OUR MISSION
The hope and intention of The Outdoor Studio is to travel, create, embrace friendship and experience life in a fully realized and present way. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned painter, you are inspired to portray your subject with accuracy and passion by refining your craft of painting and learning to "see the world”. We hope that you will join us in this extraordinary and rewarding adventure.
Don Demers
Born in 1956 in Lunenburg, Massachusetts and spending summers Boothbay Harbor, Maine, Demers’ maritime roots influence his acclaimed work. From illustrating national publications to winning awards for landscape paintings, his diverse career has left an indelible mark on the art world. A Fellow of the American Society of Marine Artists and a sought-after instructor, Demers’ paintings are celebrated for their depth and skill.
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Mr. Demers was born in 1956, in the small, rural community of Lunenburg, Massachusetts.
His interest in painting maritime subjects began while spending his summers on the coast of Maine near Boothbay Harbor.
After finishing an exemplary high school art program, he furthered his education at the School of the Worcester Art Museum, Worcester, MA, and the Massachusetts College of Art in Boston, MA. Don’s maritime experience came about as a crew member aboard many traditional sailing vessels, including schooners and square-riggers. He continues to be an avid sailor.
His professional career began as an illustrator and expanded into the field of fine art. His illustrations can be found on many book covers and in national publications such as Reader’s Digest, Sail Magazine, Field & Stream, Sports Afield, Yankee, and National Geographic.
Demers’ paintings have been featured in a number of publications, including American Artist magazine, Artist magazine, Plein Air magazine, Fine Art Connoisseur, Art and Antiques, Yachting magazine, Nautical Quarterly, Nautical World, Offshore magazine, and Maine Boats and Harbors. His work has also been featured and discussed in a number of texts, including Concordia Yawls – The First Fifty Years, by Elizabeth Meyer; Marine Painting and Yachts on Canvas, both authored by James Taylor of Greenwich, England; Yacht Portraits, published by Sheridan House; A Gallery of Marine Art, Rockport Publishers; an instructional textbook titled Marine Painting, Techniques of Modern Masters, published by Watson Guptill; and Bound for Blue Water, written by J. Russell Jinishian and published by Greenwich Workshop. Demers’ diversity has enabled him to apply his skills to clients ranging from American Airlines to the National Park Service. Various projects have included creating art for national television advertisements, educational television programming and designing art glass for Steuben.
Demers’ body of work has expanded to the study and creation of landscape painting. These works are created from subjects across the country and beyond, often in consort with other artists of similar inspiration. His landscape work has garnered him multiple awards at the Laguna Plein Air Invitational in Laguna Beach, California in 2001, 2002, 2020 and 2021. He has also received an award for his painting at the 2007 Crystal Cove Invitational sponsored by the Irvine Museum in Orange County, CA.
Demers is a Fellow of the American Society of Marine Artists, an elected member of the California Art Club, a signature member of PAPA (Plein Air Painters of America) and an artist member of the Rockport Art Association and Museum. He has won a record twenty-two awards at the Mystic International Marine Art Exhibition, Mystic, CT, including the Rudolph J. Schaefer Maritime Heritage Award in 2006. Demers’ illustrations have been recognized by the Museum of American Illustration four times in their national competition representing the finest examples of work in the field. Recognized for his communication skills, Don conducts workshops for artists as well as producing instructional DVDs. He also lectures on his landscape and marine art. His audiences include museums, art associations, yacht clubs, historical societies and educational institutions. Don Demers’ paintings are published as limited edition prints through The Greenwich Workshop in Seymour, Connecticut.
Coast to Coast: American Art Colonies Revisited
Jackie Jones
Jackie’s artistic journey has earned her awards and recognition across the country. Jackie’s academic background includes a degree in Graphic and Advertising Design from the Art Institute from Fort Lauderdale and a Bachelor Fine Arts Degree in Painting from The Lyme Academy of Fine Art. From teaching at art associations to exhibiting in prestigious galleries, Jackie’s work reflects her deep connection to the land and its people.
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Jackie’s career as a painter has included study with the Plein Air Painters of America, membership in the Connecticut Plein Air Painters Society, and participation in plein air events including Telluride Plein Air, Painters on Location in Knoxville, TN, and Hudson Valley Plein Air. Ms. Jones has received numerous awards, including 1st Prize for Outstanding Work in 2017 and 2nd place in the 2018 Nautical Exhibition at the Salmagundi Club in NYC, and People’s Choice Award from the Brinton Museum, Big Horn, Wyoming in September 2020. Recently, the Brinton Museum acquired one of Jackie’s painting for their permanent collection. She teaches painting at the Lyme Art Association and Glastonbury Arts. During the winter months, she works in her lakeside studio, painting larger works inspired by her plein air studies.
Jacqueline’s paintings summon ephemeral moments and emotions inspired by nature. Her rich color palette and lively brushwork capture the scents and sounds of the land: the rushing streams, rolling surf, rustling grasses and salted winds of coastal New England. Seasonally, she paints in the Western U.S. (Arizona, Colorado, Montana and Wyoming). Her creative pursuits have led her to paint in Italy, Portugal, Malta, Sweden, Iceland and Norway thus far.
Painting from life, Jacqueline finds her work is not only infused with the elements of nature, but with the people she encounters along the way. Weaving voices and memories into her oils, she often engages the curious onlooker, stating & I love talking with people when I’m out in the field, taking time to share my love for the land and the portrayal of my subject. They become part of the whole experience. When I later reflect on a painting, I often smile, remembering special conversations and a shared humanity.” Beneath the humanity and love of nature embodied in Jackie’s work embodies is a strong understanding and use of abstract design and structure – form over content. “Whatever the subject matter, I’m energized by the way light reveals essence and form. Each creation is a unique journey that carries its own emotive signature. Jacqueline’s professional memberships include the American Artists Professional League, American Women Artists, the American Society of Marine Artists (Signature Member), the Northshore Arts Association, Oil Painters of America, the Rockport Art Association & Museum (Artist and Educational Board Member), and the Salmagundi Club in NYC. Her gallery affiliations are the Folly Cove Gallery in Gloucester, Massachusetts; the Bayview Gallery in Brunswick, Maine; The Gallery at Somes Sound, Mount Desert, Maine; and the Finer Line Gallery in Mystic, Connecticut.
