Plein Air Painting, the real meaning

The term Plein Air Painting can sound romantic, bring up visions of Monet & friends canoeing, picnicking, lounging on the shore, and painting. My experiences have been a bit different, especially being a painter in Arizona. Painting from life is for me the only way to fully see and then translate into paint by experience and vision. This usually includes scary stray dogs, snakes, javalina (wild pigs in the desert), nasty bugs, Arizona's summer heat ( 118 degrees), cactus stickers, dust storms, and the worst of all, wind. In spite of all this I would rather be out doors, me and my easel, than in the nicest studio, any day! I enjoy getting other painters outside to give it a try, to see how it will affect their artwork and how they see. Plein air painting removes the staleness and predictability of working from photos. It will change your work. You are forced to make decisions, what to leave in, take out, move. All good. Hard on you , but good. This pic was taken just north of Taos, New Mexico in July- what a wonderful place.