Outdoor Painters of Minnesota is a 501(c)3 charitable nonprofit formed to promote and share the practice of outdoor (plein air) painting. We are governed by an all-volunteer board of directors. Our 2023 membership was about 200, and we welcome new members of all backgrounds at every level of experience. OPM strives to coordinate outdoor painting activities, develop opportunities to exhibit together, educate both artists and non-artists in plein air painting, and inspire awareness of the beauty found in nature through painting outdoors.
News | Exhibits | Events
What is Winter Plein Air? Listen to painters at the 2024 retreat on WTIP North Shore Radio |
2024 memories from OPM's annual Winter Plein Air retreat at YMCA Camp Menogyn
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May 1, 2024 COMPETITION CLASS DEADLINE
Registration is Open for 2024 Plein Air Grand Marais
Apply now to participate in 2024 Plein Air Grand Marais!
Artists of all experience levels are welcome. The Competition Class is intended for experienced painters who commit to submit 4 framed paintings for the Competition Exhibit displayed at Johnson Heritage Post Art Gallery (JHP) from the final reception on Friday, September 13 to Sunday, October 6, 2024. The Open Class is intended for learning painters who may want to spend more time taking workshops. They may submit one painting for the Wednesday evening Open Class pop-up exhibit and awards reception. All registered participants and their guests may attend artist socials, workshops, presentations and receptions. Join us in Grand Marais in September! |
Competition Week: September 6-14, 2024
Competition Exhibit: September 13 – October 6, 2024 Registration Deadline: May 1, 2024 Johnson Heritage Post Art Gallery 115 W. Wisconsin St Grand Marais, MN |
Moments of Memory: 2024 MPAC Exhibit at the Bell Museum
The Minnesota Plein Air Collective's second annual exhibit will be held from January 27 to May 26, 2024 at the Bell Museum, the State's official natural history museum on the University of Minnesota's Saint Paul campus. The Bell is well known to plein air painters for its famous collection of dioramas painted by the artist Francis Lee Jaques. The exhibit will last several months and incorporate audience engagement activities including artist-guided tours, a Quick Paint event, Berton Box painting activities, and a public reception. Participating artists and volunteers receive free admission to the museum during MPAC exhibit related activities/events.
Opening Event: Paint-Out/Paint-In on Saturday, January 27, 2024 • 10am-2pm Exhibit Tour with Bob Upton: Saturday, February 10 • 1:30-3:00pm Public Reception & Exhibit Tour with Fred Somers: Saturday, March 16 • 1:30-4:00pm Exhibit Tour with Kami Mendlik: Friday, April 5 • 1:30-3:00pm Quick Paint: Saturday, May 11 • 10am–2pm, with set up outside at 10am, Quick Paint from 10:30a-12p |
Quick Paint at the Bell Museum on May 11, 2024Our final public activity during the MPAC Exhibit is being held on Saturday, May 11. Artists are invited to demonstrate painting under pressure in a 90 minute quick paint from 10:30a–12:00p, with a display of paintings on our easels afterwards on the Bell's south patio. Please sign up to be a participating artists. For more information please visit the Bell's web site: https://www.bellmuseum.umn.edu/event/quick-paint-with-minnesota-plein-air-collective/
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Paint-Out (with benefits) at Charlson Meadows
Date: Monday, June 3
Time: 9:00am – 6:00pm Location: Charlson Meadows Renewal Center, 1601 MN-7, Victoria, MN 55386 OPM members are invited to paint all day at Charlson Meadows on Monday, June 3. Artists may arrive starting at 9:00am. Food will be served at 12:00pm and at 4:30pm on the patio of the Nancy Nelson Lake House, where we may display our work on our easels. There will be a gluten free option. Join us for an extraordinary opportunity to paint in this idyllic setting—with lunch and dinner included! Registration required by May 28, 2024. (Sign up will be published soon) |
Workshop: Introduction to Plein Air Painting with Karlyn Eckman at Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve
Date: Saturday, June 29, 2024 • 9:00am – 12:00pm Workshop, 1:00pm – 4:00pm Afternoon Paint-Out
Cost: Free for 2024 OPM members, $25 for others Location: Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve, 2660 Fawn Lake Dr NE, East Bethel, MN 55005 Karlyn Eckman, a retired UMN professor who taught in the College of Agriculture, has a PhD in Forest Hydrology. She teaches art in St. Paul with a studio at Artblok on East Hennepin in Minneapolis. With her unique background as a scientist, artist, and educator, she is a perfect instructor to teach introductory plein air painting at one of the University of Minnesota's ecology science reserves. Participants will learn about various tools, materials, mediums, and rigs, benefitting also from Karlyn's extensive knowledge about the ecology of watershed environments. OPM will provide some materials and donated equipment in case participants wish to try oil, watercolor, or gouache for the first time. |
Central MN Paint-Out & Workshop: Plein Air Floral Landscapes with Rick Kochenash
Dates: Friday, July 12 to Sunday, July 14, 2024
Cost: Free for 2024 OPM members, $25 for others Saturday Workshop: (TIME TBD) Munsinger Gardens, 1515 Riverside Dr SE, St Cloud, MN 56304 Sunday Paint-Out: 9am-2pm, Quarry Park, 1802 Co Rd 137, Waite Park, MN 56387 Sunday Public Reception: 4-6pm, Paramount Center for the Arts, 913 W. St. Germain, St Cloud MN 56301 Painters are invited to enjoy a weekend of paint-outs, artist socials and a member workshop in St. Cloud. Friday evening painters have dinner together followed by a nocturnal paint-out. Saturday we'll have a Member Workshop taught by Rick Kochenash followed by a paint-out at Munsinger Gardens. Sunday morning we'll have a paint-out at Quarry Park. On Sunday afternoon, we'll have a public reception at Paramount Center for the Arts to display and sell paintings created during the event. Sign-up will be posted soon. |
Quiet Evening Peonies by Richard Kochenash, 12x24 oil
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2024 Plein Air Duluth & Workshop: Watercolor with John Salminen
Dates: Friday, July 19 to Sunday, July 21, 2024
Cost: Free for 2024 OPM members and students enrolled at the Great Lakes Academy of Fine Art. $25 for all others. Plein Air Duluth is a non-competitive weekend event including paint-outs and artist socials, with a Sunday workshop and public reception at the Great Lakes Academy of Fine Art for display of the paintings created. This year on Saturday we'll have an all-day paint-out centered at the Lake Superior Railroad Museum, which offers to display our paintings in a special exhibit through August. John Salminen, AWS, eminent watercolor painter who lives in Duluth, has agreed to be our workshop instructor on Sunday morning at GLAFA. Separate workshop registration is required. |
Registration Form Links:
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Paint-Outs
Paint-Out at Gervais Mill Park, Little Canada
Paint with Matt Kania
Date: Saturday, April 27, 2024 Location: Gervais Mill Park, Little Canada (on Noel Drive – see map) Time: 9:00 am – Noon, Paint Out |
Paint-Out at Larchill Farm, Northfield
Date: Sun, May 26, 2024
Time: 9am – 6pm Location: Larchill Farm, 31679 Dahomey Ave, Northfield, MN 55057 Host: Glynnis Lessing/Larchill Farm. |
Paint-Out in River Falls, Wisconsin
Paint with host Diane Foster
Date: Saturday, June 29, 2024 Time: 9:00 am – 12:30 Paint Out (stay for lunch and paint again in afternoon) Location: Diane Foster homestead, River Falls WI N7331 910th St., River Falls, WI 54022 |
Paint-Out at Lake Harriet Rose Garden
Paint with Scott Lloyd Anderson
Date: Wednesday, July 24, 2024 Time: 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm Location: Lyndale Park Rose Garden, 4124 Roseway Rd, Minneapolis, MN 55409 |
Want to host a paint-out (or indoor paint-in)?
Contact OPM's paint-out director, Matt Kania, to suggest a good place and time to bring painters together.