By Bob Hicks, Oregon ArtsWatch (view original article)

“En plein air” is a French term meaning “in the open air,” and is used to describe outdoor painting, in the manner of the Impressionists, working usually quickly – the light is fleeting – and directly from what’s in front of you. About 150 artists recently did just that in the Columbia River Gorge, taking part in the 2021 Pacific Northwest Plein Air in the Columbia Gorge Paint-Off. It was the 15th such annual paint-off in an event that’s now a partnership between Friends of the Columbia Gorge and the Maryhill Museum of Art, above the Gorge on the Washington side of the river, near Goldendale. The winners have been announced (see them in reproduction at the link above) and are on view through Aug. 28 at Maryhill.