Creating Atmosphere & Mood En Plein Air

Paint outside in Alameda with Lorraine Cote

If you have been meaning to spend more time with a sketchbook or easel outside, the Frank Bette Center for the Arts has a solid reason to clear two days in August.

On Monday and Tuesday, August 3 and 4, artist Lorraine Cote leads a 2 day plein air workshop focused on atmosphere and mood. The hours are 9:00 am to 4:00 pm each day, so this is a full day setup with time to slow down, look closely, and work through a scene instead of rushing it.

Frank Bette Center for the Arts is one of those Alameda spots that feels rooted in the local art scene. It has a friendly, hands on energy, with gallery walls, class space, and a steady flow of people who actually make things. The location on Paru Street also puts you in a good Alameda frame of mind before you even start painting.

Lorraine Cote will guide the workshop, with a focus on how outdoor light, air, color, and distance can shape the feeling of a painting. That is the kind of thing plein air painters wrestle with all the time. A view can change fast. Shadows move. Fog hangs around. The trick is learning what to keep, what to simplify, and how to make the scene feel alive on the page or canvas.

This one is best for people who want more than a casual art outing. Bring your gear, plan to work, and expect to spend real time looking. If you like painting outdoors around the East Bay, or you want help giving your landscapes more feeling, this workshop is worth a look.

Cost is $200 for members and $225 for non members.

When: Monday and Tuesday, August 3 and 4, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Where: Frank Bette Center for the Arts, 1601 Paru St., Alameda
Details: View the event listing

Creating Atmosphere & Mood En Plein Air
Lorraine Cote
2-Day Workshop: August 3 & 4
Monday & Tuesday; 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
$200 Members; $225 Non-members
Frank Bette Center for the Arts

Featuring:
Lorraine Cote