Plein Air Convention & Expo, April 12-15

by Sarah Judson February 06, 2012

The upcoming Plein Air Convention to be held near Las Vegas, Nevada, in April will be the first of its kind. Presented by PleinAir Magazine, the 4-day event will feature more than thirty world-class artists & instructors. Attendance is limited to 750 people, and the host hotel has already sold out for one of the days. (There are two other hotels nearby.) There will be demonstrations, lectures, a "Marketing Boot Camp" session, critiques, receptions and painting oportunities in the Red Rock National Conservation Area (see below). One admission charge gives you access to the entire program. Bus transportaion from the hotel will be provided, and you can either watch the painters or do it yourself (or both!). Vistas include 22 miles of red rocks, mountains, desert, horses, shacks, etc.

Participants include Russian Master Nikolai Dubovik, who will do a demonstration on Russian Realism, Jean Stern of the Irvine Museum on the history and future of Plein Air painting, and Richard Ormond, Sargent's grand-nephew, on "Inside the Mind of John Singer Sargent." Everyone is welcome whether you’re professional, semi-professional, amateur or just curious. There will be big screen video so you can see well no matter where you sit. If you book by the end of this month (February) you can pay in two installments of $397.50, and approximately 200 arts organizations are offering discounts to their members (see the list on the FAQ page). Gamblin will provide Gamsol to use on site (you'll just need a leak-proof container).