Brushes with Charlotte

An Exhibition with Charlotte Plein Air

Founded by Jean Lee Cauthen and Tara Spil, Charlotte Plein Air exists to create time and space for artists to paint in the open air around our city. What began as a shared desire to step outside the studio has grown into a collective practice of slowing down and engaging with our surroundings. This show is more than an exhibition, it’s a celebration of connection, place, and community.
It’s about connection to the outdoors, changing light, and rhythms of a city that often go unseen in our fast-paced, screen-filled lives.
This work is an offering by a group of artists who gathered in parks, sidewalks, and quiet corners, not just to paint, but to share presence and to exchange ideas, encourage one another, and build something to eventually bring to you.
These works are intimate studies of the neighborhoods, streets, and skies we all share, an artistic map of the Queen City. Charlotte Plein Air is for all artists who join us as well as onlookers who stop to talk and children who ask questions. Plein air painting invites interaction, curiosity, and conversation, creating a shared experience that goes beyond the canvas.
Together, these works tell a collective story: of what it means to connect with your community, find new places, and be present in the moment. We’re honored to share that story with you.

Artists for this Exhibition:

Jean Lee Cauthen
Eliza Dunaway
Mary Jo Gunning
Tom Low
Tara Spil
Tegan Titlebaum