“I was at a plein air event in Utah, and asked around for a good place to paint,” says Brienne Brown. “Someone told me about this chic cafe — the oldest restaurant in the area. My friend and I stopped by to have a look. We parked in the back and walked down this little alley. I looked up and and was struck by the way the sun hit the side of the building. I realized that THIS was the painting. I never even got to the front of the cafe.
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“The painting ended up winning an award. The woman who gave me the suggestion came up to me at the event. She’s like, ‘Well, I meant the front, but I guess it works.
“This experience is one of those examples that shows that if you have a preconception of what you’re going to paint when you go out, you just might miss out on an interesting scene.” Stay open to the possibilities.
In a recent Plein Air Podcast, Eric Rhoads interviewed watercolor artist Brienne Brown on painting outdoors, framing watercolors, and much more.
![](https://americanwatercolor.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Plein-air-podcast-Brienne-Brown-1428x2048-1.jpg)
Listen as Brienne Brown shares the following:
• The importance of making art a priority in life, and having the support system to do so
• Her thoughts on framing watercolor paintings behind glass, why she doesn’t, and the logistics involved
• The setup she uses for painting with watercolor en plein air
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Where’s the painting of the side of the building?