Northport Public School hosted its first Plein Air Painting and Poetic Retreat on May 8 at the Platte River in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. The district’s 28 high school and eighth grade art students had the chance to participate in the allday immersive outdoor experience along with professional guest artists, poets, and photographers from across the region.
Jen Evans, Northport art teacher, organized the plein air outing and schedule, starting students with sketching and observational painting using viewfinders and easels, and later progressing to finished acrylic paintings that “emphasize composition, color theory, and atmospheric perspective.” In the afternoon, poet and author Anne-Marie Oomen guided students in writing reflective poetry inspired by their artwork, with the day concluding in an outdoor gallerystyle critique where students shared both their paintings and poems.
Traverse City based visual artist Logan Hudson was one of the visiting creators on site for the day. In the morning, Hudson helped students set up some of the French easels that he brought over, then later worked on his own piece before walking around to view and assist students in the field. He said working from life and in nature gives people the chance to take in everything around them while not being distracted, but rather, inspired by what’s happening in front of them.
