Plein Air Painting

Plein Air (Outdoor) Painting is a wonderful way to build skills, explore your relationship to site, and unlock your voice and hand. We will paint at different locations on and off-campus, learning a variety of painting techniques in changing weather and light. This class is great for both true beginners and advanced students. Basic painting skills are incorporated throughout the quarter, with advanced options at each stage. Acrylic paint is versatile and fast-drying; we will use it to get a range of effects from washy watercolor, blended oil effects, and building the surface sculpturally, painting on different surfaces. As we move, we will consider the elements of site and the materiality of paint: water, earth, architecture and the nuance of human gesture. History and memory are parsed in both the visible and hidden worlds around us. On-site paintings are not touched after class; rather they exist as an ephemeral moments in time. Three outside projects allow each person to paint at their own pace, and spend more time developing ideas and skills. In this class, process is privileged and ¿failure¿ is embraced. Adventure is our priority; weather is our co-creator. Final projects will be based on individual concepts, allowing each person to stretch creatively and develop their own voice.