Jacalyn Beam was born in Chester County, PA. Her early training in art was rooted in the history and beauty of the Brandywine Valley. She holds a B.S. in Music, M.Ed. and Ed.D. and has always held a passion for painting. The Wyeths, Sorolla, Sargent, Sotter, Schofield, and Thayer are a few of her favorite artists. I paint outdoors because the world is rich with beauty and it's the optimal way to see three dimensional objects, the subtleties of light and shadows, atmospheric perspective, and 'real' colors. Plein air painting is also a lot fun! You meet new friends - animal and human, have fleeting conversations with bicyclists and joggers, and experience the sounds and smells of the outdoors. Jacalyn is a member of the American Impressionist Society, Oil Painters of America, Washington Society of Landscape Painters and the Mid-Atlantic Plein Air Painters Association (MAPAPA) . She served on the Board of Directors of MAPAPA and the Chaddsford Historical Society for eight years. Jacalyn is included in publications including 100 Mid-Atlantic Plein Air Painters published by Schiffer, "Brandywine Valley Reflections" as an artist helping to preserve the Brandywine traditions, "HUNT Magazine as an artist capturing the Brandywine Valley on canvas, and the Chester County Times art reviews by John Chambless to name a few. Recent awards in 2019 include : Plein Air Annapolis, Honorable Mention - Larry Moore , Judge; Bold Brush Finalist - Guido Frick, Judge; Lighthouse Plein Air, Best Sky - Jeff Markowsky, Judge and in 2018 Brandywine Conservancy Plein Air, Best of Show, First Place - Ray Donough, Judge; Coastal Autumn Rehoboth Plein Air, and First Place Best of Show - Brian Murphy, Judge. You can see her paintings at jacalynbeam.com and follow events on instagram at jacalynbeam.