Step Outside – A Plein Air Painting Class with Betsy Payne Cook – Thursdays (Summer)

Thursdays in June, July, August, September (buy class in 4-session blocks)
8:30 am – 11:30 am

This is a flexible enrollment class, and by purchasing a block of 4 classes you can join any classes of your choice during June, July, August, and possibly September. You can purchase an additional block of classes as needed from FAC.

Any medium – this class is devoted to the experience of painting on location! Beginners to painting en plein air painting are welcome to attend but if you paint in a medium other than pastel you must have a good working knowledge of your medium. Betsy paints in pastels, but information will apply to other drawing & painting mediums as well.

Class will begin with a pastel painting demo at each site, and Betsy will share pointers for setting up on location and narrowing the field of vision, designing a composition for your painting. Goals will include developing sketching and planning skills, painting masses, simplifying shapes, translating values and selecting color harmonies.  You will receive individual feedback and coaching while you work at your easel.  I encourage artists to arrive a bit early to wander around the location before I begin my demo.

We will meet at a variety of locations in the Upper Cape area allowing us to paint a wide variety of Cape Cod locations. We will meet two Thursdays at each site. Betsy will select spots in Falmouth, Bourne, Sandwich, Mashpee and Barnstable to offer varied scenery including coastal settings, village scenes, gardens, historical locations.  You will receive an email each Tuesday evening and are required to respond by 5pm on Wednesday to confirm you are joining class at that location.

Some places have limited parking or restrict number of participants so you must respond to Betsy’s email to hold your spot in class. If a date is cancelled, there will not be a make up class as this is a flexible drop in fee class. All prepaid fees can be applied to future classes throughout the plein air season.

Masks are required per CDC requirements and when Betsy is providing individual attention at the easels or when artists are in close proximity of one another.

Class will begin with a pastel painting demo at each site at 8:30 am, and I will share pointers for setting up on location and narrowing the field of vision to choose a composition for your painting. Goals will include developing sketching skills, simplifying shapes, selecting color harmonies.  You will receive individual feedback and coaching while you work  at your easel.  On days that are rainy we will go to venues where we can paint indoors or under cover.

If you have any questions please contact me at betsy@betsypaynecook.com

To learn more and register, click here.