The Andes Society for History and Culture is very excited that the East Branch Delaware River Plein Air Painters have agreed to exhibit their paintings at the Hunting Tavern this summer.

Plein air painting means painting that is done outside, directly from the subject, with sunshine, shadows and sometimes even rain, before the painter. In 2008 a group of people who enjoy the outdoors began to gather once a week to paint together. These were friends and acquaintances, some professional painters, but an equal number who just like painting company and enjoy being outside.

These East Branch Delaware River Plein Air Painters, a chapter of the NY Plein Air Painters, eagerly anticipate the approaching good weather each spring so they can meet once a week. These gatherings are called “paint outs”. The painters bring bag lunches, share their work and good conversation. The coming exhibit at the Hunting Tavern in Andes will include paintings from these gatherings.

In the summer of 2011 one of the Plein Air artists, Andes resident Nancy McShane, held an exhibit at the Hunting Tavern. Nancy’s paintings depicted scenes and sights familiar to many who attended, and captured the feelings of why so many want to live here. Nancy herself said, “I’m in awe everyday of the beauty that surrounds me. The ponds, the garden, the trees, the wildflowers and wildlife give me endless inspiration.”

Opening this summer through October 12^th, twelve painters, Oneida Hammond, Nancy McShane, Margaret Leveson, Patrice Lorenz, Alix Hallman Travis, Jane Tompkins, Robert Axelrod, Sumiko Patrone, Helene Manzo, Agnes Freas, Linda Webb Varian and Ellen Wong, will hang works of local subjects. The works are as varied as the membership; each represents the response of an individual painter to the same site of the glorious Catskills. Various mediums are represented, oil on canvas, ink on paper, watercolor, and acrylic. Some subjects are represented in great detail, one may be “impressionistic”, highly colored and influenced by the light, another may be abstract, and some stylistic renderings of flowers. It is fun to try to identify the locations without first peeking at the titles. And remember, though these paintings will hang for the whole summer, they sell quickly! Starting Memorial Day weekend The Hunting Tavern is open on Saturdays from 10 am to 3 pm.

The Hunting Tavern Museum will also be hosting the Andes, Margaretville, Roxbury Open Art Studios Tour on Saturday, July 27^th and Sunday, July 28^th from 10 am through 4 pm. ~