Outdoor painting festival in Mandurah this weekend

Plein Air Down Under will welcome artists from New Zealand and the eastern states.

The festival, which will see artists scattered throughout the Mandurah ocean marina, cultural precinct and the historic town of Pinjarra, is open to artists of all levels who want to tread in the footsteps of Claude Monet.

More than $8000 in awards and prizes are on offer, attracting many professional and career artists.

En Plein Air is a French expression meaning "in the open air" and refers to the act of painting outdoors.

Plein air artists paint a moment in real time, capturing the spirit and essence of a landscape or subject by incorporating natural light, colour and movement.

Plein Air Down Under co-founder and internationally renowned artist Leon Holmes said the success of the 2019 and 20 festivals showed there was a clear opening in Australia for a celebration of plein air.

"Our vision is to be the premier plein air event in Australia," the Mandurah artist said.

A host of activities will be held in the lead up to the festival.

A Feature Artist Exhibition, presenting Herman Pekel (Vic), Lyn Diefenbach (Qld), and Leon Holmes (WA), will be held until October 10 at the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre.

Watercolour Master Class, en plein air, with feature artist Herman Pekel is being held on September 22, 23 and 24.

He will also hold an Oil Painting Master Class studio on September 28 and 29.

There will also be meet and greets with feature artists, demonstrations, a day painting in historical Pinjarra and a Plein Air For Beginners Class.

Artists works will be on sale and the festival is free for spectators to attend.

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LEON HOLMES (WA), co-founder of Plein Air Down Under, is an award-winning Australian artist, lecturer, and ambassador of Plein Air oil painting.

Leon's work will feature in the main gallery of the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre from September 3 to October 10.

He now lives in Mandurah where he has established the Leon Holmes Gallery.

He has been a full- time artist and instructor since 2005 and has held many solo exhibitions. He spent several years in Europe refining his skills and networking with other artists, is highly respected and regularly invited to display his work and teach on the international plein air circuit in the USA, Holland, the UK, Greece and Poland.

HERMAN PEKEL (VIC)

The art teachers of Herman's youth, Roger Webber, Ernest Buckmaster and Lance McNeill were all primarily oil painters, but the experience of painting with them on location left a strong impression, giving him the freedom of spontaneity and leaving him an intuitive painter, ultimately working from the light source.

In 1981 Herman commenced a Fine Arts degree at RMIT, studying under Dale Hickey and Jeff Makin. Herman is an artist of energy and enthusiasm; able to see a painting in almost any subject matter and capable of producing award winning work in oil, watercolour, or gouache.

Environmental issues are a great concern, and his love of the landscape reflects that in almost everything he paints.

He exhibits regularly in the USA. His works are featured in the books "Australian Impressionist and Realist Artists" compiled by

Tom Roberts, "120 Years of Watercolourists", by the Australian Realist Artists, "Artists and Galleries of Australia and New Zealand" by Max Germaine and "Profile on Contemporary Watercolours".

LYN DIEFENBACH (QLD) works in pastel and oil and her ability to communicate her ideas has entrenched her as a respected and sought-after tutor, with teaching engagements internationally and across Australia.

Lyn regularly takes groups of artists on international art tours and painting en plein air is a strong component of the whole experience.

"There is nothing quite like working in situ. The senses are heightened, and you become intimately aware of what is before you - the smells, the sounds, the shapes and light," she said.

"You return home with a greater experience of place than you had before and this will flavour your paintings with life itself."

In 2008, Lyn was accepted into the International Guild of Realism and holds Master Pastellist status with the Pastel Society of Australia as well as Eminent Pastellist status in the International Association of Pastel Societies in 2019, having achieved master Circle status in 2014.

In 2016, Lyn was accepted into the Pastel Society of America as a Signature Member. She has been featured numerous times in the International Artist, Pastel Journal and Australian Artist magazines and will be conducting a two-day Paste Masterclass for PADU.