About PAPO

Painting Life From Life

Plein air painting comes from the word “open air” in French, meaning the entire painting is conceived and executed on location.  For centuries artists have been painting en plein air primarily using this method as a source for larger studio landscapes.  The Impressionist painters of the late 19th century shocked the art world by presenting their outdoor work as the finished piece. Since then, artists around the world have enjoyed sharing their plein air work as fully valid finished pieces.

Our vision is to share the magic and spark that comes from plein air painting. Painting on location, in the elements, greatly challenges the artist's abilities. This technique requires immense concentration and quick reactions by the artist, as the intensity of light and color are ever-changing. The artist must juggle their normal decision-making while dealing with fluctuations in temperature, wind, humidity and the annoyance of bugs. In the end, however, a landscape captured in this way often has a freshness and liveliness that can’t be achieved in the studio due to the sensitivity of the human eye, and the need for efficient, expressive brushwork in the shifting light.

Plein Air Painters of Oregon was established as a non-profit organization in July of 2003.  The purpose of  PAPO is to share a love of painting out-of-doors in Oregon with like-minded people.   This is accomplished primarily by providing an organized environment for dedicated painters  – both professional and emerging – to participate regularly in scheduled group paint outs around the state.  At each paint out, participants enjoy group reviews to foster an exchange of ideas and techniques.  PAPO also strives to develop public awareness of plein air painting through various endeavors, including support of member plein air art shows, the written word and community involvement.

2026 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Suzan Frangos, President

Telma Setti, Vice President

Wendy Wheeler Jacobs, Treasurer

Sarah Cawley, Secretary

Joe Anderson,  Membership

Lily Horton, Website

Pamela Beaverson, Communications (newsletter/social media)

Susan Simpson, Scheduling