February 2 Lincoln Park Conservatory

This Saturday we will meet at the Lincoln Park Conservatory. This location will give us the option of painting indoors or out--it's open at 9 a.m., so we will meet then.

WHERE

Lincoln Park Conservatory

Mapquest directions here.

WHEN

February 2, 9:00 a.m.

(Photo from 1915, the conservatory is in the background.)

August 2003, Montrose Harbor

Leslie Outten sent me a photo she found from the summer of 2003 when the group had first started. This was one of our first trips to Montrose Harbor. I recognize Leslie, Virginia, Scott Tallman and Scott's sister Amanda. And of course Scott's dog, Emma.

As for my painting, as I told Leslie, I think I've painted over that one at least twice.

(I'm not sure why there is text copy written over the photo; the photo was apparently sent out in an email announcing our next location would be in Graceland Cemetery.)

January 26 Old Town

This Saturday people will be meeting in Old Town, specifically at Nookies on Wells Street, 1746 N. Wells. This is in furtherance of the possibility that we might have a show in old town later this year. So let's get in a winter painting of the neighborhood.

Nancy Albrecht, who suggested Nookies as a place to meet, reports: "There is street parking on Clark (one block east) and other parking as one finds it. It is on the 22 Clark bus line as well as North Ave. bus line 1 1/2 blocks south."

The map here shows the Old Town Triangle District.

WHERE

Nookies
1746 N. Wells

WHEN

8:30 a.m., Saturday, January 26, 2008

January 19 Garfield Park Conservatory

This Saturday is supposed to be very cold, so we are going to paint inside at the Garfield Park Conservatory. We were there a couple of years ago and it was great. I'm looking forward to going back.

The conservatory opens at 9 a.m., so we will meet then.

You can find directions here. Mapquest directions are here.

(Photo of the palm house from 1910.)

PAPC In American Artist

Don't miss the February 2008 issue of American Artist! It has an excellent article about our very own group, featuring lots of photos of our work and our people (well, the more photogenic of us, anyway).

The issue is on newsstands now--buy extras for friends and strangers. The magazine's website features additional photos of paintings by members of the group, and they can be viewed by clicking here. There is a link at that page that will take you to the main article, which is also accessible here.

Congratulations all around--the PAPC has gone national. And it should. I'm not aware of any plein air group in the country as dedicated as ours or that turns out as much good work as ours. Well done--keep coming back.

January 12 Humboldt Park

This Saturday we will go back to one of our favorite spots, winter and summer: Humboldt Park.

Meet at the boathouse at 8:30 a.m. (The boathouse is on the east side of Humboldt Avenue, just south of the lagoon. There is a parking lot the the south of the boathouse.)

Directions here.

(The photo is from 1905, when they used to have cross-country ski racing and ski jump competitions in Humboldt Park. What, you thought the statue of Leif Erikson was there just because? This used to be a Norwegian neighborhood.)

January 5, 2008 North Park Village Nature Center

This Saturday we're returning to a little known gem of a place in Chicago. The North Park Village Nature Center is a city park on the northwest side of Chicago: here is the home page for the park.

I'm looking forward to going back here; we were there this past June and ever since I've wanted to go back when there was snow on the ground. The park doesn't open until 10:00 a.m.--but that will give us extra time for our coffee.

Place: North Park Village Nature Center, 5801 N. Pulaski
Time: 10:00 a.m.

Directions: Go to mapquest.