On Saturday, July 16, 2022 from 9:30a.m. - 11: 30a.m, Necedah National Wildlife Refuge will be hosting a Plein Air Art event taught by award winning artist Pat Dobrinska from Green Lake, Wisconsin. Members of the public are invited to this free event, but registration is required. To register please call 608-565-2551 and leave your name, phone number and email address or email us at Necedah@fws.gov. A suggested supplies list will be shared during registration and participants will be responsible for bringing their own painting supplies. Tote bags or wagons are also welcome to shuttle your supplies from the visitor center parking lot to the painting area. Friends of Necedah NWR will provide light refreshments.
Pat Dobrinska has taught many adult painting classes in her career as artist and illustrator. She has many works displayed in galleries throughout the country and illustrated two children’s books. The books are on sale at the Karner Korner Nature Store within the Necedah NWR visitor center. You will get an opportunity to enjoy Pat’s artwork in person as she will be bringing a number of her paintings to be on exhibit from July 16, 2022 through August 16, 2022. Paintings may be purchased.
The theory of 'En plein air' painting is credited to Pierre-Henri de Valenciennes (1750–1819) first expounded in a treatise entitled Reflections and Advice to a Student on Painting, Particularly on Landscape where he developed the concept of landscape portraiture by which the artist paints directly onto canvas in situ within the landscape.
The Necedah National Wildlife Refuge has close to 44,000 acres with ever inspiring wetlands, sand prairies, and oak savannas filled with many species of wildlife including the endangered whooping crane and Karner blue butterfly. The beauty of the landscapes and various species of wildlife make the refuge an ideal place to practice painting outdoors. In case of rain, there will be an alternate plan where Pat will lead a class indoors that day.