CANBERRA — With a canvas strapped to her back and paintbrushes at the ready, Sophie Baker pedals deep into the Canberra bush, trading fluorescent lights and studio walls for the dynamic, ever-changing scenery of nature. A former scientist turned full-time artist, Baker is among more than 100 painters who gathered for the inaugural Capital Plein Air festival — a celebration of open-air creativity that is quickly capturing the imagination of artists across Australia.
“I pack my painting things onto my bike, and I cycle out into the bush and paint what I see,” Baker said, describing her unconventional daily routine. “I don’t have a studio — this is my studio.”
Painting Through Rain, Shine, and Heatwaves
Baker’s commitment to plein-air painting, an artistic tradition dating back centuries, is unwavering. Whether under the soft mist of rain or the oppressive heat of a Canberra summer, she paints through the elements, propping her canvas against sticks and rocks when necessary.
“Engaging with nature and putting it onto the canvas is deeply relaxing,” she said. For Baker, it is not just about capturing the visual essence of the landscape but immersing herself fully in the experience — the sights, sounds, and even the scents of the Australian bushland.
A Life-Changing Leap from Science to Art
Two years ago, Baker made the bold decision to leave behind a promising career in science to pursue her passion for art full-time. The transition, she admits, was a “circuit breaker” for her life.
“The rat race has a huge toll on your mind, your body, and also your identity,” Baker reflected. “I was starting to question, ‘Was this me? An office worker?'”
Inspired by her background in biology, Baker’s work often reflects the delicate interplay between Australia’s unique flora, fauna, and the looming pressures of climate change. “As a scientist, I know so much about what’s at risk,” she said. “I see the pressures of the climate on the plants, and I work that into my paintings.”
Her latest exhibition at the Belconnen Arts Centre, featuring works like Self Serving Artist’s Camp (2025), showcases her deep connection to the natural world and her commitment to environmental storytelling through art.
Capital Plein Air Festival: Painting Canberra’s Natural Beauty
Baker’s journey is just one among many at the Capital Plein Air festival, where artists — both seasoned professionals and enthusiastic beginners — have spent the week capturing some of the ACT’s most picturesque locations.
Festival director Natasha Ruschka said the event had far exceeded expectations, drawing visitors from all corners of the country.
“It’s not just about the painting, it’s about the experience,” Ruschka explained. “You have to work really fast with the elements — the light’s changing — but you’re so present in that moment.”
According to Ruschka, every brushstroke becomes a memory, intimately tied to the environment. “I can pick up any painting that I have painted in the last year and I can still remember what I smelt, who I spoke to, the temperature,” she said.
From Studio Walls to Open Skies
For many artists, including Leon Holmes, the transition from studio painting to plein-air work has been transformative.
“I used to be a studio painter, and you’d be stuck in there telling yourself how good you were,” Holmes said. “But when you get outside, you’re amongst people and nature — and it’s forever changing.”
Holmes, who co-founded Plein Air Down Under in Western Australia, emphasized the inclusivity of Australian plein-air festivals. Unlike many invitation-only events overseas, both Capital Plein Air and its Western Australian counterpart offer open registration, welcoming artists of all skill levels.
“It’s really nice to get the community involved,” Holmes added. “Whether you’re a beginner or an accomplished painter.”
Royal Recognition for a Life Outdoors
Among the seasoned professionals at the festival was Warwick Fuller, a Blue Mountains-based artist who has dedicated 45 years to painting en plein air. Fuller’s mastery has earned him royal recognition — he has accompanied King Charles III on four official tours as the monarch’s official artist.
“Because I’m an outdoor painter and I know how to paint when the opportunity arises — and suffer the consequences of things you can’t predict,” Fuller said. “It’s worked well for me, and [King Charles] must’ve thought it worked well too.”
Over the course of their tours, King Charles III collected 21 of Fuller’s paintings — a testament to the enduring allure of plein-air art at the highest levels.
The Timeless Appeal of Painting Outdoors
For Fuller and many others, the message to aspiring artists is clear: get outside and paint.
“Paint, paint, paint — you could paint all your life and never improve, or you could improve with every painting,” Fuller encouraged.
As the Capital Plein Air festival wraps up, it leaves behind not only a collection of breathtaking landscapes captured on canvas but also a reinvigorated community of artists inspired by the timeless act of painting under the open sky.
Whether it’s in the drizzling rain, the blistering heat, or the crisp morning mist, the artists who ditched their studios for Canberra’s bushlands have rediscovered something profound: creativity thrives when it breathes the same air as the world it seeks to depict.
