. Click on location name to see map and details.

Group News...

red umbrella

TIP: Painting Under an Umbrella 
Many of you stop painting in plein air due to the heat in the summer. Painting
under an umbrella greatly reduces how hot it feels when outside painting. It is well worth purchasing one. 

SO WHAT TYPE OF UMBRELLA SHOULD YOU BUY?
You don’t necessarily need to invest in an expensive professional plein air umbrella. There are many other alternatives. You just want to make sure that the underside of the umbrella is white or silver because if it is a color, that color will reflect down on your pallet and canvas and alter the colors. I suggest NOT clamping your umbrella to your easel because if a strong wind comes, it can act like a kite and take your entire set up down. If you like to sit and paint, they sell small umbrellas that clip to a lounge chair. Another very affordable umbrella is The Wondershade Umbrella for $59.It comes in many different colors and is very sturdy. I personally have one.  Click Here for Amazon Link

UPCOMING SHOW THEME IS THE ESSENCE OF WATER: The theme is open to interpretation and is not specifically a plein air show however it is a great opportunity to do some plein air painting!  Intake is July 21  (9-noon). Show runs from July 22 – September 8th.

 

plan ahead clip art

As your summer starts, I want to make you aware of two plein air shows that will be taking place next season. If you like to plan ahead, spend some time this summer painting pieces specifically for these shows! More details for these shows will be posted in the fall when they become available.

Iconic Images of Southwest Florida – This annual show is in collaboration with the Gulf Coast Painters of Naples and Bonita Springs and the Pastel Society of Southwest Florida. Previous years this show has been at the Norris Center. We will have a different location this year. It will be hosted by The COCO Gallery in Naples. Chairperson is Dana Enders. Receiving is Dec. 1st and the show runs through Tuesday, Dec. 29th. Up to 3 framed entrees can be submitted along with 5 unframed, matted and bagged pieces for the bin work.  All work submitted must be 80% completed in plein air.
FMBAA Gallery – Plein Air Exhibit – Receiving is Jan. 12. Show runs through February 23. 
All work submitted must be 80% completed in plein air.

 

Lunch & Learn Series – Every Saturday but there are several coming up that will be most helpful to plein air painters! 
Find the Lunch & Learn schedule under the workshop tab on the website. 

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