COLUMBUS, Ohio — Plein air art is about leaving the four walls of a studio behind. The French term refers to painting out in the open air. 

What You Need To Know

  • Plein air art is a French term refers to painting out in the open air

  • The Central Ohio Plein Air group of artists, has been around for more than 25 years

  • COPA welcomes artists of all experience levels and backgrounds

COPA, the Central Ohio Plein Air group of artists, has been around for more than 25 years. Members consist of all walks of life including pharmacists, pilots, engineers, law enforcement officers and more. 

Rod Hayslip is newly retired and he's been involved with COPA for 10 years. He said during the warmer months of the year, COPA meets at a different location in central Ohio on a weekly basis.

Rod Hayslip has been involved with COPA for 10 years.

“It’s an interesting pursuit for a lot of us. Some of us are professional artists and a lot of us aren’t," he said.  ​

Hayslip said COPA is "the largest plein air group in Ohio, the most active painting group in Ohio, one of the most active in the country actually.”

He said the typical turnout for a Saturday meetup during the summer is as many as two dozen artists. They can range in age from nine to 90.

COPA welcomes artists of all experience levels and backgrounds, too.

“We get people that come out and are just sketching with pencil or charcoal or color pencil and then you have more advance people using advance techniques with oils and watercolor and different types of pastels as well,” said Hayslip. “Just about every artistic medium imaginable for two-dimensional art.”

COPA was able to meet during the pandemic because the practice is already outdoors and there is plenty of space between artists for social distancing. Hayslip said the social element to gathering with like-minded artists has been beneficial over the last two years, while many have fought social isolation and loneliness.

He said art is often "a solitary pursuit and so it’s nice for me to get out and I’ve met so many of the artists around central Ohio because of this group and that’s a good thing.”

The 2022 season for COPA will get in full swing in April as the temperatures warm up. The group meets every Saturday, but the location changes weekly.

For a calendar of events and more information, visit their website.