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Art Thrives: Watercolor Plein-air Painting Workshop (Ages 55 and Up)
Wed, August 16th, 2023 at 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
An event every day that begins at 9:00 AM, repeating until Fri, August 18th, 2023
NOMA’s Art Thrives program creates opportunities exclusively for adults ages 55 and up to learn new skills while building community and having fun. Join us this August in the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden for a three-day watercolor plein-air painting workshop!
“All pictures painted inside in the studio will never be as good as the things done outside”
—Paul Cezanne
In French, “plein air” simply means outdoors. In painting, it describes a method that contrasts with the academic rules of studio painting. Painting outdoors on location has its challenges, but is one of the most rewarding painting exercises. The intent of this course is to help students become acquainted with watercolor as a medium for plein-air painting and sketching for both novices and more experienced painters. Within the beautiful setting of NOMA’s Besthoff Sculpture Garden, learn the basics of handling watercolor as a medium while focusing on the fundamentals of plein-air painting: choosing a subject/scene, cropping to create interesting compositions, exploring value and color theory as it applies to color mixing for landscape paintings.
$60 for the entire course | $45 for members
Space is limited and advanced registration is required. Please contact jrjohnson@noma.org or 504.658.4140 for more information or to inquire about future Art Thrives programs.
Program Schedule
Class time is 9–11 am on these dates:
Wednesday, August 16
Thursday, August 17
Friday, August 18
Participants are expected to attend all three sessions of this course.
Additional Program Information
What You’ll Need
Wear clothing and shoes that you are comfortable being outdoors and painting in. Protection from the sun is advised (e.g. sunscreen, hats, etc.) Please note that the Besthoff Sculpture Garden’s pavilion will serve as our air-conditioned home base whenever a break from the sun is needed.
All materials are included with registration.
What You’ll Get
You’ll receive pencils and notebooks for sketching, as well as the work you create throughout the workshop. Plenty of water will be provided daily.
Please contact jrjohnson@noma.org or 504.658.4140 with any questions.
Financial Assistance
Financial Assistance is available on a first come, first served basis. Please complete a brief form requesting financial assistance, and a staff member will reach out to you soon.
Apply for Financial Assistance
About the Instructor
Rebecca Birtel Madura is a New Orleans-born visual artist and art educator. Many of her colorful paintings represent humanity’s sometimes detached relationship with nature within an urban environment. Working primarily in oils and mixed media, the emotional impact of color and color relationships is as important as the subject matter itself in her paintings. Recent work is especially concerned with the balance between saturated and muted hues depicted in her abstract compositions.
NOMA’s Art Thrives programs are supported by E.A. Michelson Philanthropy.
