LAHAINA — Jean Stern, director emeritus of The Irvine Museum, will present “THE ART OF LOOKING AT ART: Developing a Critical Eye for Plein Air Painting” on Monday, Feb. 13, from 7 to 8:15 p.m. in the Pioneer Inn Courtyard at 658 Wharf St. in Lahaina.

A museum director and art historian with over 40 years of experience, Stern will discuss the basics of composition, form and color and show examples of paintings that best represent these elements.

In addition, he will define perspective, line and drama, as they apply to plein air paintings.

“En plein air” painting, a French term, means “painting outdoors,” capturing the scene and changing light. An optimal window to complete a plein air painting is about 90 minutes to two hours.

The goal of this lecture is to familiarize art lovers with the basic tools an artist uses to paint a landscape, city view or other representational work. Moreover, the lecture is aimed at instilling confidence in the viewer toward identifying a work of art that meets the criteria of a great plein air painting.

Stern’s presentation consists of 95 slides showing examples of good and bad usage of these basic art tools. The lecture lasts approximately 45 minutes, with time afterwards for questions and answers.

This event is part of the Paint Maui 2023 Plein Air Invitational. Events begin with the Kick-Off Paint Out at Lahaina Harbor on Saturday, Feb. 11, from 8 to 11 a.m.

The Sunset Paint Out will be held on the Lahaina Public Library lawn and Pioneer Inn area on Monday, Feb. 13, from 4 to 6:30 p.m.

For more information, and to see the full schedule of events, visit www.paintingmaui.com.