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When One Painting Becomes Three
Every once in a while, a painting surprises me. Evening Song was a pleasant 20×20 oil painting, but something didn’t feel quite right. The sky, however, still had a quality I loved. I could envision...
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The Wild Women Ride Again Exhibition
The Wild Women are saddling up again! Join us at Thunderbird Foundation for the Arts for our Wild Women Ride Again: Big Skies and Desert Blooms Paint Out and Exhibition. Located at the historic Maynard...
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Top 30 List of Fine Art Blogs
Looking for some fresh artistic inspiration? Check out Feedspot’s list of the top 30 List of Fine Art Blogs! I’m honored that my blog, Fine Art Tips, is listed #5, behind Fine Art Connoisseur and Fine...
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God Is in the Details
“The devil is in the details,” or at least, that’s what I thought until I did a little research. I discovered it was originally, “God is in the details.” Here’s how that old saying made it into my...
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Painting Nature: You Don’t Need Every Detail
You don’t need to paint every detail in nature! Less Can Say More One of the most important lessons you’ll learn as an artist is this: nature doesn’t ask you to paint every leaf, every feather, or...
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Returning to the Yellow Canoe
Some subjects stay with us. That’s why I keep returning to the yellow canoe. Years ago, while visiting my daughter in Missouri, I happened upon a quiet scene along a creek bank, a lone yellow canoe...
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The Painting Saved from the Chopping Block!
Some paintings take longer to complete. Valley Light is one of those paintings… A while back, it was selected for the cover of the 2026 Sun Valley Local Business Directory, “Names and Numbers.” Yes, it...
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The Flywheel Effect in Art and Why Success Feels Slow at First
Young artists often ask me why it’s so hard to get an art career going nowadays. Everything is so competitive. It seems like everyone is an artist! That’s a fair question. But it got me reflecting on...
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Plein Air Painting Workshop with Lori McNee in Sun Valley, Idaho
SOLD OUT!! It’s already time to think about summer plans! I’m excited to invite you to a two-day plein air painting workshop this summer in Sun Valley, Idaho. Where I’ll be teaching close to my own...
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Small Paintings: Nowhere to Hide
Small paintings have nowhere to hide. What does that mean? At first glance, small paintings look to be easier to paint than big ones, right? A little 6×6 feels like something you can squeeze in between...
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Are You a Resolutionist? Gentler Artist Goals to Start the New Year
Every January, the gyms fill up. My youngest son has a name for the people who arrive full of motivation with new year’s goals and work-life balance; he calls them resolutionists. They show up with the...
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Winter Plein Air Painting: My Cold-Weather Secrets
Most artists pack up their gear and head indoors when the temperatures drop. But, I do the opposite! Winter plein air painting is important because it informs and inspires my studio work. ©2025 Lori...
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Why Professionals Paint in Series
As I prepare for several upcoming exhibitions, including a museum show at the Museum of Western Art in 2028, I’ve been thinking deeply about what it means to create a series of paintings and why...
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3 Ways to Make Autumn Colors Pop in Your Paintings
Autumn is one of the most beloved seasons for artists, especially plein air painters. The crisp air, golden light, and landscapes ablaze with reds, oranges, and yellows are irresistible. But making...
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How AI Helped Me Shape a Memory into a Painting
Sometimes a memory is so impactful that I feel compelled to paint the scene from imagination. Silent Vigil: How AI Helped Me Shape a Memory into a Painting began this way. As a painter, I usually rely...
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Wild Women Paint the West in Montana!
In early September 2025, our group of accomplished artists, known as the Wild Women Paint the West, gathered in the charming town of Philipsburg, Montana, for a very special event with Illume Gallery....
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Artist Studio Tour: Step Inside My Painting Sanctuary
Welcome to my artist studio tour! In this short Instagram video below, I’m giving you a peek inside my painting sanctuary—the creative space where I spend countless hours painting, filming, teaching,...
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A Quick Trick for Painting Small Details in Large Landscapes
When working on a large canvas, painting small details can be surprisingly tricky. Whether you’re painting grazing cows, distant fences, birds, horses, or trees, small forms are easy to lose or...
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A Highland Homecoming: Announcing My 2026 Painting Retreat
Scotland is one of my favorite places to visit in the world! I’ve been there for treks, retracing my McNee roots, and for family holidays—but, I never exclusively for a painting retreat. I’m thrilled...
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The Art of Value and Color: 3 Lessons From Lori McNee
Recently, Plein Air Magazine’s Instagram page shared a few of my favorite tips about the power of value and color in painting. People found it helpful, so I want to expand on those essential lessons...
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