St Albans Art Society En Plein Air

The St Albans Art Society is hosting an en plein air session around St Albans Cathedral on Saturday 14 November, from 11:00 to 13:00. The group will be based around the cathedral and Sumpter Yard, and it's open to everyone, not just society members.

En plein air is just a fancy way of saying painting outdoors, and that's exactly what this is. There's no set subject or specific thing you're expected to draw: you just turn up and pick whatever view or detail catches your eye. Some people might spend the morning on the cathedral's architecture, others on the quieter corners of Sumpter Yard. You bring your own sketchbook or painting materials, and you work at your own pace. If the weather turns, the group can move indoors, so it's not a wash-out if it rains.

The session is run by the St Albans Art Society, which has been around for more than a century. They describe their mission as the encouragement of artistic development, and they make a point of welcoming absolute beginners alongside experienced artists. This is one of their regular en plein air outings, which sit alongside a wider programme of art workshops, life drawing, lectures and demonstrations. Each summer they also put on a members' exhibition, which they call their flagship event.

It's a very informal way to spend a Saturday morning. You don't need to be part of the society to join in, and there's no booking required. The session runs from 11:00 to 13:00 at St Albans Cathedral and Sumpter Yard, AL1 1BY, and it's free to attend.