East Branch Plein Air Painters Capture the Catskills

PINE HILL — On a bright Tuesday morning in Pine Hill, a group of painters unfolded easels beside the East Branch of the Delaware River, their canvases angled toward mountain ridges and shifting light. This was a regular meet-up for the East Branch Delaware River Plein Air Painters, a collective of seasoned artists who gather weekly to capture the Catskills in real time.

Organized by artists Michelle Sidrane and Kathleen Green, the group paints together every Tuesday from 9:30 a.m. until noon, followed by a communal lunch to share work, insights, and camaraderie. Thirteen artists were present this week, preparing for their upcoming show at Art Up in Margaretville’s Binnekill Square, opening Friday from 4 to 7 p.m.

“Upstate New York artists work together and learn from each other in a way that might be hard to achieve in New York City,” I suggested to the group. Sidrane agreed, noting the unique rhythm of life in the Catskills. “That maybe in the city, people don’t have that availability. Up here, there’s a certain kindness and gentleness among people. We’re not rushing to offices or rushing to accomplish in our professional lives necessarily. We have a little bit more time. And we have time to be generous with it. I think that’s part of what this is.”

The group includes Tabitha Gilmore Barnes, Christopher Criswell, Irina Grinevitskaya, Oneida Hamilton, Ann E. Hoffman, Meg Levenson, Myra Lobel, Patrice Lorenz, Sheila McManus, Deb Ruggerio, Sara Stone, Marcus Simpson, and Michelle Sidrane, among others. Their works reflect decades of experience painting the Catskill Mountains’ valleys, meadows, and rivers in every season.

The opening reception at Art Up gallery promises a rich view of the landscape through many eyes, celebrating not only the natural beauty of the region but the fellowship of artists who gather each week to paint it.