Plein Air Tradition Celebrated at Roxbury Arts Center

Plein Air Tradition Celebrated at Roxbury Arts Center

By Robert Brune

    The Roxbury Arts Center is currently hosting a thoughtful and visually engaging exhibition featuring the East Branch Delaware River Plein Air Painters, a group that has spent more than fifteen years gathering throughout Delaware County and the Catskills to paint directly from nature. The exhibition, which opened with a reception on May 30, showcases the work of twenty-one participating artists while also honoring two beloved local plein air painters, Lisbeth Firmin and Richard Kathmann.

     Upon entering the gallery, visitors are greeted by a collection that celebrates not only the landscape of the region but also the individuality of the artists who interpret it. Fields, streams, barns, mountain vistas, and quiet country roads appear throughout the exhibition, yet no two artists approach the same subject in quite the same way.

     Plein air painting, a practice that involves painting outdoors on location, challenges artists to work quickly and respond to constantly changing light, weather, and atmosphere. The East Branch Delaware River Plein Air Painters have embraced that tradition for years, meeting regularly across the region to capture the beauty of the Catskills and surrounding countryside.

      What makes this exhibition particularly interesting is its dual format. Nearly every artist contributed two works. One piece was created as part of the group’s plein air outings, while the second was selected from another area of the artist’s practice. The result gives visitors a deeper understanding of each artist’s creative voice beyond their outdoor painting experiences.

     Curator Ursula Hudak found this approach both rewarding and revealing. “It was an honor to work with the East Branch Delaware River Plein Air Painters to curate this show as they are such a well known artist group in the community,” said Hudak. “Nineteen of the twenty-one participating members contributed two pieces, with one being a piece they completed with the plein air group, and the other being a piece from any area of their art practice.”

     Hudak noted that the pairing of works created opportunities to discover new relationships between pieces and artists. “As a result these works brought in a nice perspective of the artists’ practices alongside their plein air pieces, and were a fun challenge to curate, encouraging me to find connections I’d not seen before,” she said.

     Those connections are evident throughout the gallery. Landscapes painted outdoors are often displayed alongside studio works that explore different subject matter, techniques, or color palettes. The arrangement reveals how skills developed in the field continue to influence an artist’s broader body of work.

      The exhibition also serves as a reminder of the enduring importance of artistic community. While painting can often be a solitary pursuit, the East Branch Delaware River Plein Air Painters have created a supportive network where artists gather, share ideas, and learn from one another while exploring the region’s scenery.

      That sense of camaraderie has helped sustain the group and has contributed to its reputation as one of the area’s most respected artist organizations. The exhibition reflects not only individual accomplishment but also the collective spirit that has brought these artists together year after year.

       For visitors, the show offers more than a survey of local landscapes. It presents a portrait of a creative community deeply connected to place, tradition, and observation. Through changing seasons, shifting weather, and countless hours spent outdoors, these artists continue a practice that stretches back through the Impressionists and even earlier landscape painters who found inspiration in the natural world.

     The exhibition remains on view at the Roxbury Arts Center through July 3 and provides an excellent opportunity to experience the Catskills through the eyes of some of the region’s most dedicated painters.