Landscapes and Gardens
By Bristol Plein Air Painters and Friends
8–14 June 2026

The inaugural exhibition by the Bristol Plein Air Painters brings together a collective of artists working across the city and beyond, united by a shared commitment to painting from observation. Part of Blooming Bedminster and the Bedminster Garden Festival, the exhibition reflects a collective engagement with place: observed, revisited, and reinterpreted through paint.

Founded in September 2025 by Helena Traill, the Bristol Plein Air Painters began as a small monthly gathering for artists wishing to paint outdoors together across the city. Less than a year later, the group has grown into a thriving creative community of over fifty painters.Bringing together artists across generations and experience levels, the collective reflects a wide-ranging and inclusive approach to contemporary landscape painting.

Members range from those beginning their painting journey to established exhibiting artists, united through the shared act of working directly from life.Meeting on the last Saturday of each month, the group paints throughout Bristol’s parks, streets, harbourside, gardens, and surrounding landscapes. For many members, the group offers not only a creative practice, but also a social and supportive space within what can otherwise be a solitary discipline.

Landscapes and Gardens presents works developed both en plein air and in the studio, spanning intimate studies, expansive views, botanical details, and more abstract responses to the landscape. The exhibition embraces a diversity of materials and presentation methods, reflecting the accessible and collaborative ethos of the group itself.

The exhibition is independently organised by the Bristol Plein Air Painters and hosted at Willway Yard in Bedminster.

With thanks to Willway Yard for generously providing the space for this exhibition.