Extreme Plein Air explores the heart of Scotchman Peaks area

For the eighth time since its inception in 2009, the Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness’ “Extreme Plein Air Expedition” took visual artists into the backcountry of the West Cabinet Mountains in late August for an opportunity to capture the grandeur of wilderness. This nearly annual event — 2015 was cancelled because of fires in the Scotchmans — adds to a treasure trove of art centered in the Scotchmans that began collecting during the first FSPW Plein Air Paintout in 2008, a front-country event concentrated on painting the Scotchmans, albeit mostly from the outside.

Two artists in that initial Paintout wanted a bit more. Aaron Johnson of Moscow, Idaho, and Jared Shear of Thompson Falls, Montana, wished to paint in the interior of the proposed wilderness. Both are accomplished painters, and had worked together many times in outdoor settings. Paintout organizer Neil Wimberley put Johnson and Shear in touch with FSPW volunteer Sandy Compton (now FSPW staff), and when the three of them put their heads together, the Extreme Plein Air was born.

“The first Extreme was a four-day, three-night trek that included a lot of requests by the artists — Aaron, Jared and Victor Vosen — to stop and paint,” Compton said, “which is a grand way to hike, if you ask me. We camped in the divide between Ross Creek and the West Fork of Blue Creek, and while the three of them painted, I got to explore. Perfect”

About two dozen paintings — all watercolors — were produced that year, which resulted in a show at the Timberline Gallery in Sandpoint. Extreme artists have since indulged in oils, watercolors, sculpture, pencil, charcoal, mixed media, photography and film. In addition to scores of paintings, sketches and photographs, two movies from Wildman Pictures grew out of the Extreme: En Plein Air (2011) — featuring the art and philosophy of Johnson and Shear, set against the backdrop of the rugged interior of the Scotchmans — and Grass Routes: Changing The Conversation (2013).

The mediums employed during the 2017 edition of the Extreme were oils, watercolor, pencil, graphite and digital photography. Johnson returned with his son, 13-year-old Cory, who also made watercolors. Sandpoint painter Ed Robinson brought his oils, as well as watercolor supplies. Marjolein Groot Nibbelink of Sandpoint, created sketches, all the while wielding a camera.

Many images were captured during the five days and four nights of this year’s Extreme Plein Air, some rudimentary sketches caught during 30-minute breaks from hiking rocky ridges and small masterpieces as well. By the nature of painting out of a backpack, canvases are generally small, though small in size can be big in beauty. FSPW intends to have a showing of the creations produced by the 2017 Extreme Plein Air — and art from previous Extremes — in midwinter.

Information: facebook.com/ScotchmanPeaks or scotchmanpeaks.org