In French, “en plein air” simply means “outdoors.” In the art world, en plein air means that the artist has left the four walls of his or her studio and gone outside to capture the light, colors and textures of the surrounding landscape. It could be a study of a barn, a grove of trees, a mountain or the lake.

Whatever the subject matter is, the initial inspiration comes from being outside in the elements. Pend Oreille Arts Council is showcasing the works of five local artists who work en plein air at an exhibit titled Just Beyond: A Plein Air Journey that will open on Friday, September 21 at Columbia Bank Community Plaza, 231 N. Third Ave. An artists’ reception will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

Not surprisingly, en plein air is nothing new. Artists have been painting outdoors for a long time. Think French impressionists like Monet, Pissarro and Renoir and hundreds who came before and after them who found the importance of working in natural light.

“The popularity of painting en plein air increased in the 1840s with the introduction of paints in tubes (like for toothpaste). Previously painters made their own paints by grinding and mixing dry pigment powders with linseed oil,” Wikipedia explains.

“It was during the mid-19th century that the box easel, typically known as the French box easel or field easel, was invented …these highly portable easels with telescopic legs and built-in paint box and palette made it easier to go into the forest and up the hillsides.”

Easels and paint boxes belonging to artists Devon Chapman, Leona Fox, Susan Conway Kean, Gail Lyster and Connie Scherr were toted around the Sandpoint area and their creations will be on view at this not-to-be-missed exhibit which will be on display until Oct. 21.

Information: online, artinsandpoint.org; or phone, 208-263-6139