Plein Air Painters of Georgia, Inc., some of the state’s most talented and well-known outdoor painters, with their invited guest artists, will bring their paint boxes and easels to the Monastery of Our Lady of the Holy Spirit June 18-26 to draw on its beauty for creative inspiration and to delight those interested in the arts.

The remarkable “Monastery Paint Out” is the brainchild of Kelly Jordan, chair of the Arabia Mountain Heritage Area Alliance, and painter Suzanne Royal of Plein Air Painters of Georgia. The event is supported by the Conyers Convention & Visitors Bureau and Conyers Chamber of Commerce.

The artists will converge on the monastery on Saturday, June 18, and will be there every day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Sunday, June 26, to paint outdoors throughout the monastery grounds, well known for its beautiful vistas, its historically significant Norman Gothic architecture, scenic landscape and contemplative atmosphere.

On the last day of the event, all the paintings will be on sale at the monastery. The paintings will be mounted and framed on site. Half of the proceeds will benefit the monastery.

Plein air (French for “in plain air”) painting was developed in France in the mid-19th century and is becoming increasingly popular. Plein air artists seek the quality of natural light and atmosphere outdoors. Their artwork is in direct response to the beauty they find in nature. They use a variety of media, from oils and watercolors to pastels.

The public is invited to join in the fun by watching individual artists work, moving from painter to painter. Each evening, the day’s work will be exhibited at the monastery Visitors Center. The monastery is located at 2625 Highway 212, SW, in Conyers.

Event organizer Debra Nadelhoffer speaks of the joy of painting outdoors and calls this an opportunity for people to see professional artists at work, developing their paintings in response to the beauty in nature. The monastery is a beautiful place with a lot of variety for the plein air painter.

The Plein Air Painters of Georgia (PAPGA) consists of 20 artists dedicated to excellence in painting, whether on location or in the studio. Their plein air paintings are done completely on location and are sometimes used to develop larger paintings in the studio. The members are juried and have a broad range of artistic backgrounds, all with a commitment to face the challenges of painting plein air.