OPAP: Exploring the Bliss of Making Art Amidst Nature

There’s something about observing a drop of dew on a new leaf in spring, feeling the warm embrace of sunshine on a hot summer’s day, basking in the afterglow of a late autumn sunset and tracing the pattern of snowflakes as they gently cascade into a white wonderland. This is what painting ‘en plein air’ – the French term for painting outdoors – is all about.

For artists, it means leaving behind the comfort of their studio and pushing themselves to observe and paint the natural scene unfolding in front of them, making the most of what Mother Nature has to offer. In Ottawa, the abundance of green spaces and water bodies lends perfectly to plein air painting. In fact, this is how the Ottawa Plein Air Painters (OPAP) group was formed.

ABOVE: Julie Poulin works with pastels at the Aylmer Marina.

OPAP is the brainchild of Julie Poulin, an Ottawa-based oil and pastel impressionist landscape artist who loves nature and painting outdoors. Julie explained the group’s genesis: “I started OPAP in January 2023 because I wanted to address a gap in the knowledge and opportunities of plein air painting in Ottawa. My aim was to bring like-minded artists together to celebrate their mutual love for nature and art by painting outdoors together in all four seasons.” Incidentally, Julie’s mentor and former art teacher, Bob Grant, who introduced her to plein air painting, is now a member of OPAP.

The group has about 395 members, including prominent Ottawa artists Charles Spratt, David Kearn, Chris Tinkler, Catherine E Schissel and Jennifer Prevost. They paint every Sunday morning on location, in and around Ottawa. Membership is free and open to both seasoned professionals and emerging artists.

 

Why Paint Plein Air?

Plein air painting is one of the hardest and most rewarding mediums. Artists are exposed to the forces of nature, need to battle the elements and have to make sense of a scene and simplify it. In the process, you become a better artist faster and gain a different perspective. You also learn the skill of just being in the moment and getting immersed in the sights, sounds, smells and feelings around you, incorporating these into your painting.

ABOVE: Julie Poulin, Sasha Laskina and Valentina Kozarenko braving the elements to “Plein Air” paint in Andrew Hayden Park.

Regarding the challenges involved in plein air painting, Julie says, “I’ve had two people in the group fall into the Rideau River during our sessions. Once, I dropped my phone in the water because I wanted to get a closer view of the scene I was painting. We’ve had our easels fall over due to gusty winds and had hail and snow gather in our pochade boxes until we couldn’t see the colours any longer. I’ve also had paint fall off my canvas repeatedly when applying it with my palette knife because of the freezing temperature. Despite this, we continue to paint outdoors because plein air painting is addictive, and Ottawa is beautiful in all seasons. We also enjoy the experience of painting together as a group. Plus, there is the added security of safety in numbers.”

According to Julie, plein air painting forces an artist to go beyond painting every detail and instead use their creativity to quickly paint a scene within the 2-3 hour window that outdoor painting offers, before the sun moves or clouds get in the way. The goal is to paint a study using the rules of composition, colour, values, temperature and perspective, which can be later finished in the artist’s studio from memory or a photograph of the scene.

 

OPAP – A collaborative space

Newcomers to OPAP have the chance to pick up pointers, tips and tricks from professionals such as Julie during the meetups. Fellow painters learn techniques from each other and exchange notes about art supplies and setups. OPAP members also get introduced to various other art associations in the city, providing new platforms for exhibiting their art.

ABOVE: Valentina Kozarenko and Willy Kim at November’s Happy Goat Coffee exhibition. 

For instance, OPAP has a partnership with Arteast Ottawa that began last fall. As part of this collaboration, OPAP members can join Arteast, which also has a page about OPAP on its website. During the Tulip Festival this year, Arteast provided OPAP artists with a chance to display and sell their art while painting on location.

Recently, OPAP held its first exhibition from November 2-30 at the Happy Goat Coffee shop on 1124 Bank Street. Artists who attended the most meetings were given a chance to display their art on the café’s wall, which patrons could purchase.

Some of the group’s members, including Julie, are participating in the ongoing Capital Art Fair pop-up gallery and boutique at 71 Sparks Street.

 

Spreading the plein air movement

Julie believes a ‘plein air movement’ is happening across Canada in cities like Vancouver, Nova Scotia and Southern Ontario, and she aims to put Ottawa on that map. “There is also an annual Plein Air Convention and Expo in the US organized by PleinAir magazine publisher, Eric Rhoads, where hundreds of artists gather to paint outdoors. I’ve attended some of these conventions, and I can see that plein air is really booming in the US, with artists making a living from it. Similarly, I want to encourage more artists here in Ottawa to paint outdoors. There’s obviously an interest; people are intrigued and curious, and when they try it, they get addicted and won’t stop painting outdoors, even in the winter. I also believe having juried events will expand the plein air movement in Ottawa,” she opines.

Julie intends to keep OPAP membership free because she wants it accessible to more people, thereby expanding the group’s reach. She also wants members to enjoy a community-building experience without expectations except an opportunity to learn and become better artists.

Interested artists can contact the group on Facebook or Instagram and join after agreeing to a few ground rules and conceding to ensure the group remains a safe and encouraging environment without any disparaging comments. Julie will soon be adding a link to OPAP on her website as well.

Membership has been steadily increasing just by word of mouth, claims Julie. “Friendships with strangers have been forged just by a sheer mutual love for art and OPAP has blossomed into a wonderful, supportive community. I’ve seen new members who were afraid and frustrated when they started, and now they have art on display at various exhibitions and are so happy and proud of their journey. This gives me reason to believe I’m on the right path with the group,” shares Julie.

Julie also provides training to beginners or professional artists. She has also been approached by the Friends of the Central Experimental Farm to host a plein air workshop next summer.

 

What next for OPAP?

A weekend getaway for OPAP is in the works, giving members a chance to spend quality time together, unwind and enjoy painting ‘en plein air’.

During next year’s Tulip Festival, Arteast Ottawa and OPAP will jointly host an outdoor competition where the public can vote for the best paintings by OPAP artists. Next November, the group will also have a second exhibition at the Happy Goat Coffee shop. Additionally, OPAP has an upcoming three-month exhibition in the fall of 2025 at the Skenkman Arts Centre.

ABOVE (LEFT TO RIGHT): Painting in Gatineau Park. Sawsan Shorbajee, Julie Poulin, Kim Ratcliffe-Doe, Sasha Laskina, Valentina Kozarenko, Dan Brown and Willy Kim.

Julie’s long-term goal for the group is to offer more opportunities to artists who want to experience outdoor painting. “I also want to give beginners a chance to participate in events and exhibitions which they may not have had a chance to do otherwise,” concludes Julie.

To learn more about OPAP, visit their Facebook or Instagram pages or connect with Julie at info@juliepoulinart.com.

PHOTOS: Courtesy OPAP