“Color has emotional weight and is related to the shape of space. Drawing or painting, for me, means to look at the thing and transmit its vitality to the canvas.”Aimee Erickson (b. 1967, Paris) is known for an engaging style and versatility in subject matter, AIMEE ERICKSON isan internationally renowned oil painter and instructor who has given lectures and demonstrations at venues nationwide and abroad. A standout at plein air painting competitions, she has won both Best of Show and Artists’ Choice at Plein Air Easton, as well as Best of Show at Carmel, Sonoma, Olmsted, Laguna, and Pacific Northwest Plein Air art festivals. Erickson has been a Portrait Society of America finalist, won Best of Show at an American Women Artists national show, and is a signature member with multiple awards from Oil Painters of America. She has exhibited with international plein-air groups in China and Russia, is an inaugural member of Charlie Hunter’s En Train Air expedition, and in 1997 painted the official portrait of Governor of Oregon Barbara Roberts. Her work has been featured in Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine, Southwest Art Magazine, American Art Collector, and Plein Air Magazine, and on OutdoorPainter.com. Her first book, Plein Air Techniques for Artists: Principles and Methods for Painting in Natural Light, was released in 2023 and is widely available. Erickson has a BFA in Visual Communication Design with an Illustration emphasis. She lives in Portland, Oregon, and carries a sketchbook. AFFILIATIONSPlein Air Painters of America. Signature memberOil Painters of America, Signature memberLaguna Plein Air Painters Association. Signature memberCalifornia Art ClubAmerican Impressionist SocietySalmagundi ClubEn Train AirOregon Society of ArtistsAWARDS & SHOWS 2023 Still Life Award of Excellence, Oil Painters of America National Exhibition2023 American Impressionist Society Small Works Show2023 Laguna Beach Plein Air Painting Invitational2023 U.S. Representative for the Plein Air Cultural Exchange with Turkmenistan2023 Oregon Society of Artists Invitational Monotype Party2023 Solo Exhibition, Meyer Gallery Santa Fe2022 "The Wild Side" Catalina Invitational2022 Solo Exhibition, Meyer Vogl Gallery2020 Forgotten Coast Plein Air2020 En Train Air (opens May 1 at McLarry Fine Art)2020 Plein Air Easton2020 California Art Club Gold Medal Exhibition2020 Catalina : the Wild Side Exhibition2020 Oregon Society of Artists Invitational Monotype Party2019 Plein Air Easton: Grand Prize, Artists' Choice, Paint Oxford Artists' Choice2019 China’s Crown Jewel: Recent Paintings of Guangzhou Province by American Artists. Group show at American Legacy Fine Arts, opens June 212019 En Train Air Inaugural Exhibition, McLarry Fine Art2019 Solo exhibition at Meyer Gallery (opens August 31)2019 "Inside Voices" at Meyer Vogl Gallery2019 Maui Plein Air2019 Sonoma Plein Air2019 Laguna Beach Plein Air Invitational2019 Catalina: the Wild Side. Exhibition opens October 202019 Demo at PACE (Plein Air Convention and Expo)2019 Oil Painters of America National Juried Show2019 California Art Club Gold Medal Show2019 Virtuosos of the OPA2018 Best Use of Color, Olmsted Plein Air Invitational2018 American Impressionist Society Small Works Showcase2018 "Nocturnes" solo showcase, Meyer Vogl Gallery2018 Oil Painters of America Salon Show2018 Easton Plein Air2018 Paint Grand Traverse2018 Sonoma Plein Air2018 Pacific Northwest Plein Air2018 Laguna Plein Air Invitational2017 Best in Show, Laguna Plein Air Invitational2017 International Plein Air, Kostroma, Russia2017 Best of Show and Museum Purchase Award, Pacific Northwest Plein Air2017 Best of Show and Clyde Aspevig Judge's Choice Awards, Olmsted Plein Air2017 Door County Plein Air2017 "Six by Nine Sale," Portrait Society of America invitational show2017 Oil Painters of America National Juried Exhibition2017 Oil Painters of America Paint-out/paint-in, 4th place2016 Second Place & Best Water, Pacific Northwest Plein Air 2016 Best of Show, Just Plein Fun, Balboa Island, California2016 End-of-Residency Solo Exhibition, University Club of Portland2016 Still Life Honorable Mention, OPA National Exhibition, Dallas TX2016 5th Place, OPA's Best Little Paint-out in Texas2016 University Club of Portland Artist-in-Residence Alumni Showcase2016 Mid-Residency Solo Show, University Club of Portland2016 "All Along the Sierra" Juried Show at Epperson Gallery2016 "Less is More" LPAPA at Forest & Ocean Gallery2015 "Inspired by Sorolla" LPAPA at Forest & Ocean Gallery2015 "LPAPA After Dark," Forest & Ocean Gallery2015 "Recent Paintings" solo show at Brian Marki Fine Art2015 "Instructors' Show" Multnomah Arts Center2015 Strada Award, Laguna Beach Plein Air2015 OPA National Exhibition, Cutter & Cutter Fine Art, St. Augustine FL2015 Sonoma Plein Air2015 Mendocino Open Paint Out, Celebrity Guest Artist2015 Door County Plein Air2015 OPA Western Regional Exhibition2015 "Where in the World is Plein Air" online national paint-out2015 "Six by Nine Sale," Portrait Society of America invitational show2015 "Everyday Taste of Plein Air" invitational show, Giustina Gallery at OSU2015 Best QuickDraw and Honorable Mention, Carmel Art Festival2015 "Aimee Erickson and Wayne McKenzie" at Nancy Dodds Gallery2015 Honorable Mention, Kern County Plein Air2014 Award of Excellence for Portraiture, Oil Painters of America National Juried Exhibition2014 Award of Exceptional Merit, Portrait Society of America International Art of the Portrait Competition2014 Gold Medal, First Annual International Juried Artists Guild Exhibition2014 Best of Show, American Women Artists National Juried Exhibition2014 Artists' Choice/Best of Show, Sonoma Plein Air2014 First Place, Carmel Art Festival2014 Salmagundi Masters Exhibition, New York, NY2014 First Place, Emerging Plein Air Artists Spring 2014 Contest2014 Oil Painters of America Western Regional Exhibition2014 Second Place, Pacific Northwest Plein Air2013 Audubon Artists annual show. Gamblin Artists Color Materials Award2013 Best Two-Dimensional Work, American Women Artists National Exhibition2013 IN STILLNESS/IN MOTION solo show2013 Sonoma Plein Air2013 First Place, Pacific Northwest Plein Air (Becky Joy, Juror)2013 First Place, Cityscape, First Annual Eugene Paint-out (Eric Jacobsen, juror)2013 First Place, Honorable Mention, and People's Choice Award, Carmel Art Festival (Calvin Liang, juror)2012 Best Western award, Pacific Northwest Plein Air (Randall Sexton, juror)2012, 2014 Portland Art Museum Invitational Plein Air Paint Out2012 Solo Show, Shaffer Fine Arts Gallery2006-2014 Instructors' Show, Multnomah Arts Center2010 Group Show, Walters Cultural Arts Center2009 Second Place, Broderick Gallery's show "Unexpected Beauty: Street Views"2001, 2002. 2003, 2004 Audubon Artists Annual Exhibitions, Salmagundi Club, New York, NY