The Future Generation Plein Air Project
Empowering 4th-Grade Students through Art, History, and Nature
Led by Co-Chairs Denise Bradley and Debbie Morines, LPAPA’s Future Generation Plein Air Project provides 4th-grade students with an immersive, multidisciplinary art experience. By weaving together California’s rich history and its renowned landscape painting tradition, this fully funded program transforms the state’s history curriculum into a vibrant, hands-on journey.
A Four-Part Educational Journey
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Part 1: Art as a Living Record (Classroom History) A professional LPAPA Artist visits the classroom to introduce the concept of painting en plein air. Students explore how early California Impressionists served as visual historians, documenting the landscape and establishing Laguna Beach as a world-renowned art colony. This interactive session connects historical significance with the techniques of the masters.
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Part 2: Step into the Halls of History (The Museum & Gallery Experience) Students transition from the classroom to the gallery. Whether visiting the Laguna Art Museum, UCI Langson Orange County Museum of Art, The Hilbert Museum, or the LPAPA Gallery, students engage in docent-led tours. By observing historical and contemporary masterpieces up close, they gain a tangible understanding of California’s artistic heritage.
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Part 3: The Magic of Creation (Live Artist Demonstration) The creative process is demystified during a live, in-class demonstration. A professional LPAPA Artist completes a painting from start to finish, teaching students about composition, color mixing, and technical execution. An interactive Q&A allows students to engage directly with a working professional.
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Part 4: Picking Up the Palette (Plein Air Painting Day) In this exciting culmination, the students become the artists. Set at a scenic outdoor location, students are guided by LPAPA Artist mentors to create their own plein air artwork. This “field study” allows them to apply their knowledge of light, perspective, and history directly to the canvas.
Our Objectives
The Future Generation Project seeks to instill a lifelong appreciation for art and the environment. By connecting California history to the natural landscape, LPAPA empowers students to see the world through an artist’s eyes—fostering creative confidence, cultural and environmental stewardship, and a new generation of painters to carry on the plein air painting legacy.
For information about this program, please contact
LPAPA’s Vice President Celeste Gilles
Celeste@LPAPA.org or (949) 376-3635
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