Kenn Erroll Backhaus - Keynote Speaker
Kenn Erroll Backhaus is the most nationally accredited Bucks County, Pennsylvania Impressionist living today. He is a Master Level Artist in both the Oil Painters of America and the American Impressionist Society. He is a member and past President of the Plein Air Painters of America, the oldest and most prestigious plein air organization in the country. He has also achieved Signature Member status, the highest level, in the California Art Club, one of the oldest and most active art organizations in the country. His paintings have won numerous awards, including Best in Show, Collector ’s Choice, Master ’s Award of Excellence and Artist ’s Choice Awards. His work has been included in several museum shows. Kenn was the recent recipient of the 2024 Life Time Achievement Award presented by publisher, Eric Rhoads and Plein Air Magazine at the 2024 Plein Air Convention and Expo. Kenn was one of the host artists in the APT Television Series, Passport and Palette and the PBS Series Plein Air, Painting the American Landscape. Kenn was featured in the Plein Air Magazine ’s June/July issue, 2016. In addition, his painting graced the cover of Plein Air Magazine in the fall of 2011, and his work also appeared in an article in March of 2012. His paintings were recently published in two books, Art of the National Parks, in 2013 and in the book, 100 Plein Air Painters of the Mid- Atlantic in 2014. In November of 2014, Kenn was invited, along with 9 other artists, on a painting trip to China by Chinese-American Master Artist, Zhiwei Tu and the Zhiwei Tu Museum of China. This trip proved to be a great honor and a very humbling experience. Kenn is very passionate about the historic traditions of representational painting and has given back to the profession for over twenty years in various educational programs and workshops. Kenn continues to look for new opportunities to foster the arts and is currently involved through the internet with on-line educational programs. Kenn ’s experience has long been recognized, and he has been asked to judge numerous national shows.
Poppy Balser
Poppy Balser is a Canadian painter who works in oils and watercolours.
Poppy has always lived withing walking distance of the ocean, mostly on the shores of the Bay of Fundy. She developed an early connection with the seashore which has deepened as she studies the sea and its environs through her paintings. She paints outside often to keep her observations fresh and accurate. Her goal is to transfer the open air feeling of being outside in nature into her studio work.
Balser began the serious pursuit of painting in watercolours in 2003. She has since followed a path of self directed study, choosing workshops by master painters from across the country. Over the last few years she has expanded her artistic practice to include oil painting. She has become an accomplished painter, known for both her watercolour and oil paintings. She holds signature or elected membership in several art societies, including the Canadian Society of Painters in Water Colour (CSPWC), the Oil Painters of America and the American Society of Marine Artists (ASMA). Poppy is currently the Vice President of the CSPWC.
For more about Poppy Balser's work, please visit www.poppybalser.com.
Carla Bosch
“I love when art reflects the heart of the artist. The result will be a unique representation as we all see and observe life differently."
Carla Bosch’s life of bold color began in 1976 in South Africa’s capital, Pretoria – and the city’s famous annual carpet of purple jacaranda blossoms no doubt inspired the bold impressionism that would years later entrance art-lovers around the world.
Although she studied interior design, her major artistic talent would not be denied. “I grew up in a very creative environment,” she says. “My dad was a pharmacist by day and an artist by night. His love for life and all things beautiful spilled over.”
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, casual and seasoned art collectors started snapping up her work. It was only a matter of time before her work was recognized and welcomed 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 also noticed her talent and have wished to learn from her. Carla teaches
workshops to established artists and novices alike.
She has won numerous international awards and is represented by leading galleries in South Africa, UK, France, and the USA, where she now resides.
www.carlabosch.com
David Boyd
Boyd is a nationally award winning artist whose work can be found in private collections across the globe. He is an avid outdoor painter and sketcher. Boyd attended the Savannah College of Art and Design, receiving a degree in illustration. He is an active member of several groups including the Plein Air Painters of the Southeast (in which he currently serves on the board as Past President), National Oil and Acrylic Painters Society and he is a signature member of the Oil Painters of America, American Impressionist Society and the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association. He is a founding member of the Society of Seven, a regional band of representational painters. He is also A master Artist Mentor with Mastrius and a brand ambassador for Michael Harding Paints.
In 2016 Boyd cofounded The Studio School at Three Hearts Farm outside of Newnan, Georgia where he teaches painting and hosts award winning painters for workshops throughout the year. Boyd also teaches workshops across the southeast. In the fall of 2017 he opened David Boyd Gallery • Studio in historic downtown Newnan, Georgia. Boyd is also a proud husband and father.
His work is available through his gallery, David Boyd Gallery • Studio in Newnan, GA, on his website at www.davidboydjr.com, or though Spalding Nix Fine Art in Atlanta GA, Hagan Fine Art in Charleston, SC and Beverly McNeill Gallery in Birmingham, AL and River Gallery in Chattanooga, TN.
Joe Gyurcsak
In 1990 Joe Gyurcsak left a successful illustration career to pursue a fine art path. “I had a born again experience as an artist when I first saw the natural light on subjects in the open air. It changed my way of thinking and creating, I had made the leap into the Plein Air painting experience.” Since then, Joe has participated in the all the top plein air events in the US. He has won numerous awards including Grand Prize at Plein Air Easton. He is also featured in the 100 Plein Air Painters of the Mid-Atlantic book.
Joe is a highly regarded instructor who as lectured and demonstrated throughout the US at more than 170 major art Institutions. He is a resident artist for Blick / Utrecht Art Materials as well as a member of the Salmagundi Club, Signature Member of Oil Painters of America, and Signature Artist of American Impressionist Society..jpg)
Michelle Held Much like a pink spoonbill soaring through the dusky evening
twilight, Michelle brings with her a splash of vibrancy, a flutter of unique
perspective, and the beautiful song of nature in its truest form.
 Preston King My work is a constant search for the best way to interpret what my visual senses experience and express them in a way that is aesthetically pleasing to both the viewer and me. Through the years, I have come to understand that this is an ongoing dynamic process, with my artistic sensitivities continually morphing, with little cognitive effort. Each painting is an extension of my past and a glimpse into my future. If a viewer stops for just a moment to view and reflect on a work I have created, then I have succeeded. Preston King, an award-winning artist, was born in Clinch County, Georgia. He began studying painting at age 13, starting in pastels, and then received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Valdosta State University. Later, he returned to school to earn his Bachelor of Science-Nursing degree, also from Valdosta State University. “I am one of the most fortunate people I know. Being able to pursue both a career as a healthcare professional and an artist, is a luxury not afforded all. The combination of both created in me a sense of balance.”. Having retired from healthcare as a Healthcare Compliance Officer, Preston now devotes full time to working exclusively in pastels, with the majority of his efforts devoted to “en plein air” painting. prestonking.com |
Vicki Norman
Based in Shropshire, England, Vicki Norman received her BA in Fine Art in 2000 working initially as an illustrator and then a full time fine artist represented by established galleries around the UK. A naturally gifted teacher, Vicki began her classes in 2005, gaining her post graduate certificate specialising in post-16 education in 2009 she values teaching as an integral part of her creative practice.
A lifelong student herself, over the last 10 years, she has studied with master painters and sculptors around the globe, all the time searching for traditional skills and methods which can be applied to paintings of a modern world.
Inspired by both contemporary and past masters, Vicki’s paintings employ an historical skill set with a fresh, personal approach.
“My fondness for travelling and painting has naturally led me into the world of Plein Air painting. Working quickly on location to capture the essence of a time and place encourages a looser, more impressionist style of painting. This puts an emphasis on atmosphere rather than detail, and colour is the vehicle through which I seek to capture light.”
Her works have won awards in the UK, Europe and the USA, she is a regular contributor to plein air events and competitions on both sides of the Atlantic. Vicki has exhibited with the Royal Institute of Oil Painters in London and been awarded a prize from the Oil Painters of America.
Her growing reputation as a master of colour has led naturally to a role as ambassador for Michael Harding Paints which allows Vicki indulge her love of colour and ‘nerd out’ about pigments, binders and all things technical with one of the world’s most respected Colourmen.
A popular tutor and demonstrator, Vicki is recognised for her clear communication and boundless enthusiasm.
She has won awards and recognition for both teaching and painting. See more about Vicki at her website https://www.vickinormanstudio.com/
Steve Puttrich
Steve Puttrich's story is one of artistic passion and versatility. He graduated from the American Academy of Art and the Art Institute of Chicago, where he honed his skills in architectural illustration, graphic design, and fine art. Steve's watercolor technique flourished under the guidance of Irving Shapiro, while Eugene Hall nurtured his talent in oil painting. In his more than 35 years as an artist, Steve's tenure as vice president of creative services and innovation at the Parsons Corporation is a significant highlight.
Today, Steve and his wife, Bobbie, an artist, travel extensively to capture the beauty of the American landscape and teach others. Steve has made significant contributions to the art community through his teaching at the Palette and Chisel Academy of Fine Art and his term as an Artist in Residence for the Plein Air Painters of Chicago.
Steve has received many awards for his artistic talent in Plein Air Painting, demonstrating his skill in both oil and watercolor mediums. His dedication to the art is evident through his participation in the Plein Air Painters of Chicago and the Oil Painters of America.
Steve's personal story is one of triumph and empathy. He has transformed the challenges of his childhood into a source of creative energy. His works are characterized by a harmonious interplay of light, color, and emotion, giving viewers a glimpse into a world of contemplative beauty. Steve's journey and art continue to evolve, guided by a deep connection to nature and an unyielding passion for exploration and expression. Recently, Steve invented a patent-pending tool for artists called The Fairview Finder, which helps artists focus on the most critical aspects of design and composition.
Website: http://www.steveputtrich.com
Website: https://www.fairviewfinder.com/
Carol Roark
Artist Carol Roark received her Bachelors of Fine Art from Mississippi State University in 1991 and has been a full time artist and instructor since that time.
Being an avid equestrian it was only natural that her art career start in the direction of equine portraiture and illustration. She worked freelance, designing covers for The Chronicle of the Horse, logos and ads for the Quarter Horse Journal and was the official artist and program designer for the Dixie National Quarter Horse Show for 10 years. She was also fortunate early on to be represented by Ford’s Gallery and Nunnery’s Gallery in Jackson, as well as L Bar Western Art in Stephenville, Texas.
As much as she loved the horses, Carol was always drawn to the landscape. In 1997, she had an opportunity to study with famed Mississippi artist Sammy Britt. She studied with Britt off and on for the next 10 years focusing on the Henry Hensche colorist method of seeing color and light key and gradually her work shifted to the genre of landscape painting. She is captivated by the beauty of the landscape in the South, which she feels has a beauty and magic all its own.
Throughout all of her career Carol has remained an avid teacher, teaching locally, as well as nationally with organizations such as Jerry’s Art of the Carolinas and Plein Air South. In the fall of 2020, she was able to build her dream teaching studio where she now hosts weekly classes and 3 day workshops throughout the year.
Carol is very involved in the arts of Mississippi and surrounding areas. She has been the Executive Director of the Charleston Arts and Revitalization Effort in Charleston, Mississippi and served as the President of the Memphis Germantown Art League. She also holds memberships with the Mississippi Oil Painters Association, Oil Painters of America, The National Oil and Acrylic Painters Society, The American Academy of Equine Art and is a founding member of the Mississippi Plein Air Painters. She is currently represented by - Treehouse Gallery in Oxford, Caron Gallery South in Laurel, Pacesetter Gallery in Flowood, Rooster Tail Gallery in Iuka and Wild Cat Western Art in San Antonio, TX.
You can learn more about Carol on her website at www.carolroark.com or on social media under Roark Studios.
Haidee-Jo Summers
Haidee-Jo is internationally known for painting gardens, landscapes and seascapes 'en plein air'. She lives in the UK and is the Vice President of the Royal Institute of Oil painters and an elected member of the Royal Society of Marine Artists.
As well as a busy life painting, travelling and exhibiting, Haidee-Jo is an author of two books on oil painting and an editorial consultant for The Artist magazine. She has been awarded many prizes for her work which features fresh and vibrant brushwork coupled with keen drawing and observational skills.
“My work is a celebration of light filled moments revealed in rich and vibrant oil paint using my personal visual language of fresh and direct brush marks. Painting en plein air is central to my practice but I am equally at home working from a figure model, still life or interior. I find beauty in the ordinary, mundane and intimate rather than the grand vista. Coastal locations, domestic interiors and gardens provide me with rich and endless subject material.
My approach is one of simplicity and economy, striving to make every mark count in my earnest pursuance of capturing the poetry of a fleeting effect of light.”
Dawn Whitelaw
Dawn Whitelaw is one of the artists in residence at On Track Studios in Franklin, Tennessee. The opportunity to paint “en plein air” with her artist colleagues adds richness and honesty to her studio work. Most of her formal instruction came from a long-term mentorship with New York painter, Everett Raymond Kinstler.
Ms. Whitelaw is currently on the faculty of the Portrait Society of America, where she holds the office of Vice Chairman. She is a frequent instructor for Plein Air South and the Plein Air Convention. For over 25 years she taught painting as an adjunct instructor at David Lipscomb University. She continues to teach throughout the country by conducting workshops in oil painting principles and drawing. Dawn received 2nd place awards in the Door County Plein Air Festival in both 2014 and 2015. In recent years, she has won awards in The Olmsted Plein Air Invitational, the Piedmont Plein Air Paint Out and in Plein Air Richmond.
In 2012, 2013, and 2015, Plein Air Magazine included her work in feature articles. She was honored by The American Impressionist Society in 2016 when she was elected to Master status. Whitelaw was one of ten American women artists invited to exhibit in “Inspiring Figures” at the Butler Institute of American Art in 2010. She recently had a painting accepted into the permanent collection of the Rahr-West Art Museum.
