Sojourn En Provence: A Painter’s View will feature eight modern American plein air painters, including Mary Erickson, Don Demers and their voyaging friends.  A retrospective of the group’s work from their travels around Provence, France.  Paintings blooming with color, richness and wanderlust.  Opening reception on Thursday, April 12 from 6p – 8p.  Lunch and tour through the exhibition with the artists on Friday, April 13 from 11:45a – 1p.  Reservations required.  $15.

Mary Erickson

A landscape and plein air painter, Mary sources her inspiration from the natural world around her. Since childhood, she has adored nature and sought to capture its beauty through art making. As a nature conservationist and avid traveller, Erickson has had occasion to take in a wide variety of scenes. Always armed with a portable easel and set of paints, she makes studies in the field to be developed into finished paintings in the studio. The result is authentic work that portrays both the reality of a location as well as its inherent magic.

Erickson is a founding member of Southern Plein Air Artists (SPAA) and a number of other artist groups devoted to documenting the southern landscape before it disappears. She has studios in Marshville, NC and Venice, FL. She has exhibited extensively at galleries and museums across the southeast.

Don Demers

Massachusetts-native Don Demers has had a life-long fascination with the rocky coast of New England. Summers in Maine and experiences as a sailing crewmember helped Demers fall in love with the marine landscape, which is now a mainstay of his plein air paintings. Although he began his artistic career as an illustrator, Demers is now best known and loved for his renderings of quaint New England seafaring communities.

The quality of light and nuanced variations Demers is able to achieve in paint are breathtaking. His paintings, which skillfully capture both the look and feel of the American coast, have a glow about them reminiscent of the Old Masters.

Demers has had his work published in a number of books, catalogues, and art publications, including Art & Antiques magazine and Plein Air Magazine.

Other Artists

The other artists featured in this show are friends and travel mates of Mary Erickson and Don Demers. They include Eleinne Basa, Valerie Craig, Catherine Adair, and Todd Montanaro.