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Chromatics in the Wild: A Painter’s Plein Air Journey
Simplify natural scenes, capture shifting light, and boost artistic skill and focus during field sessions and structured studio sessions.
program overview
This course is meant for those creative painters in oil who want to learn a method of quickly capturing a scene outdoors in the dynamic conditions of nature and bringing the piece to completion. Following each Friday outdoor session, we will meet in the studio three days later on Monday to discuss the work, the challenges and add any finishing touches needed as we prepare for our next outdoor adventure.
As the course name suggests, you will learn how to move through the process of organizing your compositions around a subject by emphasizing the shapes of light and dark color masses and revealing those forms for your viewers in a way that allows them to experience the same kind of joy and passion nature gives us. We will be hands-on with sketching, brush and paint handling, learning simple application techniques that lead to beautiful paintings full of light, avoiding the trap of mixing color into mud.
This is not a course for beginning oil painters, you should have some experience painting with oils and a desire to paint outside in nature. Anyone new to plein air painting is going to receive a solid introduction to outdoor painting that will allow you to continue on your own, and for painters with some experience this course will allow you to deepen your skill set and step into your color voice.
Each participant will receive individualized attention and guidance because the course is limited to only 8 participants. The program emphasizes hands-on experience in plein air working in the natural light, changing conditions and with the comradery of other painting friends.
Sonoma County has a rich variety of sites available as well as changeable weather conditions, so site destinations will be announced after forecast considerations in the studio class before the next outdoor session. Navigation instructions will be provided by email and text messaging.
Throughout the course, equal importance is placed on artistic growth and cognitive development. Painting outdoors becomes a way to sharpen focus, spatial reasoning, and mental agility, as students learn to respond to the fast-changing conditions of nature. With an emphasis on process, community, and environmentally friendly practices, the course offers a supportive atmosphere for artists seeking both creative fulfillment and a deeper engagement with their craft.
The course will conclude on June 29th with a final critique, group sharing and a celebratory wrap-up of everyone’s work.
Required Materials List
Note: participants receive a 10% discount at Fine Line Art Supply, Sonoma
instructor Overview
Michael Bartlett
Michael Bartlett is a highly regarded artist and master craftsman with over 45 years of experience in the fine arts. Based in Sonoma, CA, Michael is best known for his vivid oil paintings that capture the unique light and atmosphere of California landscapes and coastal scenes.
His artistic foundation is built on rigorous training; he holds a BA in Fine Arts from Montana State University, where he mastered the discipline of fine metalsmithing, followed by an MFA in Painting from the San Francisco Art Institute. This unique background combines the precision of a master craftsman with the expressive freedom of a painter.
As an instructor, Michael blends technical mastery with deep insight. Influenced by his time traveling as an assistant to a Tibetan lama, his teaching philosophy focuses on “seeing” reality and capturing the energy of light. Students in Michael’s classes learn to combine solid technical fundamentals with a mindful approach to color and composition.
https://www.michaelebartlett.com/
Membership Has It’s Benefits
All Silver Memberships and above receive 10% off the registration cost for any class purchase over $40.
Materials fees are not discounted.
Membership helps support our programs, events, and financial aid programs.
Become a member today and find community, connection, and creativity.
Class FAQ
We ask that you notify us at least 10 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 days’ notice, we will not be able to provide refunds, due to our contractual obligations and material purchases for each class.
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.
You can view our full class policies and guidelines 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 [email protected] so that he can forward them to the relevant Program Director and Instructor.
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 [email protected] to request a late addition.
We are always looking for new instructors. You can fill out the form directly here.
Fridays and Mondays · 4 Weeks
June 5 – June 29, 2026
9:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Friday, June 5, 2026 from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm
And outdoor locations
