Event Dates: May 12 - May 16, 2025
Exhibition: May 17th
Event Website: https://lostsierrapleinair.com/
My Highlights:
This was my first time in the Lost Sierra and the Sierra Valley, and again I’m amazed at how very sublime California is and how lucky we are to have access to this biodiversity and history.
My painting “Hamilton Branch Powerhouse” was awarded 2nd place by judge Chula Beauregard, and was voted People’s Choice by the audience.
My personal favorite painting was “Death and Rebirth,” which speaks to the survivorship of Plumas Forest after the devastating Dixie forest fire. Just as the surviving trees have tentatively put out their sap-green buds this spring, construction projects are strong in Greenville, and I was moved by the resilience of this community that hasn’t gone anywhere.
Biggest Lessons:
Mountain weather forecasts are barely a best guess. I learned quickly to set up an umbrella no matter how the weather starts out… because you never know when rain, hail, pinecones, or something worse will fall from the sky :)
I drove home via Highway 70 along the Feather River, and my jaw was hanging on the dashboard the whole time. Dramatic river canyons, falls, and bridges. I missed out on painting this area of Plumas County, and so next time I come back for this event I’d like to stay somewhere along the river.
Gratitude:
Thank you to the team at Bear Creek Frames & Gallery for organizing this event, and to Chula Beauregard for judging!
It was a pleasure to meet intrepid fellow artists, for the camaraderie and encouragement as we ducked in and out of the rain.
