About The Stobart Foundation

The Stobart Foundation

Established in 1988, The Stobart Foundation is a non-profit charitable trust formed by artist John Stobart as a venue through which to inspire, support and strengthen the passion and commitment of artists who paint directly from nature. The time-honored tradition of painting from nature is a vital legacy and has been the basis of some of the world’s most treasured masterpieces. The practice of developing artistic talent through classical observation and execution has formed the esteemed ranks of the Barbizon painters, the Impressionists, and today’s dedicated plein-air painters. Believing that the life of this community and its continued prominence in the future art world lies with the success of its emerging young artists, the Foundation offers financial assistance to young artists who aspire to establish themselves professionally through the practice of working directly from the subject, whether it be portrait, landscape or still life.

In pursuing his own career, it was the practice of working on-site and directly relating to the model or nature itself and developing the finesse to capture a moment in time on canvas that paved the way for John Stobart’s own artistic vision. The artist Stobart has said, “The habit of working regularly on the spot, if kept up throughout a career, will pay immeasurable dividends. For the studio-bound painter, it will be a catharsis which can only result in adding life and vibrancy to future work.”

The Foundation realizes the seminal step for an artist to move from student to professional occurs when each individual artist learns to use their passion and sensitivity to shape the technical skills mastered as a student into a mature and independent visual language recognizable as their own. This imperative step is unfortunately most frequently encountered just after leaving the protective environment of the academy, and before the artist has a body of work able to support them in the professional fine art world. During this time of transition, with the least time and energy available to the fledgling artist to give the required focused attention on this important development, many deserving young artists turn to other methods and opportunities in the art world in order to make ends meet. Recognizing this, the Stobart Foundation offers financial support to the qualified artist in the form of the Stobart Foundation Artist Fellowship in order to aid and encourage their development during this very important period.