Sonoma Community Center

Enriching lives through education and the arts — for Sonoma Valley and beyond

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Paint Out Gear Up: Preparing to Paint Outdoors

Wednesday, May 21 from 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Class Details

Schedule

Wednesday, May 21, 2025
10 AM – 12 PM

Instructor

Michael Bartlett

Ages

Adults

Skill Levels

Tags

Not sure which level is right for you? Click here.

Registration Cost

$20 for 1 session
Register Here Financial Aid

About the class

Painting outdoors on location is a wonderful way to connect with nature and keep you in the moment. If you’d like to start plein air painting, here is your chance to learn what equipment and supplies are needed. What is a pochade box and do you need one? Michael Bartlett will share his considerable knowledge to help you get started – and spare you from lugging too much up a mountain or out to the beach. Bring a notebook to write down valuable tips. Though this workshop is oriented for oil painters it also applies to other outdoor mediums such as watercolor, gouache, and pastel. This workshop is the perfect lead-in to Michael’s eight-week class Capture the Beauty of Morning Light: An Introduction to Plein Air Oil Painting, which starts on June 4th.

About the instructor

Michael Bartlett

Instructor / Artist

Michael E. Bartlett – an artist of the west. Has practiced fine and commercial arts for over 50 years. An award-winning oil painter of landscapes and coastal scenes, master craftsman and innovator, from Montana, working now in Northern California, lives paints and teaches in Sonoma, California. Member of the California Art Club and Oil Painters of America.

https://www.michaelebartlett.com/

    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.

    • All Levels
    • Welcomes participants from beginning through advanced. Instructor provides a balanced and flexible curriculum suitable for participants with any level of experience.
    • Beginning
    • Participant has little to no experience with this medium and needs or expects guidance at every step during the class. Participant wants to learn about materials, techniques, and vocabulary of the medium.
    • Intermediate
    • Participant is comfortable with the medium and expects both guidance and time to work alone with the medium.
    • Advanced
    • Participant is very confident with all aspects of the medium. Participant is self-motivated; ready to experiment and develop their artistic voice.
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    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 (minus the payment processing and services 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.

    All credits must be used within 1 year.

    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.

    We are always looking for new instructors. You can find more information about the process here, or fill out the form directly here.

    You can view our full class policies and guidelines here.

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