En Plein Air

Summer Exhibition 2025

The act of artists working outdoors to produce sketches and drawings to accompany their larger works has been an established tradition for many years. The scientific approach from John Constable reveals countless sketches of skies and lands observed closely with paintings depicting the ever-changing light, mood and weather.

What was an ideal for artists like Turner and Constable soon became a reality for the impressionists. The complete transition to en plein air originally also depended on the developments of paints and materials becoming more transportable, with the invention of the box easel allowing artists to travel easily with all the equipment they needed.

The traditions of the genre ‘en plein air’ are certainly alive and very popular amongst our Sussex and Kent artists. Rye itself with a nearby stunning coastline is surrounded by beautiful landscapes, fabulous sea and great big skies providing artists with just what they need - that essential essence of being in a place.

For 2025, the gallery has gone En plein air, coinciding with the 54th Rye Annual Arts Festival. So, we have developed our exhibition, featuring an additional focus on en plein air works held in our permanent collections, including Howard and Mary Stormont (Rye Art Gallery Founder), Vanessa Bell, Ivon Hitchens and Jacqueline Stanley. The competition features over 200 entries from artists all around the country as well as Europe and as far away as Japan. Our artist led painting tours are being run this year by Karl Terry, Tom Marsh and Georgie Watson. We have attracted ‘en plein air’ painting enthusiasts from further afield to participate and feature their works in our show at Rye Art Gallery.

The exhibition has attracted additional support, with the competition now generously sponsored by The Kowitz Family Foundation and Heringtons Solicitors, with runners up prizes from Artwrite, Rye.

Welcome to Summer in Rye!