District Stories

WWHS Works of Art in Plein Air at Nissequogue River State Park District

Written by Liz DeMonte | Oct 21, 2022 4:00:00 AM

On Friday, October 21st, WWHS Art Teachers Mr. David Rickmers and Ms. Gina Tinucci took a group of Art and Photography students to the Nissequogue River State Park to create works of art in plein air. The adventure was a huge success!  The field trip was designed to help students to use their repertoire of art techniques and skills in a new light by creating art outdoors.


This visit to the beautiful shoreline of the Nissequogue River State Park to see shapes, colors, and patterns found in nature was incredibly inspiring for our student artists.  This art excursion took place in a very different environment from our classroom studios which allows our students the opportunity to explore and experiment with techniques introduced to them in the classroom, but in a completely different environment. Students acquired a better understanding of how to create a successful landscape drawing, painting and/or photograph in a natural landscape under the guidance and instruction of these incredible teachers. Students made an emotional connection with nature and painted or photographed natural beauty all while making a wonderful memory.


See more photos from the field trip below:

Photo Gallery 1

Photo Gallery 2

It was a beautiful day to create in nature for art students in Mr. Rickmers' and Ms. Tinucci's classes!

Painting plein air connects students to the work of the Realists, Impressionists and many other schools of artists who have worked directly from nature

Photography students had the opportunity to have this practical life experience to experiment with composition techniques introduced to them in the classroom and visualize the world as a photographer.

Painting plein air translates the true color of light and shadow and engages all the senses.

This experience enabled student artists to better understand how to use the fundamentals learned in class which as a result improved their confidence in taking landscape photographs by going out in the field to observe and capture the beauty of the Long Island landscape.