Our mission

Zane Grey Plein Air
Established 2018

Inspired by the landscapes of the Upper Delaware River as a source for creative inspiration, Zane Grey Plein Air was founded in recognition of the role regional locations have played in fostering many well-known American Art traditions. We envisioned forming a creative community centered in the local environment as subject matter for landscape painting or “plein air” which did not previously exist. A number of important American painting schools come to mind where I have also traveled to participate with other artists stepped these traditions:, The Brandywine School (Chadds Ford, PA) Cape Anne School, MA (Rockport MA), the Boston School (New England) and most notably the Hudson River School.
A second goal was to draw attention to environmental and conservation issues which has become a major concern in contemporary life same as it was for the Hudson River School with industrialization and destruction of unspoiled landscapes.

We took our plein air concept to the National Park Service/’UDC, based at the Zane Grey Museum, formerly home to Zane and Dolly Grey (1905—1918). The 3-story farmhouse had long held my interest and when I first visited it was still operated by Helen James with her spaniels in tow..

The Zane Grey House in Lackawaxen, Pennsylvania, was bought in 1945 by Helen James Davis (daughter of author Alvah James), who later ran it alongside her husband as the Zane Grey Museum before the National Park Service acquired it. While spaniels frequently appeared alongside Zane Grey and his wife Dolly in historic photographs on the home's veranda, Helen Davis herself became the pivotal custodian who preserved the historic riverside property for future generations

Located on Scenic Drive at the confluence of the Lackawaxen and Delaware Rivers the house stands largely intact. It was here we hoped to hold our inaugural event under the big tent following the annual Zane Grey Festival. While not a sponsor, the NPS gave us a welcome berth for our event citing us as “in keeping with Zane’s vision” sharing its legacy as an outpost for creativity in its unspoiled stretch along the Delaware River. Zane and Dolly in fact are buried a few hundred yards from home in the church cemetery. After a life of fame and fortune, it is touching they wanted to rest in Lackawaxen.

We expanded rapidly jumping from two events to 12 within one year.

The group meets to paint year-round on the Upper Delaware Region and at other scenic locations in Pennsylvania and New York. 

Featured event locations include: Historic Farms and Gardens of the Hudson Valley In addition to its annual summer event, Zane Grey Plein Air hosts year-round, half to full-day outdoor group paint outs in the Upper Delaware Region at scenic locations in Pennsylvania and New York.

Zane Grey Gallery: Established 2023 – 2025
7 Erie Avenue, Narrowsburg NY 12764
Now online only or by appointment.

Zane Grey Plein Air + Zane Grey Gallery
Karen Meneghin, Artist/Founder

New York: 75 Main, Box 300, Narrowsburg, NY 12764
New Jersey: 44 Washington, Suite 1411, Morristown, NJ 07960
Email: info@zanegreypleinair.com