Honorary Members are individuals whom PAPA Signature Members have chosen to recognize as outstanding in the
field of plein air painting or who have had exceptional influence on the success of PAPA.
Inducted 2007
"If you look closely at my paintings you don't see grass or trees or earth but abstractions of those items; a realistic scene but created through abstract images. By subordinating details the artist creates mysteries that pull the viewer in. Mystery is a vital part of landscape painting. The more sophisticated the approach, the more intriguing the work of art becomes."
Stratford, Connecticut. Member since 2004 - Honorary in 2021
Inducted 2016
"What’s my definition of an artist? An artist has an opinion. If there’s no self, then there is no art. Look at Richard Diebenkorn or Gustav Klimt, they were excellent designers, they were all excellent technicians, very skillful, but they didn’t let that skill hinder their expression. Art is when you go beyond being a good craftsman and interject your self. Conversely, you don’t have to be a great technician to get your viewpoint across. Van Gogh is an example of that."
Inducted 2001
John Stobart studied at the Royal Academy Schools in London and, after graduating, sailed to Africa to visit his father who had emigrated there. It was on this voyage that his love of maritime art grew. His work is well documented in numerous fine publications and his foundation supports artist scholarships.
Susan McGarry
Inducted 2001
As Editor in Chief of Southwest Art Magazine from 1979 - 1997, Susan Hallsten McGarry attended and reported on PAPA art shows on Catalina Island. She became a resident of Santa Fe, NM in 1999 and joined PAPA as Director a year later, working with PAPA Presidents through 2015 developing the website and newsletter, as well as new venues and workshops across the country. She has pursued her passion for books by authoring over 30 monographs, surveys and catalogs on artists in the American West. Among the catalogs are six for PAPA, including curating and writing American Legacy: Our National Parks, which appeared in nine museums from 2009 - 2013.
Mark Rittorno
Inducted 2021
