Sonoma Community Center
Enriching lives through education and the arts — for Sonoma Valley and beyond
Events
Capturing the Moment in Plein Air Watercolor: Three-Day Intensive
Monday, September 15 from 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Age
18+Class Details
Schedule
Monday, September 15 through
Wednesday, September 17, 2025
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Instructor
Geoff Allen
Location
as well as local outdoor sites
Ages
Adults
Skill Levels
Not sure which level is right for you? Click here.
Registration Cost
About the class
Learn the joys of capturing the moment, color and mood of the Sonoma County landscape. Taught by award-winning visiting artist Geoff Allen, this three-day workshop will cover the basic watercolor techniques that can speed up your process, loosen you up, and increase your success in capturing outdoor scenes.
There will be daily skill building exercises focusing on controlling moisture in your paper, mixtures in your brush, and application timing to get the watercolor effects you want. Geoff will review the difference in brushes and color palettes, and show students how to let water do the work for them.
There will be daily demonstrations (classroom or plein air) taking inspirational scenes through a process of simplification while enhancing design dynamics, expression and creating atmosphere. It all starts with practicing watercolor’s quartet of skills: values, major shapes, visual dynamics, and calligraphy.
Geoff will be following up individually with students to reinforce concepts and skills such as judging values, separating light and shadow, “one-go” mark making, and softening edges in order to get an impressionistic expressive watercolor painting.
This class is recommended for artists with at least beginning level experience with watercolor.
Day 1 will take place at the Sonoma Community Center in Room 208.
Day 2 and Day 3 will take place at nearby outdoor sites (weather permitting).
Note: Please bring a bag lunch each day.
About the instructor
Geoff Allen
Instructor / Artist
“Going with the flow” is what inspires Geoff. He loves the process of inserting himself into an environment with the goal of capturing its elusive essence in a quick fresh watercolor style. The mystery of not knowing the expressive outcome and allowing for discovery along the way makes plein air painting Geoff’s preferred art making process.
2024 Awards and Exhibitions Highlights:
The Hilbert Museum Award, Laguna Plein Air Invitational
Frank Bette Award, Frank Bette Plein Air Paint Out, juror Barbra Tapp
Quick Draw Artists Choice Award, Frank Bette Plein Air Paint Out
Second Place, San Diego Watercolor Society, “Plein Air Show”, juror Shuang Li
Plein Air Magazine, Cover and Contributing Writer, July 2024 Issue, Article “A Deep Dive Into a Favorite Subject”, by Kelly Kane
Third Place, Carmel Art Festival, Plein Air Event
Second Place Borrego Plein Air Invitational
First Place, Quick Draw, Borrego Plein Air Invitational
Website: www.geoffallenart.com
Instagram: @geoffallenart
https://www.facebook.com/geoffrey.allen.71?
You Tube
https://www.youtube.com/@geoffallen7321
Class FAQ
All Memberships(Excluding the $50/year tier) receive 10% off any purchase above $40. You should have received your discount code in your membership confirmation email.
If you have any questions regarding the use of your code, you can contact Sean Baskin at sean@sonomacommunitycenter.org or call the office at (707)938-4626.
Not a member? View more information about our monthly and yearly plans here.
The Sonoma Community Center is committed to creating an accessible learning environment. If you require any special considerations(medical, physical, learning) please share them with Sean Baskin, Program Associate, by emailing him at sean@sonomacommunitycenter.org so that he can forward them to the relevant Program Director and Instructor.
We ask that you notify us at least 10 business days in advance of a class if you need to cancel your registration. You may cancel by phone or email and we will gladly offer you a refund or credit toward a future class. If you cancel with less than 10 business days notice, we will not be able to provide a full refund. A flat cancellation fee of $15 will be charged to cover the transaction fee.
Sometimes, the Sonoma Community Center has to cancel a class due to low enrollment or unforeseen circumstances, such as a natural disaster or health emergency. If this happens and we do not offer a reschedule date, you will be refunded 100% of your registration fee, or credit towards a future class. If we are able to offer a reschedule date but you are unable to make the new date, we will gladly offer credit towards a future class.
Late additions to any program, class, or workshop that has already begun will be allowed on a per-case basis depending upon the Program Director & instructors approval. Late additions will have to pay the full registration cost of the class, along with any materials fees, and will not be prorated for the time missed. You may reach out to the program directors directly, or the Program Associate Sean Baskin at sean@sonomacommunitycenter.org to request a late addition.
You can view our full class policies and guidelines here.
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