Plein-air paradise

As the ad below notes, Montrose will celebrate Chipeta Day Saturday, Sept. 4. Chipeta and her husband, Chief Ouray, achieved historical recognition as peacemakers with the whites in the 1800s.

While all the day’s activities sound interesting, the first one caught my eye for its use of a French phrase, plein-air, which means “open air.”

According to Webster’s, plein-air art refers to “the manner of certain schools of French impressionist painting of the late 19th cent[ury], engaged mainly in representing observed effects of outdoor light and atmosphere.”

What better place than Western Colorado to try one’s hand at this art form? After all, from red rocks to rivers and lakes to mountain peaks, our stunning scenery certainly does impress anyone fortunate enough to observe it.