The Impact and meaning of AIS

Impressionism may have started in 19th-century France, but it is alive and well in the hands of today’s AIS artists. Let's take a look at how the American Impressionist Society continues to shape the movement and what makes this exhibition one of the most anticipated shows of the year.

What is AIS?

The American Impressionist Society (AIS) is a nationally respected nonprofit organization founded in 1998 to promote the appreciation of American Impressionism. Through juried exhibitions, educational programs, and artist-led workshops, AIS promotes a strong engagement with the impressionist tradition. The organization supports painters who focus on light, color, atmosphere, and the expressive possibilities of the visible world. With over two decades of leadership in the field, AIS plays an important role in shaping the ongoing conversation around impressionist painting in the United States.

What is American Impressionism?

American Impressionism is a style of painting that emphasizes light, color, and atmosphere over strict realism or fine detail. According to The Art Story, in the late 19th century, the movement was inspired by the groundbreaking techniques of French painters like Monet and Degas, but adapted by American artists to reflect the landscape and daily life of the United States. Where traditional academic painting focused on idealized figures and polished technique, Impressionist painters took a different approach. They painted quickly, often outdoors, using loose brushwork and brighter palettes to capture a moment as it felt rather than as it appeared. Instead of telling stories or presenting formal portraits, they painted parks, front porches, sunlit gardens, and everyday life.

According to The Met, this movement became America’s first widely embraced modern painting style. It marked a shift toward personal perspective and sensory experience. Artists like Childe Hassam, Mary Cassatt, and William Merritt Chase recorded the changing world around them with a sense of immediacy. When someone views American Impressionist piece, they might notice how the brushwork is often visible, how light glows across the canvas, and how ordinary subjects feel elevated through color and composition. These paintings ask the viewer to slow down and feel the piece in that exact moment. Even now, more than a century later, the style continues to resonate. For collectors, it offers both beauty and a window into how artists observed and interpreted the world during that time period.

This year’s AIS National Juried Exhibition brings together a wide range of contemporary artists working in this tradition. Their work carries forward the spirit of American Impressionism, rooted in history, yet always alive and prospering.

Why does AIS matter?

According to AIS Executive Director Liz Ahrens, the society defines American Impressionism as “the concern for light on form, color, and brushstrokes. Allowing equal latitude between these attributes, and recognizing not a single definitive element, but several factors including light and hue, visual breakdown of detail, concern for contemporary life, and cultivation of direct and spontaneous approaches to a subject.”

Impressionism remains one of the most popular styles among collectors and artists today. Ahrens explains that its loose, representational imagery offers an inviting way in for new collectors who might feel intimidated by more formal or abstract work. She describes it as a style that lets viewers bring their own perspective to a painting. For artists, capturing the shifting play of light on a subject is both a challenge and an opportunity.

The selection process for the juried exhibition is designed to be as fair and impartial as possible. All submissions are reviewed in a blind jury process by five nationally recognized artists. Jurors score each work independently without knowing the identity of the artist or the other jurors. According to Ahrens, only about 10 to 13 percent of the entries meet the score required for acceptance, making inclusion in the show a meaningful accomplishment. This exhibition showcases both rising and established talent. AIS produces a full-color catalog of accepted work and encourages artists to share their participation with their collectors. Ahrens notes that a career in painting should always be a process of learning and discovery, and that AIS helps artists develop through exhibition opportunities, critique, and education.

She believes belonging to a national organization like AIS can make the art world feel more accessible. “AIS provides the canvas, so to speak,” she says. “The artist has to take advantage of the opportunities.”Cassens Fine Art was selected as the exhibition venue for its combination of professional gallery standards, a strong patron base, and the region’s authentic scenery. With over 1,700 entries submitted and just 181 accepted, this year’s exhibition reflects a high level of skill and dedication across the field of American Impressionism.

AIS Membership vs. AIS Master Membership

Artists who are members of the AIS have been recognized for their commitment to impressionist painting at a national level. Membership reflects a dedication to the craft and a level of achievement that earns access to some of the most competitive juried exhibitions in the country. Many of these artists have been selected multiple times for major exhibitions and have established strong reputations within the Impressionist community. 

AIS Master Members are held in even higher regard. Chosen by the AIS Board, these artists are recognized leaders in the field, nationally acknowledged for their influence, experience, and contributions to the genre. They often serve as judges, mentors, and workshop instructors, helping to shape the direction of contemporary American impressionism. To collect work from an AIS artist is to invest in someone whose talent has been affirmed by their peers, and whose work carries the weight of both skill and recognition.

Meet Awards Judge and Workshop Instructor: Ned Mueller, AISM

Ned Mueller is a nationally recognized painter with a career that spans decades of work in portraiture, landscape, and figurative painting. Raised in Montana and trained at the Art Center School of Design in Los Angeles, he is one of the few artists to have earned Master status with both the American Impressionist Society and the Oil Painters of America. Before becoming a full-time painter in 1984, Mueller spent 25 years as an illustrator, building a strong foundation in drawing and storytelling. He has studied with influential painters such as Richard Schmid and Harley Brown, and his work has appeared in many of the country’s leading shows and institutions. In addition to his painting career, Mueller is a respected juror, writer, and teacher. His workshops are known for their clarity, encouragement, and depth of insight.

At the 26th Annual AIS National Juried Exhibition, Mueller brings this experience to his role as both Awards Judge and Workshop Instructor. "I am honored and thrilled to be the juror of awards for this year's National Exhibit," says Mueller. His involvement adds a level of distinction to the exhibition and offers artists and collectors alike the opportunity to learn from a widely respected voice in American Impressionism.

Together, these artists and this exhibition reflect the vitality of American Impressionism today. The 26th Annual AIS National Juried Exhibition offers the chance to experience a tradition that continues to grow and evolve. We are honored to share this collection and the stories behind it with you. We invite you to join us at the opening reception on Friday, August 1st, to experience the work in person, or follow this link to view the exhibition online.