Plein Air Easton Podcast

Step into the heart of America's premier plein air festival. The Plein Air Easton podcast takes you behind the easel and into the vibrant world of painters, collectors, judges, and volunteers who bring this celebration of art to life on Maryland's Eastern Shore.

This episode, Avalon Media Manager Cecile Davis roams the streets of Oxford, capturing candid conversations with award‑winning artists as they chase light, weather sudden rainstorms, wrestle with when a painting is "done," and share how their styles evolve over time. You'll also hear from a passionate collector and longtime supporter who reveals what draws them to a painting, how they build meaningful collections, and why relationships with artists matter.

Whether you're:

• A lifelong collector looking for insight into the art and artists you love
• An aspiring painter eager to learn from top plein air artists in the field
• Or an art lover discovering Plein Air Easton for the first time

…this podcast will deepen your appreciation for the creative process and the community that supports it.

Plein Air Easton is produced by the Avalon Foundation, whose mission is to enrich the cultural life of Maryland's Eastern Shore through the arts.

What separates a good painting from a winning one? In this fascinating conversation, renowned curator and Plein Air Easton judge Mary Morton pulls back the curtain on the jurying process, offering a rare look at how she evaluates hundreds of works and ultimately selects award-winning paintings. Drawing on her years of experience at some of the nation's leading art institutions, Morton discusses the qualities that capture her attention, the common traits shared by exceptional plein air paintings, and the subtle decisions that distinguish finalists from first-place winners. Whether you're an artist hoping to better understand the judging process or an art lover curious about what makes a painting truly stand out, this episode provides invaluable insight into the eye, expertise, and intuition behind choosing the best work in the field.

Go behind the easel with celebrated painter and educator Eric Santoli on the latest episode of the Plein Air Easton Podcast. Hosts Tim and Marie sit down with Eric for a lively conversation about his life on the road, the inspiration behind his Eric En Plein Air PBS series, and the artistic journey that shaped him into one of today's most exciting plein air voices. From studying at the University of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts to living and painting at Claude Monet's House and Gardens as a Munn Fellow Artist-in-Residence, Eric shares the origin story behind his passion for outdoor painting, teaching, and adventure. It's an inspiring listen full of travel tales, career insight, and the spontaneous energy that makes plein air painting so magical.

In this powerful episode, we sit down with Lyudmila Tomova to trace her extraordinary journey across continents, cultures, and careers. From her early years growing up in Sofia, Lyudmila Tomova shares what it was like to leave everything behind and begin again as a political refugee in New York City.

Her story takes a remarkable turn when she's recruited by The Walt Disney Company—a pivotal chapter that helped shape her artistic voice and discipline. But it's her evolution beyond the studio that truly defines her legacy.

Today, Lyudmila Tomova is celebrated as one of the world's leading plein air painters, capturing landscapes with a rare immediacy, emotion, and mastery of light.

This episode is a moving exploration of resilience, reinvention, and the transformative power of art—an inspiring listen for creatives and dreamers alike.

In this episode of the Plein Air Easton Podcast, we sit down with acclaimed painter Antwan Ramar for a conversation about the roots of his artistic journey. Antwan shares stories from his early life, reflecting on the moments and influences that first sparked his creativity and led him toward a life in art.

We also dive into how he discovered plein air painting, the challenges and rewards of painting outdoors, and the way working directly from nature continues to shape his artistic voice. Along the way, Antwan talks about finding community in the plein air world, developing his style, and the lessons he's learned from painting in the field.

It's an honest and inspiring look at the path that led one artist from early curiosity to a thriving career capturing the world in real time.

In this episode of the Plein Air Easton Podcast, we're joined by Carol Bean of the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy for a conversation about land, legacy, and the power of creative expression. Carol shares how ESLC works to protect the Eastern Shore's farms, forests, and waterways—and why preserving these landscapes matters now more than ever.

We also dig into the unique role artists can play in environmental advocacy, exploring how painting, storytelling, and visual documentation can inspire stewardship and spark meaningful conversations about conservation. It's a thoughtful look at how art doesn't just capture beauty—it can help protect it.

https://www.eslc.org

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This week on The Plein Air Podcast, we sit down with artist Murray Taylor, a man who has spent an impressive amount of time chasing light, landscapes, and the elusive "just one more brushstroke."

We talk about painting outdoors (yes, including wind sabotage), the strange joy of hauling art supplies into nature like a very optimistic pack mule, and what actually happens when reality refuses to match your reference photo. Murray shares stories from the field, hard-earned wisdom, and the kind of insight that only comes from staring at a horizon until it blinks first.

Expect laughs, honest talk about the creative process, and a reminder that plein air painting is part art form, part endurance sport. If you've ever painted outside—or thought, "That looks peaceful"—this episode will gently correct you.

🎧 Press play, grab a sketchbook, and prepare to feel seen.

Marie and Tim talk with first time Plein Air Easton juried artist Joshua Hoffman who won 3rd place in this year's festival with his painting "Youth". Joshua talks about the importance of mentorship, pursuing his passion, and the story behind his award winning painting.

"I have been studying art for over 20 years. I began oil painting in college where I quickly fell in love with landscape and plein air painting. There is something special about the connection a painter develops with their surroundings when they are routinely observing and practicing plein air painting, Through utilizing this process, I have learned to reflect not only my physical surroundings, but also my personal experiences, which often are expressed through my use of vibrant colors and bold brush strokes

Though I intensely studied art in college, after college I had a gap in my art pursuits from my mid 20's to my mid 30's through I did draw daily in this time. In 2015 I met my now wife and in 2017 we had our first daughter. it was at this time that I expected that my dreams of being a professional artists were not to be, I found a regular job and life was moving along. We had our second daughter in 2020, I had a cancer scare which has since been cured, and I was laid off from my office job. All during the pandemic days. It was through this rocky time that made the decision that I was gong to become a serious painter, and follow this dream. Because I have two children and needed to make money, I started a handyman service to give myself the ability to make my own schedule, doing this work 3 days per week and art as much as I could outside of this. It was such busy time, waking up at 3:30 or 4 am almost every day to paint, then off to do contracting work., it nearly broke me. But after about two years of this, my art work gained more traction, and I was able to fade out the handman business. These days, I am a full time painter and part time art teacher. Its a dream come true, and I couldn't be more grateful for those who have and who continue to support my work."

Follow Joshua Hoffman: Official Site: https://www.joshuahoffmanart.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/josh.hoffman.165/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/josh.hoffman.165/

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To inquire about being a guest or sponsoring the Plein Air Easton Podcast, send us an email at [email protected].

Music in this episode was generously provided by Blue Dot Sessions and Scott Gratton.

In the launch of our 5th season, Jess and Marie talk with the 2025 Grand Prize Winner Martin Geiger. Martin, an introspective and serious painter, reflects on his family of artists, how he approaches competition, and how painting for him is almost an addiction.

Martin Geiger studied in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for four years at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and now lives in Staunton, Virginia.

He is head assistant at Bronzecraft Foundry as well as an instructor at the Beverly Street Studio School and a trustee on the board of the Staunton Augusta Art Center, He recieved two Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Grants, one in 2018 and one in 2022.

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To inquire about being a guest or sponsoring the Plein Air Easton Podcast, send us an email at [email protected].

Music in this episode was generously provided by Blue Dot Sessions and Scott Gratton.

With Plein Air Easton right around the corner, Jess and Marie talk with the 2025 festival judge Peter Trippi. They discuss his early introduction to art history, his position as Editor-in-Chief at Fine Art Connoisseur magazine, and his approach to curation and judging.

Peter Trippi has edited Fine Art Connoisseur since 2006. Previously, he directed New York's Dahesh Museum of Art, which specialized in 19th-century European academic painting and sculpture. Before that, he held senior posts at the Brooklyn Museum and Baltimore Museum of Art.

In 2002, Phaidon Press published Trippi's monograph J W Waterhouse, which reassesses the Victorian painter best known for his Lady of Shalott at Tate Britain. Trippi went on to co-curate the Waterhouse retrospective that appeared 2008–10 in the Netherlands, England, and Canada. In 2016, Trippi co-curated the exhibition Lawrence Alma-Tadema: At Home in Antiquity, which visited museums in the Netherlands, Austria, and England. His 2021 curatorial projects were the 45-work exhibition Artful Stories: Paintings from Historic New England, in Milton, Massachusetts, and the five-artist show Flora Nova: Painting Nature Now at Sugarlift (New York City).

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To inquire about being a guest or sponsoring the Plein Air Easton Podcast, send us an email at [email protected].

Music in this episode was generously provided by Blue Dot Sessions and Scott Gratton.