Local artist Emily Vieth has been posting incredible photos of her paintings of Lake of the Isles on Instagram for the last couple of weeks. We caught up with her to learn a bit more about what she's up to.

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Can you tell us more about your project to paint different spots around Lake Of The Isles, which has been going on for three weeks and counting?

I am participating in a 30 day challenge to paint from life everyday for the month of September. The challenge is put on by an easel company named Strada Easel. I decided to do the challenge because I thought it would be a great opportunity to continue to grow my plein air painting skills. (Plein air is French for outside, so plein air painting is the act of painting outside.)

What have you learned about the lake after spending so much time there the last 3 weeks?

During my time at the lake I have learned many things including the color palette of the willow trees, the waterlilies and lilypads, a color palette that can all change depending on where the sun is in the sky! I have learned how different the water can look depending on how windy it is that day, and how fast the clouds can change. I have learned different brushstrokes to represent nature’s shapes and textures.  Of course, there is much more to be taught, and I am happy to be there to learn it.

Why did you choose this lake?

The main reason I chose Lake of the Isles is because I live nearby, so I knew how beautiful it was and knew it would have many spots to set up and paint.

How did you get started with painting?

I always loved drawing when I was younger and I watched many YouTube tutorials on how to draw, which led me to YouTube tutorials on how to paint. I am thankful to the many people who encouraged me to continue practicing art, especially my family members.

Any dreams or plans for future projects like this one?

I’ve loved painting a series of pieces all based on the same location, so I would love to do something like this again! I hope to paint more of the open landscapes and fields of more rural places in Minnesota. I would also love to travel and bring my painting supplies along to paint the landscapes of other states and countries! That would be amazing.

But I’m also looking forward to continuing painting around Lake of the Isles as the seasons change into fall and winter soon!

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Where can people see or buy your work?

I post a look into my plein air painting process and the finished paintings on my Instagram @emily.vieth, and you can also see and buy my work on my website www.emilyvieth.com.

After the 30 day challenge I will be listing the Lake of the Isles paintings for sale on my website!