LaFrance has been painting since she was young, and is a member of the Hilltown Plein Air Painters group.
Huntington artist Alma LaFrance'sis seen with some of her paintings that are being shown at the Old Courthouse Gallery in Northampton through April.
People looking to view beautiful art may not make a courthouse their first stop – but that could change after seeing the vibrant landscape paintings of artist Alma LaFrance on view at the Old Courthouse Art Gallery in Northampton.
Located at 99 Main St. in the middle of downtown, the exhibit of LaFrance’s watercolor and oil paintings opened mid-December and will continue through April. Her work consists of paintings inspired by nature all over the country, featuring many well-known landscapes and seascapes.
“My inspiration for a lot of the pieces are the locations where we go, whether it’s a country road up in Chesterfield or White Head on Monhegan (Island in Maine). Just getting there and being there and enjoying it is the inspiration,” said LaFrance.
LaFrance belongs to the Hilltown Plein Air Painters group, which she helped organize and establish 10 years ago. The group consists of nine women and one man who get together at least once a week to paint outdoors. “Plein air” comes from the French words meaning “in the open air.”
The group travels to different destinations together to paint. Previous destinations included Maine and the Sandia Mountains in New Mexico, among others. This summer, the group plans to travel to the Ipswich Marshes.
“We have to save up. When we sell paintings, we put the money into an art account, which we use for buying supplies and for traveling,” said LaFrance.
Alma LaFrance stands beside her landscape paintings exhibited at the Old Courthouse Gallery in Northampton.
The group also does sponsored group shows of their work. It plans to show at the Forbes Library in Northampton in August. The theme will be “Route 66,” a display of scenes along Route 66 from Northampton to Huntington.
While LaFrance knows it isn’t easy capturing an emotion or the awe of nature, she hopes viewers will catch a glimpse of what she saw in person.
“Hopefully they could take away some of my experience as I painted the painting, maybe the way the light was coming on a piece. I find when people look at my paintings, of course different things appeal to them depending on their experience. So if they can find some pleasure in one or the other I’m happy,” said LaFrance.
The artist also said she finds painting challenging, but that is part of the fun. Her paintings strive to express a deeper feeling than just paint on canvas.
“It’s an expression of what I like and feel about the environment. If you’re ever driving down the road and say ‘Oh, I wish I had a picture of that,’ it’s that. And of course there’s the challenge of translating, which I always fail at, what is it that excites me about something into paint, into a 2-dimensional piece of canvas. That’s the challenge of the inspiration and the challenge of choosing the right materials and developing the composition. And you maybe get one or two a year that really nail what you were after,” LaFrance said.
As a Western Massachusetts native, LaFrance has always been inspired by the nature and scenic landscapes of her home. She is originally from Westfield where she attended high school and college, receiving her degree from Westfield State University.
LaFrance then lived in New Jersey where she worked as a teacher. She now lives in Huntington with her husband.
Art has been a part of LaFrance’s life since she was young. Her art has been accepted into many juried art shows throughout New England. She plans to continue painting with the Hilltown Plein Air Painters.
The Old Courthouse Art Gallery is open to the public weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.