BOISE - If you're looking for aesthetically inspiring places, southern Idaho is loaded with locations that lend themselves to be portrayed in paint, like one particular spot secured by two ladies near Hulls Gulch.
"It's inspiring to be right out in nature," says Laurie Borer, a painter from Walla Walla, Washington.
Because nature has a way of highlighting its hues.
"Yeah, lot of contrast in color," agrees Laurie.
It's the essence of plein air painting, with canvases usually filled with lakes, or streams, or colorful cliffs.
Well, one woman's exposed earth is another woman's rusted roof.
"Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the lakes and streams I just don't want to paint 'em," explains Julie Rumsey, who is setting up her al fresco studio in the middle of a boulevard of broken cars.
"This is the mecca of vintage VWs," she says, not wanting to divulge her location. "It's like a gold mine to me."
More like a mother lode. Julie says she can uncover countless compositions in this above-ground Volkswagen graveyard.
Idaho Life: Plein air in a car graveyard
"I could spend the rest of my life here," she says. "Until I get bored."
Julie's drive has been to avoid boredom for most of her life, even as life kept getting in the way. Being an artist has always been a dream, but in between four years of art classes at Boise State University she also began a business and raised two kids.
Which is why Julie hasn't really had the time to devote to the outdoors like she has wanted.
"It's plein air, it's French for painting outdoors," she explained.
Recently, though, Julie's tried to take plein air to some not-usually-seen places, like collections of old cars.
"I was born in the 60s but, you know, I never had the opportunity to be a hippie," she says. "So here I am!"
There are Volkswagen vans here from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, with some Beetles having been here, and sprouting bushes, since the mid-1990s.
It's secluded spaces like this where Julie's hours of solitude help her achieve artistic fortitude.
"You have to really focus and concentrate your efforts and your energy into getting really good at something," she explains.
So, you can keep your lakes and streams. When it comes to plein air painting, Julie's art will continue to be colored by a palette of a peculiar preference.
"There's all these rules you know, I can't always stick to them," Julie says. "I just paint what I like because then I feel like my work is exciting."
Julie is out painting this week ahead of the Eagle Plein Air Festival taking place through this weekend that includes a quick draw contest, live music and an auction. You can find a list of events and schedule here.