In Hyde Park in London, many young people from Generation Z and millennials are painting outside. They use wooden easels to paint the nature around them. This activity is called "en plein air." It means painting in the open air. These young artists want to move away from digital screens. They want to touch real paint and canvas instead of using computers. They also want to escape from artificial intelligence.
This interest in traditional art is growing. The Parsons School of Design says that applications increased by 64 percent since 2016. Many young people want to learn classical skills. They find that painting by hand makes them feel happy. It is different from using fast software.
Remington Robinson is a famous artist in this movement. He is a mural painter and a TikTok artist. He uses small Altoid tins as palettes for his colors. He says that painting outdoors is like a "mini meditation." It takes one to two hours. This helps him focus on the present moment and nature. This helps many people manage stress and anxiety.
Art historian Clare Willsdon says this is similar to the Industrial Revolution. In that time, machines changed how people made things. Then, the Arts and Crafts movement started. People in that movement wanted to protect handmade items. They did not like things made by machines. Today, people feel the same way about AI. They want art that has a human soul. They want to feel a connection to the physical world through their hands.