Peninsula Outdoor Painters foster community with free plein‑air sessions in the Bay Area

The Peninsula Outdoor Painters (POPs), a volunteer art group founded in 1977, holds free plein‑air painting gatherings across the San Francisco Peninsula. Sessions are organized via Meetup and take place on Tuesday mornings, with additional weekend meet‑ups added this year for greater accessibility.

Typical locations include Westpoint Harbor in Redwood City, Holbrook‑Palmer Park in Atherton, and Baylands Nature Preserve in Palo Alto. The group welcomes painters of any skill level, imposes no membership fees, and asks participants to stay on designated trails and leave no trace. Organizer Carolyn Chambers says the primary draw is social—members meet other artists while enjoying the outdoors and creating art together.

Members such as Redwood City resident Tarja Varis and Los Altos resident Wanda Lee regularly paint scenes like harbors, meadows, and city skylines, exemplifying the community‑building spirit of the POPs.