Charlie demonstrating at a MAA PLA in Dickinson Square some time before Covid.
The Art of Charles Spratt
2025 MAA Plein Air Program
We have now just finished the MAA Plein Air events for 2025. The weather played havoc with the Thursday scheduling this year with 6 rain outs and soaring temperatures. Still we had some memorable painting days.
Yesterday, fourteen artist turned out on a beautiful fall day to paint in Dickinson Square. After checking out everyone’s painting efforts, twelve of us enjoyed lunch at the Creekside Restaurant in Manotick. There were many laughs and so many plein air memories. As our lunch came to an end, I was completely surprised to be presented with a signed card of thanks, a gift of a travelling sketch book, a special dessert and free lunch, all for organizing the trips this year and in years passed.
THANK YOU everyone! I wish you all great plein air adventures and sucessful paintings where ever you go.
Charlie Spratt,
Sept 19, 2025
Description
Depending on the weather, up to 18 or so members show up each Thursday at a preselected location starting at 9:30 am., and paint plein air until noon. At the end of the morning members of the group are invited to show their day's work results. It is NOT obligatory; however, artist often like to see other artist's efforts. There are no critiques.
You must be a member of MAA to participate. Unfortunately, at the moment MAA is not accepting new member applications..
Each MAA artist that has signed up with me, receives a weekly email notice of the location of the next Thursday painting trip. There are no notices of cancellation due to weather forecasts etc. Everyone makes the decision to attend or not to attend based on their own judgement.
The weekly notice email contains directions to the location and other important information.
Any member wishing to sign up may simply email me with the request. Previous plein air painting experience is not required.
Charlie Spratt MAA PLP co-ordinator.
For more information, tips on what to bring on the painting trips see
https://www.manotickart.ca
To see photographs of the group in action, taken by Paul Powers, go to http://www.facebook.com/ManotichArtAssociation/
Comments. by members. . . ( Send me an email with your comments and I'll post them here.)
"The MAA Plein Air program has a lot to offer. With 17 trips, to different locations each week, there's plenty of subject matter: parks, city scapes, sailboats, horse paddocks, gardens, forests, rivers and more. Personally, I don't use photos for my landscape work. Instead, I use the impressions I feel from the world around me. I paint for the challenge."
Charlie Spratt
Depending on the weather, up to 18 or so members show up each Thursday at a preselected location starting at 9:30 am., and paint plein air until noon. At the end of the morning members of the group are invited to show their day's work results. It is NOT obligatory; however, artist often like to see other artist's efforts. There are no critiques.
You must be a member of MAA to participate. Unfortunately, at the moment MAA is not accepting new member applications..
Each MAA artist that has signed up with me, receives a weekly email notice of the location of the next Thursday painting trip. There are no notices of cancellation due to weather forecasts etc. Everyone makes the decision to attend or not to attend based on their own judgement.
The weekly notice email contains directions to the location and other important information.
Any member wishing to sign up may simply email me with the request. Previous plein air painting experience is not required.
Charlie Spratt MAA PLP co-ordinator.
For more information, tips on what to bring on the painting trips see
https://www.manotickart.ca
To see photographs of the group in action, taken by Paul Powers, go to http://www.facebook.com/ManotichArtAssociation/
Comments. by members. . . ( Send me an email with your comments and I'll post them here.)
"The MAA Plein Air program has a lot to offer. With 17 trips, to different locations each week, there's plenty of subject matter: parks, city scapes, sailboats, horse paddocks, gardens, forests, rivers and more. Personally, I don't use photos for my landscape work. Instead, I use the impressions I feel from the world around me. I paint for the challenge."
Charlie Spratt
Photography by Paul Powers