In Celebration of Mountain Valley Plein Air Painters Sixth Annual Exhibit of Works:
A Brief History by Jean Frey 

Six years ago, I was still new in the area and wanted to join a plein air group. There was not one in the area, so at a meeting of the local art alliance, I passed around a clipboard and asked for names, emails, and what day would you like to paint? After that, we met weekly at different locations in the area. I still send out an email every Sunday telling the group where we are painting on Tuesday. We paint from the end of April to the end of October. That first year, there were mostly 3 of us each week, with an occasional extra painter. But we evolved over the years, each year adding more painters. 

During our second year, Janette Koons asked, sort of under her breath, “Do you think people would like to have a show in our barn?” Cindy Baker, one of the early stalwarts of the group, and I responded enthusiastically and so the show committee was born. Other painters expressed interest so we knew the barn walls wouldn’t look empty. That first year we had 14 artists exhibit 67 paintings. We thought maybe it would be good to have a name for our loosely organized group and since we live in both the mountains and valleys of south central Pennsylvania, Janette came up with Mountain Valley Plein Air Painters and we all agreed to it. 

The barn is a perfect place for a plein air show. The doors are open to the outdoors and its rustic look sets a natural theme. Janette and family rigged up chicken wire for hanging the paintings. It really works well. 

Our show planning motto is Keep It Simple. The only folks who can exhibit are members of the group. We charge no fees and the artists mostly handle their own sales. The show is neither juried or judged. We just want family, friends, and others to see our paintings and how we interpret the surrounding countryside. 

Our rules for entering are pretty simple. Here is what we send out to the artists.

Reminder: This is a plein air show and the paintings need to represent plein air work, so please plan to show paintings that meet the following requirements: 

• Paintings completed on a site where we have painted in the last 2 years. Paintings are started at a site and completed in the studio. 

• Paintings painted from sketches or studies done on location. 

• Using photographs as references is acceptable as long as the paintings are started on site. 

• Paintings previously exhibited at the Old Red Barn shows are not eligible. 

It really is a joyful celebration of our work. The group members enjoy looking at paintings they didn’t see completed. It is especially fun for artists and patrons to see paintings done by different artists of the same site or subject. There were six paintings of a charming chicken coop painted one year. We love remembering when we painted at a location and share stories about that day. I think our visitors catch our enthusiasm and delight and look forward to it each year because we have many returning customers. 

In 2020 during COVID, the Mountain Valley Plein Air painters met weekly from May until October. It was something everyone felt they could do safely. Many weeks, twenty painters appeared. For some it was their only social outlet. So we did a show too, adapting a bit, but with doors open and masks on, we proceeded to celebrate our art. Twenty-one artists showed 115 paintings. 

And here we are at the Council for our sixth show as the Barn has returned to its farming purpose. We are a bit surprised because I don’t think we thought this would be so successful or that we would keep going. But the success is more than the sales. It is the sharing of our paintings with each other and with the public who receives it so kindly that gives us a sense of purpose and celebration.