ALASKA EPISODES

In September, nationally acclaimed plein air artists Jean LeGassick, Kenn Backhaus and Matt Smith traveled to Alaska for the filming of three unique episodes of Plein Air, Painting the American Landscape.

Matt Smith, the featured artist in the Denali episode, paints on location 64 miles into the Park. While the camera was rolling a grizzly bear ambled onto the scene. The artists and crew retreated, but managed to capture the incident on film for the series.
Matt Smith paints Denali (Mt. McKinley) prior to grizzly
bear stopping in to see how things were progressing.
Jean LaGassick and Kenn Backhaus paint in Denali.
Director of Photography, Bill Holden on dolly.

The challenges of plein air. The crew prepares for filming in the Tongass Rainforest in Southeast Alaska.
Jean LeGassick meets the challenge of
this episode, painting an exquisite scene
of a stream in the deep forest.
The local plein air association is aptly
named – the Plein Rain Painters!

Kenn Backhaus is featured in the
episode filmed in Seward, Alaska
on the Kenai Peninsula. This scenic
port town is the access point to Kenai
Fjords National Park and offers un-
paralleled scenic opportunities for the
visiting artists.
Kenn Backhaus, preparing to paint in a boatyard near
the port town of Seward, Alaska.
The artists and film crew on Douglas
Island near Juneau, Alaska. Artists
Kenn Backhaus, Jean LeGassick and
Matt Smith, center, with western hats.

TRINIDAD EPISODE

This episode features Frank LaLumia
demonstrating plein air painting with oils
in Michigan and with watercolors in Trinidad, CO. Frank and his wife, Paula Little, also an artist, invited the crew to film in their mountain home / studio.
Frank LaLumia prepares to paint near downtown
Trinidad, CO.

TAOS EPISODE

In October the Plein Air film crew re-visited Taos for additional footage. This episode features artist, Ron Rencher, the E.I. Couse Studio and Taos Society of Artists.

Visit the COUSE FOUNDATION web site at www.cousefoundation.org to learn more about the foundation’s efforts to preserve the Couse studio and compound.
E. I. Couse with Pueblo Indians (also his personal lifelong
friends) in traditional garb, preparing reference material
for a painting.

THE IRVINE MUSEUM

Museum Executive Director, art historian and author, Jean Stern, opened the doors wide to the film crew in early November. Jean’s expert commentary brings to the series an in-depth understanding of early California Impressionism and America’s unique form of plein air painting We are very grateful for his support of the series.
The paintings featured in the Web site represent the style and technique of the artists appearing in Plein Air, Painting the American Landscape series and are not necessarily the paintings featured in the series. Copyright is held by the artist and paintings may not be reproduced by any method without the written consent of the artist.