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Plein Air Oil Painting: Chromatics in the Wild
Simplify natural scenes, capture shifting light, and boost artistic skill and focus in structured studio and field oil sessions.
About the Class
The course marks a shift from controlled studio practice into the dynamic environment of the landscape, with a primary focus on composition. Students learn to move beyond simply recording what they see toward intentionally designing paintings that express structure, mood, and clarity. Through exercises in simplifying forms, capturing light, and organizing visual information, participants strengthen both their technical painting skills and their ability to think critically about visual composition.
This 8-week course (16 sessions, meeting twice weekly) builds on prior training in oil painting, including The Chromatic Voice or equivalent experience. Each week alternates between a 3-hour studio session and a 3-hour outdoor field session, with transportation to painting sites potentially available. To ensure individualized attention and guidance, the class is limited to 8 participants.The program emphasizes hands-on experience in plein air, helping artists grow comfortable working in natural light and changing conditions.
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 class offers a supportive atmosphere for artists seeking both creative fulfillment and a deeper engagement with their craft.
The class will conclude on June 29th with a final critique, group sharing, and a celebratory wrap-up of everyone’s work. Students will also have the opportunity to include their paintings in a month-long exhibit immediately following the course.
Required Supply List
Choosing a Plein Air paint color set challenges us to make considerations of a range of dialectics:
- Cool vs warm
- Opaque vs transparent
- Expensive vs cheap
- Limited Palette vs full palette
Follow the link below to view the full required list of materials for this class.
About your Instructor
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 its benefits
All Silver Memberships and above receive 10% off the registration cost for any class purchase over $40.
Materials fees are not discounted.
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.
Plein Air Oil Painting: Chromatics in the Wild
Simplify natural scenes, capture shifting light, and boost artistic skill and focus in structured studio and field oil sessions.
Schedule
Mondays and Wednesdays
May 4 – June 29, 2026
9:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Exception: May 25, Memorial Day
This Session
Monday, May 4, 2026 from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm
Location
As well as outdoor locations around Sonoma County
