The Newburyport “Ten,” had its roots in the “Plein Air Interest Group” at the Newburyport Art Association in Newburyport, Massachusetts. It was originally a watercolor group founded by Carol Reynolds and her mother Marie Crone. Under the organizational leadership of Dan Shaw since 2004, the group meets outdoors once a week to work in a variety of mediums, support, critique—and have lunch.
The group has an annual exhibition at the NAA. Members have also collaborated for local shows in unique settings, including the Spencer-Pierce-Little Farm in Newbury, Mass., and at Lowell’s Boat Shop in Amesbury, Mass. For a year beginning in September, 2008, the group presented paintings at the offices of PortMedia, 3 Graf Rd., Newburyport. Several artists are actively involved in the Bridge Gallery in Newburyport; and Angles & Art in Haverhill, MA.
Participation in the Plein Air group is open and flexible; long-time members have been able to see each other develop over time, while the group provides support for newcomers as their confidence grows.
“In the early years of the group we did not invite anyone other than our core group to join us in the field, nor did we make lunch part of our regular Thursday ritual,” says Dan Shaw, the current organizer and leader of the group. “Currently my email list contains 33 other artist names who have asked to be able to join us on site, even though they would not be able to participate in our annual show at the NAA.”
In inclement weather, the group might head to a museum and last winter they took refuge in a nearby studio to paint each other’s portraits.
The name “Newburyport 10” did not come in to play until a few years had gone by. Bud Smith (a.k.a. Jacob Towle) came up with that name, and he also made gifts of small hand painted palette pins, with Newburyport 10 and the artists name inscribed, for each member.
“About five years ago, our Godfather and charter member Bob Gertz introduced the "Painter's Lunch" to our program,” says Dan Shaw, “where we now routinely solve many of the world’s problems after a pleasant morning of plein air painting.”
Susan Jaworski-Stranc describes how you become “part of the landscape” as a plein air painter, “privy to elements of nature that you otherwise wouldn’t notice”. Stories abound: coyotes running between easels, turning on the cliffs of Monhegan Island to be surprised by whales, an audience of friendly Vermonters.
The group usually paints in Essex County, Cape Ann and southern New Hampshire, but takes a longer trip each year.
“After Bob Gertz, Joan Hancock & I took an enjoyable extended painting trip to Monhegan Island in May of 2002,” Dan adds, “we decided we should plan an annual extended painting trip for the entire group. Since 2002, I have solicited members for suggestions of good places to go and have coordinated September excursions each year. We have visited Monhegan Island, ME a number of times, as well as Acadia National Park, Charlotte, Vermont, Stonington, ME, and some members to the Pemaquid Peninsula and Bucks County, PA, in 2009.”
For more information, contact Dan Shaw @ 978.521.5076