Tivoli Artists Co-op Fourth Annual Landscape Show

Tivoli Artists Co-op announces the Fourth Annual Landscape Show, from June 20 to July 13, 2008. You're invited to meet many of the artists at the opening reception on Saturday, June 21 from 6:30-8pm, with a demonstration of "en Plein Air" painting by artist Richard Lisle from 5-6:30pm. The show features landscapes in all mediums by Tivoli Artist Co-op members. It's a terrific chance to see work inspired by nature from around the region.

The Hudson Valley is a logical location to inspire a new generation of landscape painting, as its physical beauty attracted many 19th century American painters known as the "Hudson River School." Artists Thomas Cole, Frederick Church, Sanford Gifford and Asher Durand lived in the area. It was common to see them painting on local hillsides. However, they didn't complete their works outdoors. They would bring their small field studies back to the studio to complete a larger painting to sell. In the late 1800s, a second wave of artists hit the region. These premier artists, influenced by the French Impressionism movement, were known as the "Ten". They were the first to complete painting on location, and the term "Painting en Plein Air" was born.

Most of these participants have lived in and painted the Hudson Valley for decades. The show features their attempts to capture many of the same scenes that attracted painters from the 19th & 20th centuries.

Richard Lisle, curator of the show, has painted en plein air for a number of years. Lisle and others believe landscape painting should be accomplished outdoors, with the wind on their backs, the sun beaming down and the scenery spread out before them! Using French easels (wooden boxes with built-in stands that pack flat and assemble into full easels) or portable easels, these painters follow the example of the "Ten" and Hudson River School painters. They often trudge their painting supplies up bluffs and mountains to find a scene to inspire their landscape paintings. The work of art on the show’s card by Lisle, "Fall on the Old Farm", was inspired by the Farmers Museum in Cooperstown, New York. Richard says of en plein air paintings, "Only by painting on location for hours can you truly see all the beauty it has to offer".

Nancy Yu, another Plein Air Landscape painter, says she is drawn to the constantly changing light, reflections and colors. She believes her oil paintings capture a feeling of life that can only be done by painting on location.

An artist familiar with the area is Dot Chast, a longtime Co-op member. Her paintings often focus on a smaller subject in nature, such as a large tree or stone wall.

Artists in the show are Julia Aneshansley, Frana K. Baruch, Laura Chkhetiani, Bonnie Fisher, Tarryl Gabel, Jennifer Harris, Janet Jappen, Susan Katz, Pat Klein, Greg Martin, Rosemary Molloy, Ann Moring, Cicely Perrotte, Susan Picard, Mary Untalan, Karl Volk, Barbara Walter, John Winkler and David Wiseltier.

During the June 21 opening, curator Richard Lisle gives a en Plein Air demonstration at 5:00pm outside the Tivoli Co-op. The painting he completes is then raffled off.

The Tivoli Artists Landscape Show runs from June 20 to July 13. The Co-op is located in the village of Tivoli at 60 Broadway. Gallery hours are Friday from 5-9pm, Saturdays from 1-9pm and Sunday 1-5pm or by appointment. For information, call 845/757-COOP ( 2667) or curator Richard Lisle, 845/473-0463.