2021 Converse IPAPA Plein Air Paint Out

This year my father and I were fortunate to get some time away and go painting once again in Converse, Indiana. This bi-annual (every other year) paint out is hosted by local artist, Avon Waters and never disappoints. With over 60 artists this year and perfect weather, it was a great weekend.

It has been some time since I’ve painted. It has been a busy year with a career change taking me away form working at home, and the continued uncertainty of the world. I wasn’t sure how the paintings would turn out after such a long period of not touching paint, but I’m pleased with how the paintings turned out. Like every paint out though, the paintings are about half of the fun. The rest of the fun is spent with those who are painting with, and the peaceful memories that come from the day.

Our first subject as seen from our easels

My final sketch of the subject before painting

My father has invited me to paint outs for a long time now, I think since around 2010? But I could be wrong there. Early on I hated it, I couldn’t translate what I was seeing to the paper/canvas and they never turned out. My father was patient with me, and continued to encourage me through high school. By the time I went to college I really enjoyed drawing and painting outdoors. The fleeting light and color forces you to capture the moment quickly, you can’t sit for hours, I felt like I hit a stride personally.

Fast forward, golly, 5 years, and my father and I pack our easels and hit the road at 7am, Converse bound for another day of painting. This is a multi-day event, but we usually only make it down for Saturday. Perhaps in 2023, we can join the group for the Friday session.

Our first subject, pictured above, is an old early 20th-century farmhouse, cobbled together with pieces of other houses from the time. Not pictured in my painting are a half dozen roof lines with different outcroppings, windows, and doors. I chose to stick to the birdfeeders, flower bed, flag, and garage, zeroing in on a small bit of personality in this eccentric old home. We had driven by several other points of interest for the weekend, but this one just called to us, the flag waving in the cool morning breeze. We spent 2 and a half hours at this spot before searching for our next subject and grabbing lunch. There is a strategy to these paint-outs, plotting your course and timing, but we don’t pay that much mind. In the hustle and bustle of day-to-day life, a day spent driving old country roads, meandering around old half-forgotten towns is never wasted.

After lunch at a local diner, we headed west to a crossroad town called “Waupecong”, several miles away from Converse. Here we found an old Shell Station, recently renovated, preparing for a new life as a local pizza place. Several artists were here when we arrived, but they were stationed much closer, capturing the aesthetic of the pumps and details of the building. Dad and I stepped across the intersection to paint the entire station, a mistake perhaps, as the afternoon sun cross overhead.

With time counting down until the 4 pm deadline, this painting would have to be done faster. It doesn’t sound it, but 2 hours for a painting is a lot less than 2.5.

With hustle comes blobs when you are working with watercolor, but the subject was fun none the less. There are details of this one I really enjoy, the air conditioner on the left wall, and the shadow behind the pumps really please me.

We headed back to Converse for the judging and show. There were many great pieces, I’m sorry to say I didn’t bring a camera to film this year, perhaps next time I’ll bring it along to show you more of the event. Comically enough, there was a nice lady who recognized dad and me from our 2019 video, she came out because it looked like so much fun in the video. It’s an odd feeling, but a great one to know you inspired someone to come paint.

The Yazels didn’t walk away with any awards, but we did both sell our first painting of the farmhouse to the owner’s family, and I sold the gas station painting to a few weeks later. Art isn’t about money anymore for me, but it is nice to know someone else likes your paintings enough to hang them in view.

In a world with uncertainty and sadness that comes by the day, it was nice to paint with nothing but the sounds of the corn stalks blowing in the wind and my father laughing as we painted.