Eric Rhoads
- Founder and CEO, Streamline Publishing, Inc
- Editor-in-Chief and Publisher, PleinAir Magazine
- Editor-in-Chief and Publisher, Fine Art Connoisseur
Austin
Covers:
radio, connected car, web radio, internetart internet radio, plein air art, art, radio trends
Founder & CEO @ Streamline Publishing | Connecting artists with opportunities. Host: Plein Air Podcast. Author: "Make More Money Selling Your Art.
Articles by Eric Rhoads
Plein Air Painting Spotlight: Malaysian Artist Ismail Kadir
Plein air painter Ismail Kadir -advertisement- By Ismail Kadir It’s true what they say: nature is the best teacher. And painting outdoors provides us an ideal way to communicate directly with nature and our surroundings. In the process, we engage all our faculties — sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch — in various degrees. I especially like painting outdoors in a group. It’s fun to mingle with like-minded people and share knowledge.
Plein Air Painting Tip: Plan By the Seasons
As the ripe peaces fell, I moved around the tree finding little vignettes I could use in the painting. -advertisement- The following story features a leader in the art community who will be joining us on the faculty of Realism Live, an online art event taking place November 11-13, 2026. (No tech skills?
The Light is Changing ūüćĀ
-advertisement- October is almost here. The light is already shifting. Soon, the maples in Maine will be on fire ‚ÄĒ scarlet, amber, gold so bright it almost hurts to look at it ‚ÄĒ and a small group of painters will be standing in the middle of it with brushes in their hands and nowhere else to be. I want you to be one of them. This year, Fall Color Week is at Acadia National Park, Maine. Granite coastline. Atlantic surf against pink rock. Birches gone gold.
Looking Back, After 25 Years
In 1996, while running Radio Ink, I had a concept to put radio on the internet. At the time, radio didn’t even have websites. In 1998, we launched the Radio Internet Conference, and later the Convergence Conference, to get people to embrace websites and online radio. Everyone thought I was crazy. Over the years, I wrote editorials about how people would get their music from the internet, not just radio.
Capturing Atmosphere Over Detail
Brian Sindler, "Clouds, Sister Bay," 2023, acrylic, 20 x 20 in., Private collection, Plein air -advertisement- In this edition of Plein Air Today Painting of the Week, we highlight Brian Sindler’s atmospheric landscape, “Clouds, Sister Bay.” Painted just after a rainstorm, the piece explores the delicate balance between shape, rhythm, and atmosphere. Learn how Sindler simplified the scene to bring the land and sky into perfect harmony.
How I Sold My Most Expensive Painting: Lessons from Sandycove
Steve Browning, painting a large canvas (28 x 36 in.) en plein air -advertisement- In this guest blog post, artist Steve Browning shares how he sold a landscape painting for €2,400 (about $2,800 USD), and his advice for you. This is part of a series featuring a leader in the art community who is on the faculty of the online art conference, Plein Air Live, September 16-18, 2026.
Why My Kids Think I’m a Dinosaur
Eric Rhoads, set up at Darnell Farms during a Plein Air Convention & Expo paint out -advertisement- From Eric Rhoads, Publisher of PleinAir Magazine I grew up listening to the Beatles on 45 RPM records, watching black-and-white TV before color TV existed, and, yes, I owned a Beatles wig and a 72 VW Bug. My kids are mortified when I tell them I turned down a chance to meet Elvis backstage.
Beyond the Great Wall: Inside China’s Plein Air Painting Renaissance
Eric Rhoads starts a plein air painting; This ancient garden in Chengdu, China, embodies the essence of classical composition — a perfect harmony of balance, rhythm, and design. -advertisement- What happens when an artist sets aside long-held misconceptions to explore the heart of a foreign culture?
It’s Official: Plein Air Live is Back!
Join us for Plein Air Live, an online art conference with artists from all over the world! -advertisement- For three full days, 20+ of the world’s best plein air artists come together — live — to teach, demo, and share the secrets they’ve spent decades perfecting. You watch it all from the comfort of your own home. No travel. No hotel. Just great painting and great company. It’s official. Plein Air Live 2026 is on.
2026 Summer Camp for Artists
Making friends at the Publisher's Invitational events -advertisement- 2026 Painting Retreat When was the last time you had a real summer? Not a long weekend. Not a vacation squeezed between obligations. A summer. The kind you had as a kid. That’s the closest thing we can compare Paint Adirondacks to. It’s summer camp. For painters. You arrive to the painting retreat on Saturday, June 6. The first night, there’s a welcome dinner — drinks, introductions, the easy hum of a group settling in.
No need for FOMO if you’re not in MO
-advertisement- We know not everyone who wants to come to the Plein Air Convention & Expo (PACE) can make it in person. Travel, schedules, cost… sometimes it just doesn’t work. And honestly, we don’t want you to miss out because of that. So this year, we’re doing something new. For the first time ever, we’re streaming the entire PACE convention live! That means you can join us from home and still be part of what’s happening, while it’s happening.
Your Personal Resurrection
Please add Art@StreamlinePublishingInc.com to your address book to ensure it isn’t zapped by your spam filter. Received this email from a friend? Subscribe free to receive Sunday Coffee in your inbox. Reading Time for this week’s Sunday Coffee: 7:02 Your Personal Resurrection By Eric Rhoads Two stories compete for my attention this Easter morning as the Texas heat starts pretending it’s summer and it’s 95 already.
2026 Plein Air Painting Retreat … In China!
-advertisement- Are you ready for an unforgettable plein air painting retreat? Whenever people think of China, the first thing that pops into mind is the Great Wall or the Forbidden City. But in the eyes of an artist? It brings a completely different thought. I spent a month in China in 2024. What I found changed how I think about landscape painting.
Leaving the Adirondacks Forever
-advertisement- Our family’s journey from Indiana to the Adirondacks, discovering a lifelong love for nature, art, and tradition. Join me as I share the unexpected twists that led to finding my forever summer home—and how you can be part of the magic.
Our Quest to Stay Vital
Please add Art@StreamlinePublishingInc.com to your address book to ensure it is not zapped by your spam filter. Received this email from a friend?Subscribe free to receive Sunday Coffee in your inbox Our Quest to Stay Vital By Eric Rhoads Less than a week after snowballs melted in my gloved palm, I’m stretched out in a lounge chair, watching late January sunlight paint the distant mountain in watercolors.
When The Final Dirt Falls
Please add Art@StreamlinePublishingInc.com to your address book to ensure it is not zapped by your spam filter. Received this email from a friend?Subscribe free to receive Sunday Coffee in your inbox When The Final Dirt Falls By Eric Rhoads The familiar hiss of the espresso machine provides a gentle backdrop to the quiet murmur of Sunday morning as I stare across the water, pondering the distant shore.
No More Mr. Nice Guy
Please add Art@StreamlinePublishingInc.com to your address book to ensure it is not zapped by your spam filter. Received this email from a friend?Subscribe free to receive Sunday Coffee in your inbox No More Mr. Nice Guy By Eric Rhoads Ah, Sunday morning in Florida — where I’m supposedly sitting on the beach, my coffee sporting a tiny pink umbrella, watching the sunrise paint layers of clouds in spectacular colors while I soak up vitamin D.
Insuring Your Art Before a Wildfire or Other Natural Disaster
As of this writing, roughly 130,000 people are evacuating more than 45 square miles in the Los Angeles area, and our hearts are with them. If you have a way to show support of the families and businesses in need, please do so. The L.A. fires, in addition to all the damage we know of so far, have resulted in hundreds of lost paintings at artist studios, collector homes, and likely art galleries.
Are You Nervous About Tuesday?
I’m nervous. In spite of the glowing sun hitting the trees and the cool breeze making the grass sway, in spite of the musical birds nesting in the trees above the back porch, I’m nervous. I’m not only nervous, I’m anxious. In spite of my desire to avoid the news cycle and to not become consumed with social media, I’m nervous about the election and the future of America. Wait.Before you assume I’m about to make a political endorsement, just know I don’t do that.
Why I Hate Winter
-advertisement- Ever had one of those days where everything seems to go wrong? Let me tell you about mine. Picture this: It was pitch dark at 5 a.m., the air sharp with cold, and I was already running late. My car — a beat-up ’72 VW Beetle — looked like an ice sculpture, completely encased after a freezing rainstorm. I tried opening the door, but it wouldn’t budge. Frozen shut. I yanked, pulled, and finally cracked it open, only to slip on the ice and land flat on my back.
Hurricane Helene Art Disaster Relief
-advertisement- Dear Friends, Tens of thousands of families have been impacted by the recent hurricane. Homes and businesses have been destroyed. Furthermore, we will soon learn about our fellow artists who have lost their studios, lost their life’s work, lost their homes. And we will learn about galleries that cannot survive due to the impact on business in their area. We need to help them. Some things you can do right now: Donate to the Red Cross.
It’s Time to (Re)Treat Yourself!
-advertisement- 2024 Art Retreat > If you’ve ever dreamed of escaping daily life to do nothing but paint and hang out with friends, your dream is about to come true! If you’d like to escape your regular life, just for a week-long art retreat, then you MUST read this whole message! A couple of times a year, I meet up with a hundred or so friends and we focus on our painting for an entire week. Yes, we have fun, too. Yes, we get to eat and sleep (meals are prepared for us!).
Join Us for a Rare Fine Art Trip to Venice
Venice is one of the most colorful and architecturally interesting cities in the world, with everyday life taking place on canals and most transportation occurring by boat. That’s why so many artists have been drawn to this inspirational city. John Singer Sargent did an entire series of paintings in Venice over the course of several years, and the last time I was there, I stood in the same spots where Sargent would have stood to do his paintings.
Summer Art Retreat: Join Me and a Few Friends in the Adirondacks
Eric Rhoads and friends painting en plein air at a Publisher's Invitational -advertisement- We’re only a short while away from the incredible Publisher’s Invitational art retreat in the Adirondack Mountains, so if you plan on being there, now’s the time to start making plans. If you’re on the fence about coming, here are just a few great reasons to join us: Paint all day, every day, without any distractions. You’ll be surprised at how much art you’ll create.
How I Made My Closest Friends While Painting Plein Air
A letter from Eric Rhoads on friendship, new experiences, and painting plein air >>> Childhood can be hard and cruel. I can remember a gym class where we had to climb a rope to the ceiling. My turn came, and I could not even hold myself up on the rope. The class, sitting on the floor in a circle, did not stop laughing at me. Being the school fat kid, I desperately wanted friends. It seemed like everyone else had lots of friends, but not me. “One day, I’ll have friends,” I remember telling myself.
I’m back. Did you miss me?
By Eric Rhoads, Publisher In the 19th century, well-to-do Americans would send their college-age kids off to Europe for a year, a trip often called “the Grand Tour.” The wealthy did this because it was a way to open their child’s eyes to culture, language, and different ways of life. Getting away to another country is a giant eye-opener and a great way to expand your mind.
How You Can Get a Front Row Seat to Max Ginsburg’s Portrait Painting Techniques
If you’ve been dreaming of improving your work with portrait painting techniques, this will be the most important message you read today. “I choose to paint realistically because I believe realism is truth and truth is beauty.” -Max Ginsburg It’s time to get registered for Realism Live, where you’ll get to experience the teaching of the amazing artist Max Ginsburg.
I Found My True Self
A letter to Eric Rhoads from an artist who joined us at the Publisher’s Invitational: Dear Eric, There are no words I could say that others have not already said that could possibly convey my gratitude for you and the Publisher’s Invitational retreat. I know that organizing the camp is a great deal of work, and I am forever grateful. I signed up for camp dreaming of seven days of nothing but painting and came away with so much more.
A Good Way to Screw Up Your Palette
Plein Air Painting and Color Mixing for Beginners > One of the benefits of attending the annual Plein Air Live virtual art conference is that it’s so full of tips, techniques, and even conversations about what it means to be a plein air painter. The next one is March 6-8, 2024, with an Essential Techniques day on March 5. See you there! The following is from the “Every Plein Air Question Answered” session led by Eric Rhoads. Q: Do I use all the colors I use in the studio when I’m painting outside?
Paintings Destroyed in Fire?
Paintings Destroyed in Fire? Check out this advice from Publisher Eric Rhoads on what to do before it's too late.
The Birth Of A Great Station: The Perspective Of A 17-Year-Old
(By Eric Rhoads) The year was 1973. I graduated high school in January of that year and was working weekends in Kalamazoo at WYYY. Radio was in my blood and college wasn’t in my future, so I needed to find full-time work. I got close to the all-night gig at WABC and at WLS, but in both cases, Rick Sklar and John Gehron said they had tried to get me hired but had to fill the slot with someone to help them meet affirmative action requirements.
Opportunity to Improve Your Landscapes
Attention Landscape Painters > Discover the magic of pastel painting with Pastel Live 2023: Immerse yourself in our three-day online art adventure! I know I’d feel left out if my friends were spending three whole days learning pastel painting secrets from the best artists in the world without me… That’s why I’m inviting you to join us at Pastel Live 2023 — our 3rd annual online pastel conference, happening this August 17th – 19th.
Tons of Friends, 5 Stages, 1 Price
The Plein Air Convention isn’t for everyone. Yet a thousand people show up. So why bother? I’ll get to that in a moment. And there is an answer to every excuse in the book at the bottom. The convention is designed to bring the plein air community together nationally, which makes you more connected and part of the national scene. It’s the world’s largest plein air event and gathering of plein air painters. “This is my 9th time going.
Q: Is It a Plein Air Painting If It Was Touched Up in the Studio?
Plein Air Painting for Beginners > One of the benefits of attending the annual Plein Air Live virtual art conference is that it’s so full of tips, techniques, and even conversations about what it means to be a plein air painter. The following is from the “Every Plein Air Question Answered” session led by Eric Rhoads. Stay tuned for more expert advice, and join us for the next events on the calendar > The Plein Air Convention & Expo (in person soon!) and Pastel Live (online!).
See the Legendary C.W. Mundy Get this Award LIVE
PleinAir Magazine’s highest honor, the Lifetime Achievement Award, is to be presented to C.W. Mundy LIVE at the Plein Air Convention & Expo. The event happens at the largest gathering of plein air painters in the world, the Plein Air Convention (PACE), in Colorado, May 21-25, 2023. Living legend C.W. Mundy will be presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award from PleinAir Magazine on May 21, during the opening ceremonies at PACE. PACE is the largest gathering of plein air artists in the world.
The Urge to Fight
Nature’s colors are beyond anything any artist is capable of reproducing. The color harmony of this morning’s sky, filled with peach, pink, purple, green, yellow, and gray-blue. The spring greens on the twisty oaks, and the thick carpet of blue flowers, this year the best I’ve ever seen them. I feel blessed to stare out at the backyard, the distant view, the deep lavender mountain, during a moment of perfect peace.
Slap Paint With Us This Week
If your schedule is open on March 23, 2023 at 5pm ET for about 2 hours or so… …I’d like to personally invite you to my first ever “Eric’s Global Online Paint Out.” It’s a free event and it’s all online! I’m also inviting a few special guest artists to hang out with me at my place. You can join us and paint the same scene as us, or just hang out and have a pleasant discussion about art. We’re going to paint at the World Famous Artist’s Cabin in Texas Hill Country, which is my backyard.
Hsin-Yao Tseng’s Unending Ambition for Plein Air Painting
Hsin-Yao Tseng, "Aeolian Yacht Club, Alameda," 2013, oil, 9x 12 in., Private collection, Plein air -advertisement- Go “behind the easel” and learn Hsin-Yao Tseng’s plein air painting techniques, which are driven by his unending ambition to make better paintings. by John A. Parks Given the large variety of Hsin-Yao Tseng’s subject matter, scouting for locations is obviously part of the artist’s pleasure.
Awake at Night: Painting Nocturnes
Gavin Glakas, "Night Falls on 2nd Avenue," Oil on panel, 24" x 36" -advertisement- by Gavin Glakas Featured in the five-star rated PaintTube.tv art video workshops “Painting the Night” and “Glow; Creating Depth, Atmosphere, and Vibrant Sun.” I’ve always been a night person and I flirted with being genuinely nocturnal before I had kids. I think that when the sun goes low on the horizon is when things start getting interesting. Everything seems more intense at night. More exciting. More dangerous.
Plein Air Podcast 239: Don Demers on Layering the Landscape and More
This is episode number 239 of the Plein Air Podcast with the incredible plein air and landscape master Don Demers.
Landscape Highlights from Watercolor Live 2023
The 3rd Annual Watercolor Live came to an end Saturday, January 28, wrapping up with even more of today’s best watercolor artists sharing all of their secrets, explaining their materials, methods, and more. The next Live event is March 9-11, 2023, with Plein Air Live. Join us then to be with fellow painters online for days of demonstrations, Q&A with your favorite artists, mingling during the breakout rooms and cocktail hours, and the incredible faculty painting auction.
Your February 2023 Plein Air Events and Deadlines
Take advantage of these art and plein air painting events and opportunities from our 2023 Ultimate Guide to Painting Events and Organizations. (We want to include your plein air painting events! Don’t see your group listed here?
Living the Dream: Plein Air Couple Counts 55 Trips … and Counting
Be inspired by plein air artists Evgeny and Lydia Baranov, a married couple who have won multiple awards in the PleinAir Salon, have been published in multiple art magazines, and have dedicated their lives to painting in Europe and beyond. Written by Lydia Baranov Plein air painting has attracted us since childhood. As a married couple of professional artists (former architects), we started experimenting in collaborative painting in 1991.
Plein Air Podcast 238: Artists in Paris
In September, four plein air painters took a trip together to Paris to paint. They’ve joined Eric Rhoads on this episode of the Plein Air Podcast to discuss their amazing trip, the importance of making time for oneself and also socializing, and much more. Listen to the full interview with Jane Hunt, Christine Lashley, Michele Byrne, and Suzie Baker below.
Everyone Who Paints is Welcome
At my Publisher’s Invitational painting retreat in the Adirondacks, we all become friends. I usually have about 100 artists, and people end up in small groups, hanging out and painting together. This is our 13th year of doing Invitationals, and there are people who have come back every single year to hang with their friends. And there are people who have met people who lived in their area and ended up becoming painting buddies.
Nuclear Reactions
Little leaves on tiny stems sparkle like jewels as the brilliant morning light makes streaks in the sky, kissing the trees and illuminating their rough bark with a reddish orange glow. Lavenders, purples, and light blues fill the long shadows as they stretch like rubber bands pulled as far as they can go, all pointing out from the sun, inspiring what could be a painting from where I sit on the long wooden Texas porch.
Plein Air Podcast 237: Clyde Aspevig on Art, Conservation, and More
This is Plein Air Podcast number 237 with the artist many believe is the best landscape artist on Earth. This is a big deal to have him on the podcast today. Today you’re going to meet the great Clyde Aspevig.
Plein Air Podcast 236: Kathleen Hudson on Painting Waterfalls and More
The Plein Air Podcast has been named the #1 Painting Podcast by FeedSpot for two years in a row. In this episode, Eric Rhoads interviews plein air landscape painter Kathleen Hudson on painting waterfalls, what’s in store for her this year, and much more. Bonus! In this week’s Art Marketing Minute, Eric Rhoads, author of Make More Money Selling Your Art, shares guidance on when it’s the right time to approach an art gallery, and words of advice for newly graduated art students.
Plein Air Podcast 233: Camille Przewodek on Color Theory and More
The Plein Air Podcast has been named the #1 Painting Podcast by FeedSpot for two years in a row. In this episode, Eric Rhoads interviews colorist Camille Przewodek.
Plein Air Podcast 234: Ryan Jensen's Turning Point
The Plein Air Podcast has been named the #1 Painting Podcast by FeedSpot for two years in a row. In this episode, Eric Rhoads interviews Ryan Jensen, an inspirational plein air artist who is making an impact in more ways than one.
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