Jim Laurino to Teach Plein Air Painting August 13th

Jim Laurino, guest teacher, pictured with a young student,
 Annie, and her first plein air painting. 

Workshop Cancelled Due to Heat

UPDATE:  Due to the excessive heat warning, the one-on-one teaching portion of the POP paintout tomorrow with Jim Laurino has been cancelled. Painters can still come out and paint in the morning if it is cool enough, and if it is not raining/thundering/lightning!




On August 13th, Pomperaug Outdoor Painters (POP) welcomes landscape painter Jim Laurino, of Burlington, Connecticut for an outdoor painting/sketching event to be held at Three Rivers Park in Woodbury CT from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.    This year, seasoned POP volunteer artists will work one-on-one with beginning artists at each event. Anyone interested in trying “plein air” painting in oil with Jim, the featured volunteer teacher for the event, at no charge, may register by phoning Ellie Boyd (203) 429-4356 or email, pomperaugoutdoorpainters@gmail.com.  The event is also open to experienced painters who just want to spend the day sketching and painting on their own. Three Rivers Park is located at the junction of Route 47 and Jacks Bridge Road, where the Weekeepeemee River and the Nonnewaug River join to form the Pomperaug River. The site features large open fields and a picturesque walk along the river, with plenty of shade and parking.

A Connecticut native, Laurino draws inspiration from nature, the changing seasons, farmland vistas, and the geography of his home state.  Like most landscape painters, he prefers working en plein air, on site, whenever possible.   Laurino creates in a style heavily influenced by American and French Impressionist painters.

As a high school student Laurino studied with Richard Montross, and received instruction from notable marine painters Carl G. Evers, and Christopher Blossom. Jim studied fine art at the college level at the University of Connecticut.  He has received numerous awards for his paintings, including a recent 1st place award from Lyme Art Association (Maritime Exhibit), and a 2nd place finish in the 2015 Finger Lakes Plein air competition (NY State). http://jimlaurino.com/

POP is a “plein air” (outdoor) painting group formed to promote landscape painting in all media, camaraderie amongst local artists, and preservation of natural landscapes.  More information about the organization and paintout schedules may be obtained at the group's website: http://pomperaugoutdoorpainters.blogspot.com/

Try It! You'll Like It!

Tony D'Amico paints a beautiful scene in Roxbury CT.

Pomperaug Outdoor Painters (POP) will host a free outdoor painting/sketching event in Litchfield at Topsmeade State Forest on Saturday, June 25^th, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.  This will be the group’s fourth season of scouting out prime painting locations in Western Connecticut in State parks, and on private land.    This year, seasoned POP volunteer artists will work one-on-one with beginning artists at each event.  The featured artist at this event is Tony D’Amico (oil painter) of Fairfield.  http://tonydamicofineart.com/   Anyone interested in trying “plein air” painting, at no charge, will need to sign up in advance by phone (203) 429-4356 or email, pomperaugoutdoorpainters@gmail.com.  

The Topsmeade State Forest offers many views and painting opportunities for artists featuring open fields, mature floodplain forest, and an authentic English Cotswolds type architectural masterpiece.  Hiking and picnicking is allowed in the park, and the restored main house is open for tours that day.  Visitors are also welcome to view artwork in progress.  Heavy rain cancels.  Directions from Litchfield Center: take Route 118 east for 1.5 miles. Turn right onto East Litchfield Road. Take the first right onto Buell Road. Topsmeade entrance is the first road on the right.

POP is a “plein air” (outdoor) painting group formed to promote landscape painting in all media, camaraderie amongst local artists, and preservation of natural landscapes.  Tony D’Amico joined the group two years ago.  Trained as a commercial artist/illustrator, Tony enjoys capturing scenes of everyday life that are “often overlooked” with his idealized interpretation of the subject.  He has studied with many well known outdoor painters like Don Demers, Matt Smith and Kenn Backhaus, and has garnered many national awards for his work in New England and a number of plein air competitions across the U. S.  He is eager to share his knowledge of identifying an outdoor subject and how to go about getting that three-dimensional subject onto a two-dimensional canvas.

In addition to the Topsmeade paintout, the following additional events are planned for the remainder of the summer/fall season (check POP calendar for updates):

Great Hollow Preserve

New Fairfield, CT

July 9, 2016 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM

Featured volunteer teacher:  Ed Martinez (Oil) and Deborah Chabrian (Watercolor)

Three Rivers Park

Woodbury, CT

August 13, 2016 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM

Featured volunteer teacher:  Jim Laurino

Bent of the River Audubon Center

Southbury, CT

September 10, 2016 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM

Featured volunteer teacher:  Zufar Bikbov (Oil)

Middlebury Land Trust Brookdale Farm Open Day and Fenn's Pond

Middlebury, CT

October 1, 2016 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM

Featured volunteer teacher:  TBA

For the most up to date info on scheduled paintouts, check the group’s website:

http://pomperaugoutdoorpainters.blogspot.com/2016/05/pop-2016-schedule-of-paintouts.html

For more information on the group or to register to paint in oils with Tony D’Amico, please call or email:  Ellie Boyd, (203) 429-4356,  pomperaugoutdoorpainters@gmail.com

Country Loft Antiques --August 15th, 2015 8am-2pm (Rain Date 8/16)

Pomperaug Outdoor Painters Event at Country Loft Antiques --August 15th, 2015 8am-2pm (Rain Date 8/16)

Pomperaug Outdoor Painters will host an open plein air painting session at Country Loft Antiques, 557 Main Street South, Woodbury, CT 06798 Saturday, August 15th, 2015, 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.  Country Loft Antiques, a popular shopping destination and wedding/special event venue features a restored timberframed barn, adjacent farmhouse B&B built in 1706, a beautiful small pond with a rocky outcropping, and several outbuildings. This painting event is free and open to artists of all skill levels to come and sketch or paint for the day—no instruction will be provided. Parking adjacent to barn.  Artists should bring an easel and art supplies, and a sack lunch.  Group will break for lunch around noon.  Facilities available.  Rain date:  Sunday, August 16th. For views of the property visit http://countryloftantiques.com/property

Mark your calendars:

CANCELLED:  Saturday, September 19th Paintout--"Paint the Town" 

POP Visits Flanders Nature Center Saturday 10/4

Final Season Event at Flanders Nature Center, Saturday, October 4th, 2014

Flanders offers many views perfect for painting.  

Pomperaug Outdoor Painters (POP) will host a free painting/sketching event in Woodbury at the Flanders Nature Center October 4^th from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.  The nature center is located at 5 Church Hill Road.  Flanders offers preserved pastoral scenes with barns, colonial architecture, ponds and a variety of fields with hiking trails, and the home and former studio of noted artist Natalie Van Vleck – many painting opportunities for artists. The event is free and open to artists of all skill levels to come and sketch or paint for the day—no instruction provided. Young painters welcome with a parent.  Parking is adjacent to the center.  Participants should bring an easel and art supplies, water, bug spray, a sack lunch.  Group will break for lunch around noon.  Facilities available.  Rain cancels.

Directions to event: from I-84, Exit 15, travel North on Route 6, pass through Woodbury, then turn left on Flanders Road.  Center will be at the intersection of Flanders Road and Church Hill Road. 

Merry Month of May 2014 Events

POP 2014 Let's get HISTORICAL! 
This season Pomperaug Outdoor Painters will paint at locations with ties to history within the river watershed. Several unique spots are going to be open to POP. 





Here are our first two paintout days:
Friday, 5/2, 9-4,Pomperaug River, Pomperaug Avenue, Woodbury (Registration required) Scenes of the Pomperaug River, a dam area with a spillway and old mill, spectacular multi-colored rock wall with river running below, and a number of interesting historic buildings in the neighborhood. (Please send me an email to register for this location--ellie@ellieboydstudio.com.) Parking will be scarce--please plan to buddy up.

Saturday, 5/3, 9-4, Mill House Antiques,1068 Main St North, Woodbury, CT 06798. This again is a very old, very beautiful site of a former mill gracing the edge of the Pomperaug River. Our host, William Hildreth, invites you to paint the lovely old buildings, the formal gardens, or the peaceful river as it winds its way on to Woodbury. 3.2 miles North of Woodbury on Route 6. Please plan to drop your gear at the main entrance and then move your car to a lot across the street. Bathrooms on site. If you complete a study at either of these sites, you will be eligible to enter it in a juried benefit event sponsored by the Pomperaug River Watershed Coalition to be held Saturday evening, 6/7. (See event info below.) Click for artist prospectus

POP and the Southbury Historical Society (SHS) will team up to offer painters additional painting spots as the season progresses.
Here's a sampler: South Britain (Old Town Hall, South Britain Country Store, UCC South Britain, Old LIbrary) Southford Falls Park O & G Quarry Mansion House Road Bullet Hill School A season schedule is being developed. A show has been proposed for Spring of 2015. Thanks to all who made 2013 a great season.  Here's to 2014 and sunshine! Please forward this to all your painting buddies.
Ellie Boyd 


Here's the PRWC Event info:

"SCENE by the river" Mill House Antiques & Gardens in Woodbury, Saturday June 7, 2014, 4:30 – 7:30 pm, Rain Date: June 8, 2014 Join invited artists Ellie, Zufar Bikbov, Robert Noreika, Diane Debreuil for a delightful evening of music, exquisite food, in a stellar setting by the Pomperaug River, to help the Pomperaug River Watershed Coalition further its mission of environmental stewardship.  Faith Middleton, host and executive producer of the popular, long-running Faith Middleton Show on WNPR, is honorary co-chair for the event.   The event features live and silent auctions.   For more info or to purchase tickets ($75) click button.

Info/Purchase Tickets