How I Found the Landscape Art Club

When I joined Instagram in 2021, I never expected to find something like the Landscape Art Club.

At first, I was just looking to share my pastel paintings and connect with other creatives. But what I found was so much more than likes and views — it was a true art community, full of people who loved the same things I did: nature, landscapes, and slow, thoughtful art.

Back then, I worked mostly in soft pastels (still do — it is still my favorite medium), and the first community I stumbled into was @artofpastels. It is a lovely challenge created by Katya @createonemore, whom I was lucky enough to meet in person last year! I still remember the excitement of those Thursday prompts — refreshing Instagram to see what the new challenge would be. But as much as I loved the energy, the themes often didn’t align with what I truly loved to paint - landscapes.

Then, one day, I found the Landscape Art Club — a challenge entirely dedicated to the beauty of nature! It felt like someone had created it just for me.

Discovering a Creative Home

The moment I saw the LAC account (then hosted by the wonderful Amanda @wohlarts), I felt that spark. Landscapes, thoughtfully chosen reference photos, a gentle rhythm of posting and community — I had found my place.

I started following along, checking the prompts, sketching when I could, and slowly connecting with other landscape-loving artists. I still have the very first painting I created for the Landscape Art Club — framed, hanging in my home. It's not the most technically perfect piece, but it means something to me. It’s a reminder of when something small helped me feel like an artist in a bigger world.

My first interpretation for the weekly challenge @landscapeartclub

As the weeks passed, I became more engaged — building friendships with other member and sometimes even co-hosting by contributing reference photos. The Landscape Art Club was more than a challenge. It was a shared rhythm — and it quietly became one of the most important parts of my creative journey.

When It Almost Ended

So when Amanda shared that she was stepping away from the challenge due to work and life, I was honestly shocked. I didn’t want to lose something that had brought so much connection, motivation, and joy — not just for me, but for so many. I thought, if I couldn’t bring the club back, maybe I could start something similar — something that captured the spirit of LAC. So I came up with a plan — a new challenge account called Landscape Art Society and even drafted rules and was preparing to launch it that very Friday.

And then, just two days before launch, something amazing happened: Amanda wrote to me. She was incredibly kind and generous — and offered to transfer the original @landscapeartclub account to me. Instead of starting from zero, I could keep the club alive and continue its story. I was overwhelmed with gratitude (and a little bit of panic, if I’m honest!).

From Participant to Host — Week 56 and Beyond

On November 25, 2022, I published my very first challenge as the new host of the Landscape Art Club — Week 56. I had so many ideas, and since I was doing it solo... well, there was no one to stop me 😅 You might remember those early weeks, such as the flood of reposts in Stories or the huge reels featuring every interpretation. It was wild, and at times maybe too much — but it all came from one place: 💙 This matters. Let’s keep it going.

I wanted to give others the same sense of belonging that I had found when I stumbled across the club. And I wanted to create something reliable — something we could all return to week after week, no matter what else was going on in our lives.

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To this day, I still feel that same spark. Even if I don’t always get to paint the weekly challenge myself, every part of the process — from choosing the next place for the virtual journey to analyzing the references — helps me grow as an artist. And the most important, it keeps me connected to this amazing art community 💙

This post is the beginning of a short reflection series about the Landscape Art Club. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing a bit more about what it really takes to host the challenge, why I introduced certain structures and focus points, the things that worked, the things that didn’t and the personal lessons I’ve learned along the way. So stay tuned to get some "behind the scenes" stories ;-)

For now I’d love to hear from you too: What was your first touch with the Landscape Art Club? How did you find this community and what it means to you and your creative journey? I would love to hear your stories!