Thank you so much to the amazing team at the Thielke Arboretum for welcoming us today.  I have been to the arboretum a few times and to meet the team and paint there was really special.  It's a great place to experience the outdoors and I'm so glad that we were able to explore it more for Season 2.
Thank you:
Herb Arbeiter - Master Gardener and is a leader in stewardship and volunteer efforts.
Laura DeFlora - Master Gardener and leads the education programs. 
Dan Ackerman - President of the Board of Trustees.

  I hope everyone is having a nice July as summer progresses.  I'm currently in Oxford, MD, staying at Sandaway and the trip has been amazing so far.  This area has a lot of history and is really picturesque.  The Victorian homes here have flower-lined fences and are enchanting.
  Yesterday, I enjoyed painting a demo for a large group here.  It started raining so I wasn't able to finish, but I came back and finished once the sun returned.  I've met so many lovely people here and I'm very thankful for their support.
  Tomorrow, I'll be heading over to Easton to share a presentation all about my residency at Monet's house and gardens in Giverny, Fr.  And I'll be sharing extra information about the development and current filming of Eric En Plein Air.  If you can't make it to watch the presentation live at 10:30AM, you can also watch it live on YouTube.
  If you'd like to read more about my experience here at Plein Air Easton, check out my personal art site BLOG!

  Our final episode for Season 1 aired yesterday and I'm proud that our first season is now fully available through our PBS link.  Soon, I will gather information about the airtimes across the country and other demographic data (see below).  I will share that info once it's available.
​  Also exciting, I'll soon be teaching STUDIO CLASSES in Nyack, NY at a really nice studio space.  These classes will run for 8 weeks and I'm planning to start the second week of August.  I love being en plein air, but I also want to teach studio work and help students over a longer-term course.  Visit my website for more information: https://www.ericsantoli.com/studio-classes.html
  I'm also heading out for a trip this Friday to Plein Air Easton which I'm very excited about.  This is the largest plein air conference in the country and I'm honored to be invited.  I'll be giving some demos, doing some filming and giving a presentation about my 2023 residency in Giverny at Monet's house & gardens.  It looks like a beautiful area and I've never been so I can't wait to paint and meet everyone!

  Apologies for my late blog update!  I've been busy getting ready for a trip next week to Plein Air Easton and the summer is moving so fast!
  But, I hope everyone's been enjoying the episodes for Season 1 - The two latest episodes are about Pony Power Therapies in Mahwah, NJ and The Celery Farm Nature Preserve in Allendale, NJ.
  I like these episodes because they focus on the healing powers of nature while learning about animals.  I've always loved animals and I really enjoyed sketching the horses at Pony Power.
  The Celery Farm is a local spot for me and I really enjoyed painting there while learning about the history of the area from Mr. Jim Wright - Jim's also got a new book out now all about the Peregrine Falcon - more info is available here: https://celeryfarm.net/the-peregrine-falcon/

​  Our final episode for Season 1 airs next Tuesday and I can't believe it.  I have so many fond memories from these early filming days, trying to figure out how to make a TV program (haha).  It was a very educational experience for me and I felt like I was taking a college course about TV production!
​  But I'm a firm believer in the power of DIY learning.  I really believe that we can do anything is we put our mind and effort into it.  It doesn't always turn out how we want it, but our potential is greater than we think.  Don't doubt yourselves!
  My next update will be before I head out to Plein Air Easton next week, but I want to wish everyone a Happy 4th of July as our country celebrates 250 years!  Relax and enjoy yourselves this weekend - eat some good food and watch some fireworks!

​  After a little delay, I am very happy to now share episode #103 which is all about Flat Rock Brook in Englewood, NJ.
  This episode is very fun and educational as we learn about the history of Flat Rock Brook with Executive Director, Stephen Wiessner.  Then we meet Land Steward / Raptor Care Specialist, Rosetta Arrigo who introduces us to Ms. Jones the Red-Tailed Hawk and Tilly, the Eastern Screech Owl (Red Morph).  Finally we meet educator and photographer, James Falletti to learn about finding inspiration and capturing moments in nature.
  My painting demonstration is with oil paints and I share extra information about colors and the paint layering process.
  I hope you all enjoy this episode as Season 1 continues to air nationwide and on the PBS App!

  We've been busy, filming back-to-back as today we visited the Durand-Hedden House & Garden in Maplewood, NJ.  This was another location that I hadn't been to before and it was a real treat to tour the house (which includes several original Asher B. Durand paintings - Durand was possibly the earliest pioneer of plein air painting in the US)
   After the house tour, we stepped outside to visit their herb garden which is beautiful and historically accurate.  Nearby, I painted a watercolor demonstration of their small "King's Bridge" which crosses over a dried stream bed.
   It was a great visit and I wonder what Asher B. Durand would have thought about this Eric En Plein Air program!

Thank you to my amazing guests:
Gail Safian - President
Maria Mulkern - Maplewood Garden Club Chair, Durand-Hedden Herb Garden
Karen Shelby - Board Member, Assistant Prof. of Art History at Baruch College

  Filming for Season 2 continues as we visited Willowwood Arboretum in Chester Township, NJ.  This was my first time visiting and I really enjoyed exploring the area.
   My watercolor demonstration was in front of their cottage garden which seemed like something from a storybook.  I expected Peter Rabbit to come hopping along!  And my guest, Bruce Crawford (Horticulture Manager) taught me a lot by sharing his extensive knowledge.
  I will definitely be going back to see more!  Check out their website to download a trail map and plan your visit!

  Season 1 continues as we visit Van Vleck House & Gardens in Montclair, NJ.  This is one of my favorite gardens and it was great to learn about the positive contributions of the Montclair Foundation.  My painting demonstration covers watercolor and gouache techniques as I paint a beautiful, running fountain.

Watch here:
https://www.pbs.org/video/van-vleck-house-gardens-montclair-nj-e1tc3l/

  We so happy to announce that our Season 1 premiere of Eric En Plein Air is now available to watch on the PBS app and website! (Air times on local PBS stations are also being scheduled).
  Our premiere episode is all about Lyndhurst in Tarrytown, NY.  I hope you all enjoy the program and I want to thank everyone who supported this project.  We couldn't have done it without you.

https://www.pbs.org/video/lyndhurst-tarrytown-ny-frlmv7/