Moments: The Plein Air Movement 2023

Carla Bosch, Susan Ritter & Anna Cherkashina

July 27 - August 26, 2023

Artlink Contemporary Gallery is pleased to present Moments: The Plein Air Movement.

In partnership with the Fort Wayne Artists Guild, this group exhibition will include several paintings by three plein air artists: Carla Bosch of Georgetown, TX; Susan Ritter of Perrysburg, OH; and Anna Cherkashina of Buffalo Grove, IL. 

Translating to “in open air” in French, plein air painting sets out to convey the atmosphere and natural experience of a subject by painting outdoors from life, generally in one sitting. In adherence to this approach, artists seek to capture the true essence of a given landscape, emphasizing color, light and movement.

Please join us for a Meet the Artists event on Saturday, August 26 from 11am - 12pm to meet the plein air artists!

About the Artists

Carla Bosch
Carla Bosch’s life of bold color began in 1976 in South Africa’s capital, Pretoria – and the city’s famous annual carpet of purple jacaranda blossoms no doubt inspired the bold impressionism that would years later entrance art-lovers around the world.

Carla loves painting en plein air, but is equally at home in her studio, where she enjoys creating her impression of the subject matter without referencing pictures too much. She mostly paints with professional acrylics on stretched canvas. She has won numerous international awards and is represented by leading galleries in South Africa, UK, France, and the USA, where she now resides.

Susan Ritter
Susan Bunce Ritter is a contemporary impressionist oil painter living in both Northwest Ohio and Southwest Florida. A retired educator, she has won numerous awards for her plein air and studio paintings in exhibitions and competitions across the Midwest and Florida as well as nationally.

Ritter’s paintings are inspired by a wide range of subjects, including colorful alleys, small town street scenes, and rocky beaches, all with the goal of highlighting the charm and appeal of everyday life. The effect of light and shadow on subjects is often a reoccurring theme as is the use of bold color with an impressionistic approach.

Participating in plein air competitions is one of Ritter’s favorite artistic pastimes. She was a featured artist for Shadows-On-The-Teche in 2022 and 2023 in New Iberia, Louisiana. She has been a juried artists for Paint Grand Traverse in 2020, 2021 and 2022 for The Ohio Plein Air Society annual competitions. Among other honors, she was awarded Honorable Mention in the American Impressionist Society Associate Online Juried Exhibitions in 2021 and 2023 and was featured in Outdoor Painter, December 2020.

Ritter is a member of The American Impressionist Society, Oil Painters of America, The Ohio Plein Air Society, Indiana Plein Air Painters, and the Athena Art Society. Her work is represented by Castle Gallery Fine Art of Fort Wayne, IN and the Fuller Art House of Sylvania, OH.

Anna Cherkashina
Anna Cherkashina is a Chicago artist who works in oils and acrylics. A graduate of Moscow National Art College (2007), Anna is now a member of Palette and Chisel Art Academy of Fine Arts and Plein Air Painters of Chicago. Cherkashina puts a mix of realism and impressionism into most of her paintings, with her main topics being "en plein air." She enjoys cityscapes, water views, natural landscapes, and floral paintings.

Cherkashina loves to bring excitement to her paintings with color and asymmetrical compositions. Most inspired by impressionists, she likes to develop the atmosphere and mood of the scene. She revisits the same scene at several times during the day or during different weather conditions.  Her emphasis is always on color and light, enjoying the interplay of sun and shade.