More information about your plein air painting class
Fridays 11-2 pm, at various East Bay Locations
You’re Enrolled and You’re New.
If you are new to plein air painting you can start consulting the list of painting materials here, and this PDF explaining gear and supply considerations. I have also prepared this page for plein air newbies to help you be ready if something does not go according to plan. I really encourage you to start gathering your gear and supplies sooner rather than later. In July there are art sales and the stores run out of certain supplies. Please email me if you have questions before going to the store.
Where Are We Going?
You will receive an email with a list of dates tied to painting locations, but scroll down to see the places where we will be painting. I try to mix popular locations with less-visited places. Some beautiful and quiet locations have no bathrooms and you might have to pee in the bushes and bring your own water. Other painting spots are 10 min away from the parking lot and you might have to bring a cart or backpack.
Watch Your Inbox
You will get two emails about a week before class starts, one with last-minute instructions and another with an invitation to Classroom, the online space where you can access all of the resources for this class. You can go there to print out the notes for each demo, handouts related to our topics, see curated videos and look at examples of our work.
A Typical Session
We will get together promptly at 11:00 AM for the demo, so please arrive at 10:30. It is ok to eat an early lunch during the demo. More experienced students may choose to scout a spot and and begin painting immediately. If you would prefer to skip the demo, you can also do that. My feelings won’t be hurt.
I will demonstrate topics related to outdoor painting in a variety of media for 20-30 mins. After that and if you are new, I will help you pick a spot that matches your abilities if you are a beginner. By 11:45 everyone will be painting and I will be coming around to help each person individually. Bring a lunch you can eat on the go. We will continue painting until 1:45 pm, when we will meet in the parking lot to celebrate pour accomplishments. You are welcome to stay later in you want, but please be at the parking lot at 2:00 so you can share your work.
Once you get home, please accept the email invitation from Classroom to review the session’s topic.
My Contact Info
If you have questions before class starts, please email me. For help getting to the painting location on the day we are painting please text 510-932-1526 instead of calling - I screen all my calls and reception is poor in several locations.
Oh, The Places We’ll Go In August!
Locations may change depending if a heat wave or extremely cold & windy weather is announced. Alternate locations this year include either the Tilden Regional Park Botanic garden or The Gardens at Lake Merritt. Detailed instructions will be emailed two days before our painting dates. Always check your email!
Great views just minutes from the trailhead
Up High in Alvarado
Park at the end of Crest View and hug the hills as you walk up a shaded path that lets you see the bay. No bathrooms but plenty of privacy!
Lovely shaded paths during a hot month
Tilden Regional Parks Botanic Garden
Not the UC Berkeley Botanical Garden. This one is free and located at 1550 Wildcat Canyon Rd. Parking lot is to your right, across the road. Directions We will go here if there is a heat wave.
The views here are their own reward
Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve
A ten min easy hike through the trees is the only way to see Sibley’s crater views, framed by golden hills. There is some shade but no bathrooms.
One mile into the Point Richmond Outer Loop Trail
Point Richmond Outer Loop Trail
Right next to the Golden Bear transfer station in Richmond is a completely flat trail that allows you to see the marsh up close. There are many benches, but no shade or bathrooms.
Point Molate still holds some surprisingly beautiful views
Point Molate Lagoon
The lagoon may be dry in July, but that does not take away the quiet beauty of these parts. Shaded, and very little walking required but no bathrooms.
Picturesque doesn’t even begin to describe it.
Point San Pablo Harbor
The food has greatly improved with the arrival of the Sailing Goat. Lots of choices, from hills, to the harbor, to the structures on it. There are bathrooms and running water, yay!
What To Get
Painting Supplies
If you are a beginner, please check that you have the seven paint colors on the checklist below. There is a photo right here in this section. If you use acrylic, you’ll need acrylic medium (matte or glossy). If you use oils, you may bring solvents because we are outdoors. If you use watercolor or acrylics, painting water is what people tend to forget. Click here for acrylic, watermedia, and oil painting lists. Always leave an extra canvas or additional painting paper in your car, in case you forget to bring it.
Gear
You will need a portable easel. If you are bringing a french easel or if you don’t want to carry your gear, you will also need a cart with big wheels. To make emergency repairs and keep things from flying away, you’ll also need to place these in your car: stakes, a plastic bag for rocks, bungee cords, large paper clips, cord or twine and duct tape. Click here for gear and tool recommendations.
For Yourself
A charged cell phone tops the list. Tell your loved ones where you will be going. If you take daily medication, make sure you take it, or take it with you. Sunscreen, snacks, a jacket, a hat, a scarf and drinking water are also important to have in your car. Below is a button with the checklist to review the night before you go painting.
These are the seven colors with their alternate pigment names. Add Titanium White and you’ll be all set.
What About The Weather?
Rain
In the unlikely event of summer rain, you will receive an email and a phone call, confirming our session has been cancelled. We will meet remotely via Zoom, and I will teach an alternate lesson on the use of photo references to complete a landscape.
FOG
Classes will continue during foggy conditions. Please keep an old winter coat, a hat and a scarf in your car.
FIRE SMOKE
Visibility will be impaired, but more importantly, it is not safe for anyone to paint outdoors in those conditions. Many residents choose to leave the city during these events and you might be in this group. We will meet remotely via Zoom, and I will teach an alternate lesson on the use of photo references to complete a landscape. Please bring any unfinished work along with photo references. If you have no unfinished work, bring a photo of a landscape you want to turn into a painting. If the smoke continues, we will add an additional session after the end of June.
ALTERNATE LOCATION
You will receive an email from me if any unplanned circumstance prevents us from meeting at our scheduled location. The email will contain instructions and a map to get to an alternate location.
Social Distance
Please note that all participants need to be masked and follow social distance, vaccinated or not. During this workshop and for the comfort and safety of classmates, PSH residents and workers, we will all need to stay six feet away each other.
Safety Best Practices
Always check the weather before leaving and prep accordingly. Eat and drink before you leave. You will feel better! Tell someone at home where we will be painting that day. Leave the syllabus, an exact address or a landmark where they can come and find you. Stay within earshot of your classmates, preferably where one of us can see you.
Our class takes place in exciting, distracting environments. Avoid falls! Wear sturdy shoes, look ahead as you walk, watch for traffic, and go slow on uneven terrain. Assume that dogs eat everything.
Always tell me if you have a medical condition that might affect your ability to walk, stand for a longer period of time, or be in the sun. This will be kept confidential.
Please let me know if you will be leaving early. We do a head count before leaving our painting location. Try not to stay by yourself in deserted parking lots, and always be aware of your surroundings as you pack up to leave.
