Cape Ann Plein Air 2026

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President’s Note

Bringing Artists and Community Together For 10 Years

It’s a big year for Cape Ann Plein Air & we want to celebrate it with you!

This October 3 through October 11 , as we celebrate 10 years, we welcome 36 award-winning artists, from over 20 states, to paint in our five Cape Ann communities: Gloucester, Rockport, Essex, Manchesterby-the-Sea and Ipswich. rd th

Where History, Light and Community Converge

The Cape Ann Plein Air 2026 week-long event presents a packed schedule including “free” daily outdoor painting demonstrations as well as Palate to Palette experiences in local restaurants, a “meet the artists” night and so much more.

The highlight of the Cape Ann Plein Air week is the Gala & Art Sale on Friday, October 9th from 6:00-8:00 at the North Shore Arts Association. Here you will have access to over 200 paintings created during the week and available for sale.

For a decade, we have been committed to sustaining the artistic heritage that makes our community so strong through outdoor painting.

With lineage connected to artists like Winslow Homer, Fitz Henry Lane, Edward Hopper and N.C. Wyeth, Cape Ann is widely tied to the origins of American plein air painting.

We invite you to celebrate this milestone anniversary with us. For more information, please visit www.CapeAnnPleinAir.com for news about the week including a full calendar of events throughout the week. Hope to see you there.

With gratitude, Pat Alto & Beth Buckingham

Cape Ann Plein Air Co-Presidents 2026

Art Created in the Open Air

2026 Board of Directors

Executive Board Members

Pat Alto, Co-President

Beth Buckingham, Co-President

Traci Thayne-Corbett, Vice President

Sarah Willwerth-Dyer, Treasurer

Board Members

Mark Bappe

Marianne Coons

Judy Laspesa

Susan Levine

Liz O’Connor

Ron Seger

Advisors

Erika Brown

Billy Burgoyne

Sara Harper

Ken Riehl

Mike Storella

Executive irector

Courtney Richardson

Cape Ann Plein Air 2026 Housing Hosts

We extend a huge thank you to our Cape Ann residents who open their homes to our artists for the entire week creating lifelong friendships.

Amy Allen & Michael Wiklund

Pat & Glenn Alto

Karen Berger

Gina & Vinny Briguglio

Terry & Liam Byrne

Cindy & Jonathan Calder

Jill Carey

Louisa Casadei-Johnson

Matt Casey & Jim Sanford

Karen & Joe Curran

Carol & David Delaney

Laura Dow

Sarah & Mike Dyer

Ramona & Mike Faherty

Matthew Genta & Carol Darbyshire

Susan Hall

Andrew Hankinson & homas Smoker

Olga Hayes & Ken King

Mar ia Hubbard

Christina Lehmann

Roger & Susan Levine

Suzanne & Mark Lynch

Anne-Lise & Pat Morss

Isabel Parlee

Karen & Dan Perry

Tony & Patty Sapienza

John & Sally Sarni

Ron & Jo y Seger

Diane Wells

Kate & Dave Will erth

Cape Ann Plein Air 2026 Sponsors

A special thank you to the following organizations for their invaluable sponsorship of Cape Ann Plein Air.

Karen Berger

Courtney Richardson Executive Director

As Cape Ann Plein Air marks its 10th anniversary, the organization welcomes Courtney Richardson as its new Executive Director, bringing deep roots in Cape Ann's arts and education communities.

Courtney first came to Gloucester in 1999 to teach at Gloucester High School and never left. She holds a BA from Boston College and an MA from Salem State, and her career includes ten years teaching at Gloucester High, twelve years at the Cape Ann Museum, three years leading the Rocky Neck Art Colony, and ongoing work with Essex Heritage.

She has served Cape Ann Plein Air before, as advisor and board member, and is especially drawn to its educational programming and its role in Cape Ann's nearly 200-year artistic tradition. Though not an artist herself, she keeps a travel watercolor set for quiet moments by the water. As the organization celebrates ten years, Courtney looks forward to marking the milestone alongside its artists, volunteers, and supporters.

Painting Awards Sponsors

Over $22,000 in Prizes

$10,000

ARTIST CHOICE

Jill & Stephen Bell ($1,000)

BEST ABSTRACT

Pat & Glenn Alto ($1,000)

QUINTESSENTIAL ROCKPORT

Jody & Ron Seger ($1,000)

BEST IMPRESSIONIST

STYLE

Charlie Shurcliff Memorial Award

Coons Family ($1,000)

$4,000

BEST AMERICANA

Beauport Hospitality ($500)

BEST MARINE ACTIVITY

Leslie Lobell & Eric Timsak ($750)

BEST NOCTURNE

Leslie Lobell & Eric Timsak ($750)

BEST SEASCAPE

Connolly Family Charitable Fund ($500)

David Curtis Memorial Award Sponsored by Judy Curtis & Karen Berger ($2,000)

OUTSIDE THE BOX

Greater Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce ($500)

PEOPLE AT WORK/ PLAY

Susan & Roger Levine ($500)

COASTAL LIGHT & ATMOSPHERE NEW!

Kimberly Voltero, Emerson Inn ($500)

SMALL PAINTING AWARD

JFM Frames ($500 Gift Certificate)

2 HONORABLE MENTIONS

Dick Blick gift card ($100 each)

2 HONORABLE MENTIONS

Rosemary Brushes ($200 value)

Events Calendar October 3-11, 2026

visit capeannpleinair.org for most current updates

Sunday, October 4 - Thursday, October 8

Sunday, October 4

Visit Charles Fine Arts Gallery at 196 Main Street, Gloucester to view more work from our 36 juried Cape Ann Plein Air Artists

6pm | octurne, Do nto n Rockport

6- pm | Palate to Palette

Monday, October 5

12-1:30pm | Artist Demo, Dianne Panarelli Miller, Rockport

6-7:30pm | “Meet the Artists” Welcome Party Beauport Hotel, Gloucester (Free, registration required)

Tuesday, October 6

12-1:30pm | Artist Demo, David Drinon, Gloucester

6- pm | Palate to Palette

Wednesday, October 7

12-1:30pm | Artist Demo, Rosalie Sidoti, Manchester-by-the-Sea

Thursday, October 8

12-1:30pm | Artist Demo, Hillary Scott, ps ich

Friday, October 9, 6-8pm $20,000 + in awards!

GALA & ART SALE, North Shore Arts Association

Saturday, October 10

9am-5pm | Art Sale, North Shore Arts Association (Free)

QUICKDRAW

9am- pm | Manchester-by-the-Sea

First Parish Church Community Hall

Sunday, October 11

12-1pm | udge’s Remarks

10am-3pm | All Day Art Sale, including Small Works

are in the Community Year

We are proud to bring the joy of painting to Cape Ann for 10 years.

These events include:

Palate to Palettes with local restaurants, local arts festivals, farmers markets, schools and arts organizations.

Palate to Palette Dinners

April @ 35 Beach in Manchester-by-the-Sea

With artist Joli Ayn Wood

May @ Saluti in Gloucester

With artist eter Bain

June @ Salted Cod in Gloucester

With artist ei h Slin lu

July @ Sandy Bay acht Club in oc port

With artist anessa Michala

July@ ella on the Water in Gloucester

With artist Jason Burrou hs

In the Community

May: Motif #1 Paint Out in Rockport

June: Beverly Arts Fest, Beverly

June: Paint Out on the Rocks in Gloucester

July: Farmers Market, Gloucester

July: Misselwoo lassic ar Show, Beverly

July: Sunset Paint Out on Rocky eck in Gloucester

August: Homegrown Market, Ipswich

August: Festival by the Sea, Manchester by the Sea

September: Schooner Festival, Gloucester

September: Farmers Market, Rockport

Jeff Weaver Interview

We think of those who chronicle history as researchers, iPad or old school pad and pen at hand, their desktop full of books. Yet many wield a paintbrush and capture a visual story on canvas with no need for words. Jeff Weaver is one of Cape Ann’s most revered artistic historians. Massachusetts-born and a Gloucester resident for more than fifty years, Weaver’s eye reveals facets of Cape Ann—Gloucester, in particular— that escape our everyday glance. Study his work and you will enter a world that revolves around the sea—its bounty and ferocity; the people working the docks and who keep the harborfront alive; and the hidden city spaces, full of character and grit, that we never see. Call him an “urban archaeologist.” A master of light and shadow.

As judge of this year’s Cape Ann Plein Air festival, Weaver, an American Realist painter, now casts his eye over other artists’ interpretations of the iconic places that he himself has painted over the years. “There are many different ways for artists to approach

this, and they’re all professionals, they’re skilled at being able to paint in a short period of time, which I don’t do anymore, so let’s leave me out of the mix,” he laughs. “I think that’s novel.”

As a staunch supporter of Cape Ann Plein Air as well as a past participant, Weaver’s artistic and objective viewpoints are highly respected. “These artists paint all over the country, they’re used to different types of subject matter. They may choose subjects that I would never choose, because they’re coming here and seeing things in a totally different way than I would see it. I think that’s a draw.” For fellow artists as well as visitors.

And to paint here under the Cape Ann light? “Cape Ann, it’s great.…It’s too beautiful. Imagine if you’re from another part of country, to be able to come here and paint for a week. This is it. This is the cake with the cherry on top.” 

CAPA Founders Interview

Something was missing on Cape Ann. Never a region to boast about its history as a haven for artists and artistic exploration, Cape Ann, despite its nationally recognized reputation as the birthplace of plein air painting, never embraced its status. Artists simply kept painting; an act as natural as the shorelines, streetscapes and sunsets they were immortalizing. This irony was not lost on artist/gallerist Mike Storella who knew there was a way to maintain Cape Ann’s inherent modesty while still celebrating its plein air tradition. A commemorative event would galvanize the community and bond the region’s arts organizations on a new level.

Storella had traveled the country, seen other plein air events, and pitched the concept to his colleagues in 2015. He knew the road to a successful launch led through the Cape Ann Chamber where Ken Riehl was then executive director. Riehl saw how the event would parallel the Chamber’s mission to unify the region; to embrace the region’s artistic glory and by doing so prove how the arts and business sectors could work and grow together. This was the connective tissue that was missing—a turning point for Cape Ann, where its past would be honored with an

ever-expanding event that would have a lasting impact on the creative economy, tourism, as well as the region’s young artists and future arts administrators.

The festival was an instant success. Ten years later, it’s celebrating with the appointment of executive director Courtney Richardson and new collaborations across the region. These partnerships embody the spirit that Storella, Riehl, and the early organizers imagined. Storella and Riehl readily acknowledge the village it takes to produce CAPA: “We can’t overemphasize the importance of our sponsors in the creation and growth of CAPA. One in particular, Applied Materials, was critical in the formation and early years as our Presenting Sponsor. And there are so many others, including our local banks, Rotary Clubs, realtors, and many small businesses.”

For Riehl, CAPA’s closing gala embodies the spirit the founders strove to create. “To view 150 beautiful pieces of art from around this incredibly beautiful region, in all manner of painting styles from modern to classical to watercolor, it’s emotionally breathtaking. You feel the power of Cape Ann and the art form when you see all of these paintings in one space. It’s an amazing representation of our beautiful region.” 

CAPA Builds Community

thecricket.com

Mike Hernandez

Anative Angeleno, Mike

Hernandez is a plein air painter skilled in gouache, oil, and acrylic whose works have been featured in several on-line publications as well as galleries.

His process began as a young child, painting still life images. Influenced by the likes of Edgar Payne, Sorolla, and Franz Bischoff, Mike soon explored the foundations of color and light in the outdoors—striving to find the beauty in the ordinary.

With a palette that resides at the crossroads between industrial and landscapes, he finds inspiration anywhere from the Eastern Sierra range to

the muddy concrete banks of the Los Angeles River. Mike studied at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, graduating with a B.A. in 1998.

Mike was a production designer and art director as well as a concept artist at Dreamworks Animation and worked on such films as Shrek, How to Train Your Dragon, Turbo, Penguins of Madagascar and many other films.

Mike is also a member of a limited group of the finest painters in the U.S. called PAPA as well as a sought-after nationwide workshop instructor. His works can be found in several private collections around the world.

AWARDS JUDGE PROFILE

Jeff Weaver

Jeff Weaver is a Gloucester-based painter whose work has become synonymous with the character and complexity of Cape Ann’s built and working landscapes. A graduate of the Boston Museum School, Weaver settled in Gloucester in the early 1970s and quickly immersed himself in the visual language of the city—its architectural variety, aging wharves, and everchanging waterfront.

and the overlooked corners of the city. His paintings and drawings reflect a deep commitment to observing Gloucester as it truly is, finding beauty and meaning in scenes that often go unnoticed.

Early in his career, Weaver completed commissions for fishing vessel captains and created murals for commercial and private spaces, ultimately producing more than 30 murals across Gloucester. In the 1990s, he returned his focus to fine art, developing a body of work that captures both the iconic

Working within the American Realist tradition and informed by 20th century developments in gesture, line, and compositional structure, Weaver emphasizes the interplay of light, shadow, and form. These elements anchor his strong graphic style and reveal the city’s authentic personality.

Weaver continues to live and work on the Gloucester waterfront, where he maintains his studio/gallery and remains an active interpreter of the region’s evolving landscape.

MODERN LANDSCAPES

TOM GLOVER|VANESSA MICHALAK|JAN ROY

Marc Anderson

Sturgeon Bay, WI

Marc Anderson is an award winning oil painter from Sturgeon Bay, WI. Having trained as an illustrator before transitioning to fine art, Marc has devoted countless hours to his craft in draftsmanship, compositional design, and painting technique. This dedication hasn’t gone unnoticed. Marc is a two-time winner of the Artists’ Choice Award at the Oil Painters of America National Exhibition, Gold Medal Award-winner from the OPA Regional Exhibition, and recipient of the Dorothy Driehause Mellin Fellowship. He is also a signature Member of the Oil Painters of America and Plein Air Painters of America.

Mitch Baird

Mesa, AZ

As a representational painter, Mitch believes that painting is a celebration of life and the beauty that surrounds us. He is devoted to the traditions of the late 19th century artists who looked to the figure and nature for inspiration regarding light, color, and design. Seeking out this inspiration, Mitch works directly from life to capture the qualities and nuances of natural light and color harmony. He has a strong conviction that great artistic communication depends on good draftsmanship, design, and vision. His artistic desire is to “portray a positive visual statement and hope the viewer will experience what I see and in some sense be inspired, uplifted, or moved by my painting, whether it is of a small intimate setting or a grandiose subject.”

Mitch resides in the desert southwest in Mesa, Arizona with his wife and children. He is a Signature Member and previous President of the prestigious Plein Air Painters of America, along with the Oil Painters of America and American Impressionist Society.

Zufar Bikbov

Oakville, CT

“The hour when the day exhales—when color fades, forms simplify, and something deeper takes over. That is where my work begins. Not in the obvious, but in transition.

“I was born in Kazan, Russia—the home city of Nikolai Fechin—where long winters train the eye to search for light instead of waiting for it. I have painted for more than 40 years, beginning with plein air painting as part of my academic training, and it remains central to my practice.

“I have lived half my life in Russia and half in the United States. Painting outdoors has allowed me to travel, experience places directly, and connect with people and cultures through observation and shared experience.

“Before fully committing to art, I worked in medicine, where I learned to notice subtle changes and think in relationships—what was, what is, and what may come next. That way of seeing still shapes my painting today.

“Now based in Connecticut, I move between plein air and studio work. My paintings often begin with observation, memory, and emotion, then evolve toward something more distilled and intentional. I am interested in capturing atmosphere, harmony, and the emotional weight of a fleeting moment.

“My work explores nocturnes, coastal scenes, boats, and surf—subjects that feel both immediate and timeless. I strive to carry forward the high standards of the Russian art tradition while speaking in a contemporary voice shaped by both Europe and America.

“I don’t paint what I see. I paint what stays.”

Carla Bosch

Georgetown, TX

“Ilove when art truly reflects the heart of the artist. The result will be a unique representation as we all see and observe life differently.”

Carla Bosch’s journey into bold color began in 1976 in Pretoria, South Africa’s capital. The city’s annual carpet of purple jacaranda blossoms undoubtedly inspired the vibrant impressionism that would captivate art enthusiasts worldwide years later.

By 1998, with her giving personality shining through in her liberal use of bright colors, the warmth and cheerfulness of her landscapes, coastal, and street scenes caught the eye of top South African art galleries. Local and international collectors, both casual and seasoned, began to acquire her work. It was only a matter of time before her talent was recognized and embraced on the international stage.

Carla loves painting en plein air, but is equally at home in her studio, where she enjoys creating her impression of the subject matter without referencing pictures too much. She mostly paints with professional acrylics on stretched canvas. Other artists have recognized Carla’s talent and sought her guidance. She offers workshops to both established artists and aspiring novices alike.

Carla’s accomplishments are remarkable. Visit the top-tier plein air events in the United States, and you’re likely to find her there. Her art has also made its way into museum collections. She has won numerous international awards and is represented by leading galleries in South Africa, the United Kingdom, France, and the United States, where she now resides.

Lon Brauer

Granite City, IL

Lon is an award-winning artist known for both his figure and plein air landscape work in oil and pastel. He has a BFA from Washington University and an MFA from Fontbonne University, both in St. Louis, MO. Equally comfortable in studio and in the field, Lon takes a no holds barred approach to art making combining innovative design with a splash of expressionism. A 15-year veteran of the plein air circuit, he offers collectors new and exciting ways to experience the landscape genre. He holds signature status with the American Impressionist Society, the Oil Painters of America, and the Pastel Society of America. Lon is based in Granite City, IL, just across the river from St. Louis, MO.

Lyudmila Tomova Clark

Cary, NC

I’ve Lyudmila Tomova Clark (Lucy) is an internationally acclaimed impressionist painter working in oil and watercolor. She is known for her strong use of color, expressive brushwork, and ability to capture light and atmosphere in landscapes, figures, and urban scenes. Based in Cary, North Carolina, she paints extensively on location across the United States and abroad.

In the past two years, her work has earned over 55 awards in national and international exhibitions, including 23 first-place honors, multiple Best in Show awards, and major juried prizes. Highlights include Best in Show at the 2026 Lighthouse Plein Air, Grand Prize at Bluff Strokes Plein Air, the President’s Award from Oil Painters of America, and top awards at Plein Air Easton, Cape Ann Plein Air, and Gloucester Arts Festival. Her painting Stormbound, which received 2nd Place in the Plein Air category at the International ARC Salon along with the PleinAir Magazine Award, will be exhibited at Sotheby’s in New York.

Originally from Sofia, Bulgaria, Lyudmila moved to the United States in 1990 and built her career in New York City as a painter and illustrator. She holds a BFA in Illustration with highest honors from the Fashion Institute of Technology and studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Sofia.

She is a Signature Member of the National Oil and Acrylic Painters Society and several watercolor societies. Her work has been featured in PleinAir Magazine, Southwest Art, International Artist, The Art of Watercolour, and the Splash series. In 2026, she serves as faculty at the Plein Air Convention & Expo. She teaches workshops across the U.S. and internationally, sharing her approach to expressive, design-driven painting.

Henry Coe

Parkton, MD

“I’ve spent most of my life doing plein air paintings in oil, primarily landscape. I have a Masters in Fine Art from Maryland Institute College of Art and have curated and taught at The Academy of Arts and Chesapeake College in Easton, MD. I have done a seven-month artist residency in China, 1982–3, spent another five months traveling and painting in Southeast Asia, and did three artist residencies in France, returning there many more times to paint. In the United States. I’ve painted primarily in the Mid-Atlantic region, Maine, and Texas and shown my work in galleries in Maryland, Chicago, and Houston.

“I have always been fascinated with light in air traveling through space. How it defines what we see and how we see and how light and shadow describe form. For me, oil paint has been an excellent medium to establish a give-and-take or dialogue between myself and the subject. It has endless possibilities in how it can be applied and has an immediacy and freshness that I prefer. Which brings me back to plein air: the nature of constantly changing light and shadow, sky and clouds means quick decision making and keeps the process constantly challenging.”

Michael Compton

Cambridge, MA

Award-winning artist Michael Compton was born in Portland Oregon in 1949. His childhood years were spent in California, Colorado and Illinois. He studied art and graphic design at Colorado State University and The Minneapolis College of Art & Design, completing his studies in 1974. Finding work initially as a package designer for Minnetonka Labs in Chaska, Minnesota, Michael’s graphic arts career also included print and book illustration and fabric print design in addition to an ongoing presence in the field of fine arts as a watercolorist and painter. His paintings can be found in numerous corporate and individual collections.

Michael now devotes his time entirely to painting, maintaining a studio at 11 Miller Street in Somerville, Massachusetts. His current interest and emphasis is on his plein air work with appearances at Plein Air Easton, Cape Ann Plein Air and En Plein Air Texas. In 2020 Michael won an award of merit at the American Impressionist Society International show and was included in the 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2025 Oil Painters of America salon exhibitions as well as the 2025 Rockport Art Association’s national juried exhibition.

Daniel Corey

Buxton, ME

Born in Massachusetts, currently living in Maine, married and raising two young children, Daniel has worked as a full-time artist since 2008. Daniel won the 2009 Monhegan Island Residency Award (in Maine) which helped launch him into galleries and collections around the world. Painting mostly in oil paint, Daniel mixes the information gathered from direct observation with his impression of the scene to create his paintings.

Last year Daniel was the recipient of the Modern Impressionism Award of Excellence at the 2025 American Impressionist Society National Show.

Vlad Milan Duchev

Baltimore, MD

Vlad Milan Duchev was born in 1965 in the small town of Pokrov, Ukraine. From an early age, he was drawn to the quiet depth of Russian and Ukrainian Impressionist painting—works where light, atmosphere, and suggestion carried more weight than detail. At the age of 8, he entered an art school in Bila Tserkva, beginning a formal path toward becoming a painter. That path shifted at 14, when he followed his musical family’s direction and committed to classical training. He studied double bass performance at the Music College of Zhytomyr, the Music Academy of Kharkiv, and later at the National Conservatory of Ukraine in Kyiv. Yet painting never left. It continued alongside music—less as a discipline, more as a necessity. Where music demanded precision and interpretation, painting offered a different kind of space—one that allowed for openness, for searching, for something less defined and more personal. In 1994, he moved with his family to the United States amid uncertainty in Ukraine. He now lives and works in Baltimore, Maryland. Over time, these parallel paths—structure and freedom, discipline and intuition—have shaped his approach to painting. His work reflects a continuing search for clarity through reduction, where what is left unsaid carries as much presence as what is seen.

John T. Eiseman

Hebron, MD

John’s work encompasses several genres: Plein air and studio landscapes, still life interiors, and figures: using acrylics, oils, and watercolors. His paintings are surely representational and narrative at times, but the imagery is not about the pictorial. He uses the subject matter (whether it be a farmhouse, tree, cloud, or figure) as design elements to capture natural phenomena, moment in space and time and mood of event. John believes that painting is not just the celebration of vision, but rather a quest for experience. In this sense, his paintings are not a recording of facts seen. It is the process of interpreting a fleeting muse. John considers himself to be an American Impressionist, with caveats.

Alex Eisenzopf

Alex Eisenzopf drew constantly until he left school at 15. Formal art instruction began at a local community college where he found a great teacher and talented students. Unaware how good he had it he transferred to Pratt Institute in New York City. A great place to study art but Pratt burned through Eisenzopf’s bankroll with alarming speed. A final transfer to Vassar College brought a first-rate collection and Art History department, useful for learning composition from long-dead artists that no one paints like anymore.

Most of the years since were spent working in commercial art, ranging from illustration to product design, the latter taking him around the world working with major corporate clients. Increasingly cantankerous and largely unemployable, Eisenzopf returned to his fine arts roots. The plein air movement offered a way to immerse himself in a vibrant, contemporary school of art providing a constant source of inspiration and development.

While oil paint still resonates with the artist, pastel felt more like the vital act of drawing he loves. For two years he worked solely in gray tones, exploring composition, line and value. Although color has reemerged in his work, line still plays a pivotal role, adding dynamism to the composition.

Mr. Eisenzopf has won numerous awards in the few years since restarting his career, including several Best in Shows. A long time Gloucester resident, Alex now lives with his artist wife in the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina.

Lisa Ellis

Lisa grew up in a small logging community just south of Eugene, Oregon. Her Mom was her first art teacher, passing along to Lisa her love for craft and an overall freedom to explore different ways of creating. Lisa has always had a passion for studying and learning, and received a degree in fine art from Oregon State University with a focus on photography, printmaking, and painting.

After graduation, Lisa moved to Portland to live and work as an artist. During this time she also studied martial arts with a teacher in Corvallis, who was also an acupuncturist who taught Lisa Chinese herbs, tui na, kung fu, and traditional Chinese medicine. These experiences led Lisa to return to formal studies at Southwest Acupuncture College where she became a practitioner of Asian medicine. Presently, Lisa has slowly reshaped her practice as a full-time acupuncturist into being a full-time artist, part-time acupuncturist.

A little over a decade ago a friend asked Lisa if she wanted to enroll in a drawing class, and with an enthusiastic “hell yes!,” she made her way back to an old friend, her art practice. Today Lisa spends the majority of her painting time outside in the rich Oregon fields, rivers, swales, and deserts. When at home with her goats, chickens, garden, and partner, she works from her small studio finishing up paintings started in the field. Some of Lisa’s big influences are painters and printmakers: the late William “Bill” Park, Jef Gunn, Aimee Erickson, and Nanette Wallace. Nanette and Lisa have been friends since college, they teach, travel, cross country ski and paint together.

Charlie Hunter

Bellows Falls, VT

Charlie Hunter is a nationally recognized painter of the post-pastoral American landscape. His distinctive, low-chroma work, heavily reliant on a mastery of values, edges, and composition, utilizes a variety of moderately unorthodox techniques. His work has been featured in numerous art and lifestyle publications, is in multiple collections and museums, and was the recent subject of a one-man show, Semaphore, curated by fellow artist Eric Aho. With painter and designer Larry Moore, Hunter created the En Train Air painting train, and Hunter’s weekly live stream, Reasonably Fine Art Talks, has a fervent following. Growing up in rural New England, the son of a job printer, Charlie Hunter focuses on work that examines the pressures of modern urban and suburban culture upon small-town and agricultural communities. Initially a graphic designer of tour posters for musicians such as the Jerry Garcia Band, Bob Dylan, The Clash, and Stevie Ray Vaughn, Hunter became a music manager and event producer, before turning to painting full time in the 2000s. He lives and works in Bellows Falls, Vermont, a former mill town on the banks of the Connecticut River, where he is active in preservation and civic affairs.

Fred Jackson

King of Prussia, PA

Fred Jackson has been sketching landscapes outdoors since childhood with his artist father. His passion led him to a 30-year career in landscape architecture, and he now paints full time. He started oil painting a decade ago, driven by his appreciation for nature and creativity. Fred regularly participates in major national plein air events and is represented by several galleries, including The Square Pear Gallery (Kennett Square, PA), Bryan Gallery (Jeffersonville and Stowe, VT), The Gallery at Mad River Valley Arts (Waitsfield, VT), Church Street Gallery (West Chester, PA), and Warm Springs Gallery (VA).

“Painting outdoors is where I come alive—whether in the hush of nature or the pulse of the city. Using bold colors and swift, intuitive strokes, I pursue the essence of each place, capturing its unique atmosphere. Allowing for some abstraction in my work provides space for interpretation, inviting viewers to see familiar landscapes with fresh eyes. Guided by instinct and emotion, every brushstroke becomes a conversation between my gut and the present moment. Through each painting, I strive to transform common places into vibrant new interpretations, reimagining the ordinary and presenting it in an energetic, renewed light.”

Eric Jacobsen

“It is most important to me that my paintings convey a certain mood”, Eric says. “I want them to be felt by the viewer without his or her having to analyze or think about them. As a general rule, I try to find strong compositions in nature and then paint the scene accurately while leaving out any extraneous details which would only busy up the painting and detract from the strength of the piece as a whole. My painting process consists of finding a painting site and setting up to paint for a couple of hours, or until the light has changed. For larger paintings, I will return on consecutive days at the same time, under similar lighting conditions to finish a piece.”

Recent awards: 2025 Honorable Mention, 9th Annual AIS Impressions Small Works Showcase, Fallbrook, CA; 2024 Elizabeth S. Daly Memorial Award, 25th Annual National Juried Fine Art Exhibition, AIS, Rockport, MA; 2022 The Newcomb Award for Traditional Painting, Rockport Art Association & Museum, RAA&M National; 2022 The Boldbrush Award, Fine Art Studios Online, November 2022; Artists Choice Award, Cape Anne Plein Air 2022. Recent exhibitions: 2024 Setting New Standards, Mockingbird Gallery, Bend, OR; 2023 American Impressionist Society Annual Juried Show, Plein Air Painters of America 2023 Paint Out, Toys, NM; RAA&M National 2022, Rockport Art Association and Museum, Rockport, MA.

Tim Kelly

Baltimore, MD

Tim Kelly, a lifelong Baltimore area resident, earned his BA from Maryland Institute, College of Art in 1992. A freelance illustration career followed for the next ten years. Then a career shift took Tim into tractor trailer driving, something he still does. About 15 years ago his artistic interests were revived by plein air painting. He has been an avid practitioner ever since, participates in several plein air events each year and has won a number of awards. Recent first place awards include Olmsted in 2020, the 15th Art Renewal Center Salon (plein air category) and Easton in 2021. Tim’s paintings tend to center on observational fidelity, with urban and water scenes being frequent subjects. He is a member of the Portrait Society of America, the Mid Atlantic Plein Air Painters Association, and has artwork in Crystal Moll Gallery in Baltimore, MD and Ken Knowles Gallery in Rockport, MA.

Rusty Kinnunen

Rusty Kinnunen is an award-winning painter and printmaker living in Rockport, Massachusetts. He studied painting at Massachusetts College of Art and Design, graduating in 2004 with a BFA. In 2012, along with his wife, he founded Rusty & Ingrid Screen Prints, which has grown into a successful gallery selling their own hand made fine art silkscreen prints. Recently, Rusty took the first place prize at the Cape Ann Plein Air 2025 festival for his painting Harbor Labyrinth

Throughout his life, Rusty has continually turned to plein air painting to maintain his creativity, and the appeal for him is an intuitive connection to a moment in time and to a particular point of view. His subject matter includes everyday scenes around coastal New England, as well as scenes around the home. When painting, he looks for interesting light, geometry, and a hint of a story. Light motivates the scene, livens the colors and sets the moment in time. Geometry refers to finding interesting shapes in a scene as well as an interesting composition. Most often the narrative element is evidence of time passing, or something that people have left behind, inviting the viewer to contemplate the story of the scene.

Ann Larsen

Northville, NY

Ann Larsen was born in Louisville, Kentucky and now lives in the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate New York. Ann travels to paint and conducts workshops throughout the year from Maine to California. Ann holds a bachelor’s degree in painting from the University of Central Oklahoma and has studied at the Rhode Island School of Design.

Among the many awards Larsen has won are Second Place, American Impressionist Society 25th Annual National Exhibition; Bronze Medal, Oil Painters of America, Eastern Regional; First Place Master’s Division, Central Adirondack Art Exhibit, Old Forge, NY; Silver Medal, Masters Division, American Women Artists; Best Landscape, American Women Artists National Exhibition. In addition, Larsen has exhibited in over a 100 shows and several museums including the Rockwell Museum, Corning, NY; Booth Museum of Western Art, Cartersville, GA; National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, Oklahoma City. Plein air events include the Cape Ann Plein Air Festival; Wayne Plein Air Festival; Sedona Plein Air Festival; and the Grand Canyon Plein Air on the Rim. Affiliations include Master Signature Member American Impressionist Society, Signature Member Oil Painters of America, California Art Club, and Signature Member Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters.

Christine Lashley

Reston, VA

Christine Lashley is an American artist recognized for her colorful, dramatic work in oil and watercolor. Her paintings are rooted in direct observation, often beginning outdoors where rapidly changing light and weather demand swift, intuitive responses. This plein air process sharpens her technical skills and fuels a deeper creative exploration, later refined in the studio into works that synthesize place, memory, and emotion.

Memory plays a central role in Lashley’s art—serving as a bridge between the fleeting beauty of a moment and its lasting emotional resonance. Her style blends realism with abstract elements, aiming to capture both the seen and the felt.

Lashley has been immersed in the arts since childhood, influenced early on by her mother and grandmother’s sculptural work. Her creative path has included time in Europe’s high fashion industry, followed by work in graphic design and murals. She began painting professionally in watercolor, transitioning to oils in 2009 to expand the expressive possibilities of light and color.

Her award-winning work is held in museum and corporate collections, and she has taught painting workshops and classes worldwide for over 30 years. Lashley holds a BFA from Washington University in St. Louis and studied at the Sorbonne and Parsons in Paris, supplementing her education with workshops from leading contemporary artists.

David Lussier Kittery,

ME

“Iam a painter in the purist sense of the word and my vision for my subject is truthful and from the heart. There is a dialogue that takes place between myself and my subject matter as I apply paint to canvas. I believe that by painting a thing as simply as possible, you can get to the spirit of it, and then the subject and artist reveal themselves to each other. When I feel satisfied, I put the brushes down and hope that the viewer will feel satisfied too.”

David Lussier is an award-winning contemporary impressionist, a nationally recognized plein air painter and workshop instructor and is an official artist for the United States Golf Association. His work has garnered over 75 awards and has been featured in seven major art publications throughout his long career. He is the owner of the David Lussier Gallery of Fine Art in Kittery, Maine with his wife Pamela Lussier, also a plein air painter. davidlussiergallery.com

Dylan McKnight

Dylan McKnight is a New England-based artist recognized for his impressionistic paintings that illuminate the stories of the region’s landscapes and working communities. Trained in drawing, painting, printmaking, and sculpture, he earned his BFA in painting from the Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts.

After a hiatus from art making to raise a family and pursue a successful career in technology, McKnight recently returned to painting with a renewed perspective, enriched by life’s experiences. Currently focusing on watercolor, with a loose and expressive style, he embraces the medium’s spontaneity to create a dynamic interplay of pigments, each revealing their unique character on paper. Using a limited palette, his refined brushwork, strong foundational drawing, and careful depiction of light and shadow seek to portray the very essence of his subjects.

McKnight’s paintings have been exhibited and collected across the nation, gaining acclaim through prestigious organizations such as the International Watermedia Exhibition in Houston, the American Impressionist Society, the American Watercolor Society, and Cape Ann Plein Air. He currently holds the position of Vice President at the New England Watercolor Society, contributing to the promotion and appreciation of water-based media throughout the region.

Jonathan McPhillips

Saunderstown,

“Each painting I begin is a highly anticipated challenge to conquer, a puzzle seeking completion, and a culmination of all that came before. My ultimate reward is knowing when my work has captured the interests of both friends and strangers alike. In a world of digital focus and intensity, I hope that my artwork offers a calm place to rest, even if just for a few moments of the day. Through painting, I strive to forge connections between hearts and minds, unifying us through our shared experiences.”

Jonathan McPhillips graduated from Connecticut College in 1993 with a BFA in studio fine art. His artwork celebrates the beauty of New England and beyond. Equally adept at working in the studio or on location, Jonathan’s work encompasses the natural and not-so-natural environments, ranging from our coastal shores to inland farmlands to bustling city streets.

Jonathan’s artistry has garnered recognition on both national and international levels. His work has also been showcased in various U.S. embassies through the “Art in Embassies” program by the U.S. Department of State. Jonathan McPhillips’ recent accolades showcase his exceptional talent and dedication to his craft. A few recognitions include the Wayne Plein Air 2025 First Place Award, 2023 Cape Ann Plein Air Best Seascape Award, and the American Impressionist Society National Juried Second Place Award in 2023.

As an esteemed member of various professional art organizations, including the Providence Art Club, and the above-mentioned American Impressionists Society, Jonathan continues to evolve and inspire with his evocative artwork, bringing to life the subjects he captures on canvas.

Nikolay Mikushkin

Syracuse, NY

Nikolay Mikushkin is a plein air landscape artist whose work is shaped by a deep, ongoing dialogue with nature, where each painting becomes a direct response to the living world. He has always been drawn to rural environments, from the search for the right place to paint to the surge of adrenaline when shifting weather transforms the scene.

Born in Kazakhstan, Mikushkin began painting en plein air at the age of sixteen, an experience that continues to shape his approach. He studied Art Design in central Russia and later trained at Ilya Repin St. Petersburg State Academy of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture. His work reflects the influence of both French Impressionism and Russian plein air traditions.

He has participated in numerous plein air competitions and paint-outs across the United States, painting in a wide range of landscapes, from the Adirondacks and snowy winters of Syracuse to coastal Florida and the Appalachian Mountains. His paintings are included in private and corporate collections, with works on view at Upstate Cancer Center and the Nappi Wellness Institute in Syracuse, New York. Mikushkin has been recognized with numerous awards at plein air competitions nationwide, including Best New Artist, the Vanishing Landscape Award, and Best Use of Light at Plein Air Easton. In addition to his painting practice, he is a member of United Scenic Artists Local 829 and works in film, theater, and television.

“I wish for my work to serve as a reminder that we should not forget nature, but take the time to notice and appreciate it.”

Charles Newman

Haddon Township, NJ

Charles Newman received his Master’s Degree in Fine Art from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in 2008, focusing on plein-air painting. Charles resides in Haddon Township, NJ and paints en plein air around his neighborhood, in Philadelphia, and wherever else he goes. He is also an accomplished craftsman at Provenance Companies in Philadelphia, PA, specializing in architectural salvage materials and antiques. He is known for his handcrafted frames made from salvaged wood, and doing custom home restorations. Charles has received numerous awards from plein air festivals along the East Coast, and was featured in the August/September 2018 issue of PleinAir Magazine and Southwest Art Magazine for the “Five Artists to Watch.” He was also awarded First Place overall for the 2022 Cape Ann Plein Air Festival, 2023 Plein Air Easton, 2023 Plein Air in the Smokies, and the American Impressionist Society’s 8th Annual Small Works Showcase in 2024.

Robin Purcell Hingham. MA

Robin Randall Purcell shares a birthday with William Wendt, her artistic hero. Wendt felt a deep spiritual connection and profound inspiration painting open spaces. Robin finds her greatest joy painting in the wild spaces that remain. William Wendt interpreted the landscapes as geometric shapes in a style Robin has sought to build on, by abstracting landscapes into shimmering puddles of jewel like watercolor. Color harmonies are the catalyst that attracts her to paint a scene. There are colors in nature that can only be seen from life.

In Northern California she became known for her paintings of Mount Diablo State Park, most notably completing an After the Fire series documenting the recovery of the Mount Diablo ecosystem and a series showing the effects of fire and drought on the mountain.

It has been a lifelong dream to paint at Cape Ann. Robin earned a BFA in graphic design from UConn. After a career in package design, a love of watercolor informed the second act of her artistic career. She studied plein air watercolor with Williams Ternes of Sherborn, MA. She has painted in many plein air events, including ones at the Grand Canyon, Sonoma, Carmel, Laguna Beach, Kern County, Mendocino, and Borrego Springs.

Robin has exhibited extensively in fine art museums, including The Autry Museum of the American West, The USC Fisher Museum of Art, The Hilbert Museum of California Art, The Bowers Museum, The Frederick R Weisman Museum of Art, and The Salmagundi Club.

Robin has achieved Signature Memberships in The American Impressionists Society, the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association, and the American, National and California Watercolor Societies as well as Juried Artist Membership in the California Art Club and The Copley Society.

robinpurcellpaints.blogspot.com

Dipali Rabadiya

“My work celebrates the beauty of everyday life through the alla prima (wet-on-wet) technique, capturing moments with immediacy and spontaneity. I paint from observation, using bold colors and expressive brushstrokes to bring ordinary subjects to life. Working in a single sitting allows me to respond intuitively, embracing imperfection and energy in the process. Daily painting and plein air practice are central to my growth, helping me see more clearly and paint more honestly. As both an artist and instructor, I strive to inspire creativity and encourage others to find joy in simple moments.”

Dipali Rabadiya is an alla prima painter known for capturing everyday subjects with bold color and expressive brushwork. Born in Gujarat, India, she now lives in Broadlands, Virginia. After earning an MBA in marketing and moving to the United States, she later pursued a BFA at Seton Hill University. Dipali is a self-representing daily painter and instructor, teaching at the Yellow Barn Studio, MD, Falls Church Arts, VA and the Art School of Great Falls, VA. Her work is inspired by observation, plein air painting, and a passion for creating art from ordinary moments.

Paul Rosiak

Seattle, WA

Paul Rosiak (b. 1991) is a painter based in Seattle, WA. He is the co-director of the Classical Drawing and Painting Atelier at Gage Academy of Art. Before pursuing art, he got his Bachelor of Arts degree in literature and philosophy at Claremont McKenna College. He is a four-time recipient of the Hudson River Landscape Fellowship, his work has been featured in Realism Today, Southwest Art, Fine Art Connoisseur, International Artist, and PleinAir Magazine, and he was a finalist this year for the New Salem Museum of Fine Art International Painting Competition.

Both his plein air and studio work is focused around celebrating the sense of light, naturalism, and unique combination of stillness and energy that comes from working from life. “One of the many things that I love about painting outside is that it helps me be more present and it pushes me to find meaning anywhere I am. The light can change quickly outdoors and there are so many unpredictable variables, but I love this dynamic between intention and discovery, the attitude of openness it encourages, and the unique process of translation that happens when I go out not knowing what I’ll paint or how it will turn out. Painting for me is in many ways an exercise in trying to find a deeper state of awareness, renewing my experience of the world, and sharing the joys and discoveries from this process with others. I love the challenge of trying to capture the unique quality and color of light wherever I am. Painting en plein air creates a unique opportunity for doing this and for slowly expanding a sense of love and appreciation for the world immediately around us.”

Kari Ganoung Ruiz

Interlaken, NY

Kari Ganoung Ruiz was raised at the edge of The Finger Lakes National Forest in New York State, setting the stage for her deep connection to the natural landscape. After receiving a a Bachelor of Science in fine art from Ashland University in Ohio, she worked as a faux finisher, muralist, and owned a picture framing studio and boutique gallery with her husband Diego, a stereo photographer, wood, and glass artist. Kari became a full-time plein air painter in 2014, focusing on working in oil outside from life. She now travels the country capturing the landscape as she experiences it.

“I look for opportunities to capture transitional moments and spaces—for instance, the time between night and day, calm and storm, or moving from shadowy areas out to the light. This means I’m out either super late or super early, and has led to many interesting encounters with nature. Whether having a stare down with a wolf in Yellowstone, rolling down the palm tree and sea grap- lined A1A in Florida, or sleeping through a tornado in Missouri, it’s always an adventure!”

Mark Shasha

Swampscott, MA

Mark Shasha is an award-winning American artist, author, and educator. He paints at many invitational plein air events around the country and exhibits widely. Shasha grew up on the Connecticut coast with a love of the sea. Most of his works are explorations of natural light and textures of the landscape from expansive coastal vistas to intimate harbors using traditional techniques of 19th and 20th century masters. A life-long artist and graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, Shasha spent his early years as a notable children’s book author and illustrator. Today, he is a Signature Member of The Oil Painters of America, The American Society of Marine Artists, and The Laguna Plein Air Painters Association and is an elected member of the Guild of Boston Artists, Rockport Art Association, and North Shore Arts Association. His popular videos, workshops, and presentations at major conventions have helped students understand the fundamental elements of painting light and texture in nature. When not painting, Mark is an actor and singer, having played roles as broad as Atticus Finch to Willy Wonka. His home and studio are in Swampscott, Massachusetts.

markshasha.com

Jeff Steiner

Jeff Steiner is a watercolor artist whose work is defined by energy, immediacy, and a strong sense of place. After his career as an architect—culminating as director of design for a Midwest firm and earning over 20 American Institute of Architects design awards—Jeff transitioned naturally from ink-and-marker concept sketches to the spontaneity of watercolor. The medium’s fluid, unpredictable nature aligns with his bold, impressionistic approach, allowing him to capture the essence of urban streets, small towns, and distinctive structures with simplified forms, dramatic light, and a restrained palette.

In 2020, Jeff moved to a downtown Minneapolis condo, a shift that deepened his passion for plein air painting. Often exploring the city by scooter with his watercolor kit in tow, he responds directly to the energy of the streetscape. His love of travel and painting led him into plein air competitions nationwide, where he has earned multiple awards. While primarily self-taught, Jeff has studied in workshops with renowned watercolorist Alvaro Castagnet and draws ongoing inspiration from artists such as Joseph Zbukvic.

Jeff’s background in architecture, his connection to the built environment, and his on-location painting practice together inform a body of work that celebrates place through confident mark-making, atmosphere, and a distinctly urban sensibility.

Richie Vios

Austin, TX

Born and raised in Cebu City, Philippines, surrounded by the influence of an artistic family, Richie ventured into academia after earning a bachelor’s degree in architecture in 1995, becoming a university faculty member. In 2005, Richie sought fresh prospects and made the move to America, working as an architectural designer in Clearwater, FL, for six years. Upon his return to the Philippines in 2010, he resumed his architectural practice with a vision to harmonize Western architectural principles with Southeast Asian aesthetics. During his architectural practice in the Philippines, Richie dedicated his spare time over the next seven years to honing his watercolor painting skills, a passion that now defines his artistic identity. Reuniting with his family in Texas in 2018, Richie embarked on a new chapter as a watercolor impressionist and plein air artist, reigniting his pursuit of the American dream. Presently residing in Austin, TX, Richie actively participates in plein air events nationwide and leads watercolor workshops to share his expertise and inspire fellow artists.

“I believe that a good artist is someone who can capture the different facets of life in their paintings, including mood, ambiance, and more. In a sense, they do not just illustrate or record what they see but also express what they feel. The subject before me serves as my inspiration, enhanced by my imagination, fueled by my passion, and reflected in my personal artistic impression embodied in my watercolor works.”

Rokhaya Waring

Clyde, NC

“Icarry a sketchbook everywhere I go, which keeps me loose and ready to jot down the seeds for larger works. I’m drawn to color and pattern, such as boats in a harbor, fields of flowers, or moving clouds. Rather than a single focal point, I often try to depict intangibles such as atmosphere, harmony, and movement. I feel it’s important to fall in love with one’s subject. A painter should reveal to the viewer something that is connected to them, even if small or simple.

“Homeschooled on Boston’s North Shore, my French mother taught me that getting out of one’s comfort zone and cultivating curiosity translates into a great education and an even more fascinating childhood- as was her own growing up in the jungles of Africa. She taught me how to draw- or how to see. Daily sketching from life, reading French poetry, playing the violin, raising goats, snakes, eating exotic foods and camping across America are some of the colorful experiences that shaped the person and painter I am today.

“After graduating from Princeton with a BA in art history/visual arts I spent the summer painting in Provence, my home for the next 20 years. Hay rolls, sunflowers, and poppy fields were some of my favorite subjects. In 2008, I moved back to the Cape Ann of my childhood, and Gloucester and its harbor captured my heart. I’ve also spent time painting in other parts of the United States, Paris, Israel, and Tahiti. I now live in the Smoky Mountains with my husband, artist Alex Eisenzopf, and our two whippets.”

Durre Waseem

Corona, CA

“Ihave been drawing with pencil and chalk since I was a little girl. I started painting about 40 years ago with watercolor, then oil and later pastels. My subject remained the life around me, with the biggest inspiration being the light. Light helps me weave my design through the surface by narrowing down my choice of shapes and colors.

To me the best shape in nature is the human form. My body of work usually includes a variety of genres: landscape, still life, portraits. My focus is on immediacy and spontaneity. I try to give life even to my still objects. My method of painting is alla prima, it helps move forward without losing the freshness. Like many artists my goal is to say more in fewer strokes. The energy in my work comes from regular life drawing and sketching from life.”

Durre has a masters in fine arts (Pakistan) and one in humanities (Cal-State), and has taught in university (10 years in Pakistan) and college (eight years in CA).

Jim Wodark

Orange, CA

Jim was born in 1958 in Denver, Colorado but grew up near the flatirons. Both of his parents are artistic and he was tremendously influenced by them and the natural beauty of the environment. Cartooning was his first love and he worked in that field for 15 years. In 1990, Jim moved to California and a few years later met his wife, Julie. It was at this time that he began to paint with oils. The birth of their first child, Clint, in 1998 focused his desire to paint while being a stay-at-home dad. In 2000, they had twin girls, Sophia and Gwen. Believe it or not, this helped him focus even more! For the last 24 years he has been able to paint every day and has had great growth and success. Jim paints both en plein air (on location from life) and in the studio. “I want to inspire and be inspired through painting. To bring beauty into people’s lives. I have been blessed with a passion to create. I am thankful that people respond to my work and that it makes a difference in their homes and businesses. Everyday I look forward to what I will paint next.”

Jim has won many awards at the local and national level, one of the most prestigious being the Grand Prize Winner of the 7th Annual Plein Air Salon yearlong competition. He belongs to several painting groups: the California Art Club (Artist Member), the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association (Signature Member), and The Oil Painters of America and the American Impressionist Society. jimwodark.com

Stephen Wysocki

Armstrong Creek, WI

Painting is a daily practice for Stephen Wysocki, who consistently strives to push color in new and evocative ways. Even when he doesn’t have a brush in hand, Stephen remains captivated by his surroundings. He focuses on showcasing a fresh perspective of everyday scenes—machines, structures, and landscapes—infusing emotion into his pieces through vivid color, bold highlights, and moody shadows. Stephen began his formal education at the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design and graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay with a Bachelor of Arts in studio arts (emphasis in painting) and a minor in graphic design. He travels across the United States for plein air events and maintains a dedicated studio practice in Northern Wisconsin. swysockiart.fineartstudioonline.com

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A 75th year celebration: a season of masterworks & new music

Cape Ann Symphony

The Cape Ann Symphony proudly presents its historic 75th Season — celebrating three-quarters of a century of world-class music! This anniversary features four spectacular concerts showcasing beloved masterworks, thrilling premieres, and the remarkable artistry of our musicians. Under the inspired direction of Artistic Director and Conductor Yoichi Udagawa, each performance is a tribute to 75 years of musical excellence and the Symphony’s enduring role in the cultural life of Cape Ann.

Cape Ann Symphony 75th Fantastique!

Sun, September 27, 2026, 2pm Manchester-Essex RHS

Holiday Pops

Sat, November 28, 2026, 2pm

Ipswich High School

Sat, November 28, 2026, 7:30pm Manchester-Essex RHS

Sun, November 29, 2026, 2pm Manchester-Essex RHS

All American Celebration

Sun, March 14, 2027, 2pm Manchester-Essex RHS Michael Lewin, piano

75th Season Finale!

Sun, May 9, 2027, 2pm Manchester-Essex RHS