NEW! Intro to Plein Air (Outdoor) Painting w/ Melanie Levitt

Have you always wanted to set up and paint outside  in the beautiful White Mountains of NH? Join award winning painter, Melanie Levitt for a weekend workshop. In this BEGINNER outdoor oil painting workshop, students will enjoy the process of setting up an easel outdoors and painting the beautiful  landscape “en plein air.” We will meet on location TBD.  (acrylics can also be used but I suggest open acrylics that dry slower) Through demonstration and individual attention , students will learn how to distill the important information from their observation and translate it onto the canvas. Melanie will address the importance of sketching, how to create depth & light in a painting, composition, color mixing, and other tips for painting outdoors. She will do demos both days with both a brush and palette knife.

All this will be taught in an understandable step by step process which will lead students to improve their ability to see the landscape and create a finished painting in a short time. This class is suitable for the total beginner or the intermediate student who wants to learn how to paint outdoors. All levels welcome. Students will complete at least one painting each day. We rent out a limited number of French plein air easels for an additional $35 for the weekend.  We will work with a very limited palette of paints and students will be responsible for bringing their own supplies. (see list below) Small class size for lots of individual attention and lots of fun.

Saturday & Sunday,  July 13 & 14,  9am-4pm, $295  (This class is also open to high school students)

*In case of rain we will paint at our outdoor tent at Jackson Art Studio & Gallery or find another covered location

Cancellation Policy: We ask that you to give us three weeks notice if you need to cancel for a full refund minus a $30 cancellation fee. Cancellations should be made by phone by calling (603) 387-3463. This provides us the opportunity to fill the space. We are sorry, but we cannot give refunds or issue credits for missed classes or no shows.  

Private & semi-private sessions are also available. (please inquire)

Please Wear/Bring The Following:

-Sturdy sneakers

-Dress in layers

-Raincoat

-Bug Spray

-Sunblock

–Bring a lunch or one can be picked up

-Plenty of water

-Sunhat with a big rim or baseball hat

ART SUPPLIES: (A lot can be purchased at Michaels or online at Dick Blick)

-Sketchbook & soft drawing pencils or charcoal pencils

-Canvases: Bring four in total:  ONE 4×6 or  6×8″ small canvas and ONE larger canvas, 8×10 or  9×12, 11×14 or 12×16″

-Plein air easel (french easel, pochade box etc) or studio easesl with a small side table. You can also rent a French Easel from Jackson Art for a fee of $35. We have a limited number.

-Optional: Easel Umbrella to block sun

-Oil paints: (or similiar colors in acrylics) Limited Palette of a warm & cool of each primary color (I use Gamblin oil paints artist grade- they sell them at Michaels)  If using acrylics try Open Acrylics so they don’t dry too quickly.

Suggested Colors:

-Titanium white (big tube)
-Ultramarine Blue
-Pthalo or colbalt blue
-Cad yellow light or lemon yellow
-Cad Yellow Medium
-(optional) Cad Orange (you can also mix it)
-Cad Red
-Alizeran Crimson
Also bring black paint for a value study.

-Variety of brushes (I use flats/brights size 2,4,6,8,10) Bring what you have

-Palette knife- bent neck and long pointed tip.  (Michaels has one)

-Brush washer or jar with  oderless turpentine for oil (Gamsol recommended)

-Solvent free gel or  Liquin for a medium

-Roll of paper towels or box of tissues

-Baby wipes to remove oil paint or rubbing alcohol

-Palette to mix on (it can be wood, plastic or disposable but bring a big one)

-Stool or chair to sit on during demo

-Plastic bag for trash

 

Melanie Barash Levitt graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design in 1990. She currently lives in the White Mountains of NH and is the owner of Jackson Art Studio & Gallery.Melanie is an award winning artist who paints in a loose, impressionistic style with a brush or a palette knife in oils. As a plein air artist, Levitt paints on location braving the elements to capture the mood of the scene. Her favorite subjects are the mountains, rivers and small farms of NH and the rugged coasts of Maine. Her artwork resides is in the home of many collectors through the US, Canada and Europe. She exhibits her work in galleries and shows throughout NH, ME, VT and NY. She has been featured in Boston Chronicle (WCBV TV, ABC), NH Chronicle (WMUR 9), and has been published in various newspapers and magazines . She also has received numerous awards for her paintings in regional shows and juried events and is a member of the Salmagundi Art Club in NYC and is on the staff at the 2024 Plein Air Convention in the Smoky Mountains.