Plein Air Painting

This summer, we're taking it to the great outdoor with several opportunities to develop your plein air painting skills!

In August, Crooked Tree Arts Center will present the first annual Paint Grand Traverse plein air (outdoor) painting festival and competition. 

Taking a Reference Photo to a Painting Plan (In-Person)

Tuesday, June 08 - Wednesday, June 09

Presented by
CTAC Traverse City
Time
Tuesday & Wednesday, 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM with one hour lunch
Register by
June 03, 2021
Grade Range
Adult - Adult
Part of our Summer Workshop Series
Instructor
Mark Mehaffey

Plein Air Painting for Fearless First-Timers: August 9, 2021 ***SOLD OUT***

Monday, August 09 - Monday, August 09

Presented by
CTAC Traverse City
Time
Monday, 10:00 AM-1:00 PM
Register by
August 08, 2021
Grade Range
10th grade - Adult
An introductory workshop to plein air painting.
Instructor
Sherry McNamara

PGT Demo - Plein Air Painting Clouds

Tuesday, August 10 - Tuesday, August 10

Presented by
CTAC Traverse City
Time
Tuesday, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Register by
August 10, 2021
Grade Range
Adult - Adult
Debra Van Leen will demonstrate plein air painting clouds
Instructor
Debra Van Leen

Plein Air Painting for Fearless First-Timers: August 10, 2021 ***SOLD OUT***

Tuesday, August 10 - Tuesday, August 10

Presented by
CTAC Traverse City
Time
Tuesday, 1:00 PM-4:00 PM
Register by
August 08, 2021
Grade Range
10th grade - Adult
An introductory workshop to plein air painting.
Instructor
Sherry McNamara

PGT Demo - Capturing the Light in Plein Air Painting

Wednesday, August 11 - Wednesday, August 11

Presented by
CTAC Traverse City
Time
Wednesday, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Register by
August 11, 2021
Grade Range
Adult - Adult
Nora Venturelli will demonstrate how to capture the light of the moment.
Instructor
Nora Venturelli

PGT Demo - Blending and Brushstrokes for Plein Air and Studio

Thursday, August 12 - Thursday, August 12

Presented by
CTAC Traverse City
Time
Thursday, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Register by
August 12, 2021
Grade Range
Adult - Adult
Carolyn Damstra will demonstrate blending tecniques with acrylics.

Capturing the Summer Light with Valerie Craig

Friday, August 13 - Friday, August 13

Presented by
CTAC Traverse City
Time
Friday, 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM with one hour lunch
Register by
August 11, 2021
Grade Range
Adult - Adult
Part of our Summer Workshop Series
Instructor
Valerie Craig

Create Moving and Evocative Watercolors with Steve Griggs (In-Person)

Monday, August 16 - Tuesday, August 17

Presented by
CTAC Traverse City
Time
Monday & Tuesday, 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM with one hour lunch
Register by
August 15, 2021
Grade Range
Adult - Adult
Part of our Summer Workshop Series
Instructor
Steve Griggs

Fresh Art: A New Perspective in Mixed Media

Friday, May 06 - Friday, May 06

Presented by
CTAC Traverse City
Time
Friday, 10:00 AM-3:00 PM
Register by
April 30, 2022
Grade Range
10th grade - Adult
Freshen your art making practice with some fun new mixed media techniques.
Instructor
Amber Coulter

Painting: Intro to Plein Air

Friday, May 20 - Friday, May 20

Presented by
CTAC Traverse City
Time
Friday, 1:00 - 4:00 PM
Register by
May 20, 2022
Grade Range
10th grade - Adult
Enjoy the challenge and pleasure of painting a landscape from life, "en plein air".
Instructor
Sherry McNamara

Plein Air Painting for Fearless First-Timers: August 15 **SOLD OUT**

Monday, August 15 - Monday, August 15

Presented by
CTAC Traverse City
Time
Monday, 10:00 AM-1:00 PM
Register by
August 12, 2022
Grade Range
10th grade - Adult
An introductory workshop to plein air painting.
Instructor
Sherry McNamara

JUST ADDED! Plein Air Painting for Fearless First-Timers: August 17

Wednesday, August 17 - Wednesday, August 17

Presented by
CTAC Traverse City
Time
Wednesday, 10:00 AM-1:00 PM
Register by
August 12, 2022
Grade Range
10th grade - Adult
An introductory workshop to plein air painting.
Instructor
Sherry McNamara

Plein Air Painting: Finding YOUR Style

Friday, August 26 - Saturday, August 27

Presented by
CTAC Traverse City
Time
Friday & Saturday, 9:00 am - 1:00 pm
Register by
August 25, 2022
Grade Range
Adult - Adult
Using oils on wooden panels, students will learn how to mix any color. All suppplies included.
Instructor
Debra Howard

Plein Air Painting for Fearless First-Timers: June 17

Saturday, June 17 - Saturday, June 17

Presented by
CTAC Traverse City
Time
Saturday, 10:00 AM-1:00 PM
Register by
June 01, 2023
Grade Range
10th grade - Adult
An introductory workshop to plein air painting.
Instructor
Sherry McNamara

Plein Air Painting for Fearless First-Timers: June 19

Monday, June 19 - Monday, June 19

Presented by
CTAC Traverse City
Time
Monday, 10:00 AM-1:00 PM
Register by
June 16, 2023
Grade Range
10th grade - Adult
An introductory workshop to plein air painting.
Instructor
Sherry McNamara

Urban Sketching with Richie Gunn

Monday, October 07 - Monday, October 28

Presented by
CTAC Traverse City
Time
Mondays, 6 p.m - 8 p.m.
Register by
October 06, 2024
Grade Range
Adult - Adult
Capture “coffee shop moments” or compelling street scenes in pencil, ink, or paint.
Instructor
Richie Gunn

Urban Sketching & Painting - With Richie Gunn

Wednesday, February 12 - Wednesday, March 19

Presented by
CTAC Traverse City
Time
Wednesdays, 6pm–8pm
Register by
February 11, 2025
Grade Range
Adult - Adult
Capture “coffee shop moments” or compelling street scenes in pencil, ink, or paint.
Instructor
Richie Gunn

Night Owl Nocturne Painting Workshop with Debra Howard

Monday, June 02 - Monday, June 02

Presented by
CTAC Traverse City
Time
Monday, 5:30 - 10:00 pm
Register by
May 27, 2025
Grade Range
Adult - Adult
Experience the magic of painting under the stars in Sutton's Bay
Instructor
Debra Howard

Painting Reflections with Heidi Marshall - Summer Workshop

Friday, June 06 - Friday, June 06

Presented by
CTAC Petoskey
Time
Friday, 11:30 am - 4:00 pm
Register by
June 01, 2025
Grade Range
Adult - Adult
Join Heidi Marshall for this one-day plein air event at beautiful Spring Lake.
Instructor
Heidi Amenda Marshall

Plein Air Painting for Fearless First-Timers: June 16

Monday, June 16 - Monday, June 16

Presented by
CTAC Traverse City
Time
Monday, 10:00 AM-1:00 PM
Register by
June 09, 2025
Grade Range
10th grade - Adult
An introductory workshop to plein air painting.
Instructor
Sherry McNamara

3-Day Plein Air workshop with Kimball Geisler

Saturday, June 21 - Monday, June 23

Presented by
CTAC Traverse City
Time
Saturday, Sunday & Monday, 8:30 am - 4:00 pm
Register by
May 18, 2025
Grade Range
Adult - Adult
Work with PGT 2025 Awards Juror during this three day plein air workshop
Instructor
Kimball Geisler

Paint Grand Traverse 2025: Pint-Sized Paint Out for Kids!

Saturday, June 21 - Saturday, June 21

Presented by
CTAC Traverse City
Time
Saturday, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Register by
June 19, 2025
Grade Range
Adult - Adult
Free art event for kids to experience plein air painting

Sky, Water and Light - A Plein Air Study with Debra Howard

Monday, June 30 - Wednesday, July 02

Presented by
CTAC Traverse City
Time
9:00AM - 4:00PM
Register by
June 13, 2025
Grade Range
Adult - Adult
Embrace the challenge of painting the sky, water and light in your plein air paintings.
Instructor
Debra Howard

Plein Air Master Class at Lavender Hill Farm - Master Class

Monday, July 28 - Wednesday, July 30

Presented by
CTAC Petoskey
Time
Monday, 5:30 - 8:00 pm; Tuesday-Wednesday, 10:30 am - 4:30 pm
Register by
July 23, 2025
Grade Range
Adult - Adult
Join us for a Plein Air Master Class with Heidi Marshall, IAPS.MC, at beautiful Lavender Hill Farm.
Instructor
Heidi Amenda Marshall

Water and Sky with Elizabeth Pollie - Summer Workshop

Friday, August 01 - Friday, August 01

Presented by
CTAC Petoskey
Time
Friday, Noon - 5:00 PM
Register by
August 11, 2025
Grade Range
Adult - Adult
Join Elizabeth Pollie in this plein air workshop focused on water and sky.
Instructor
Elizabeth Pollie - Cloned

Painting Water Scenes with Kurt Anderson

Saturday, August 09 - Saturday, August 09

Presented by
CTAC Petoskey
Time
Saturday, 12:00 - 3:00 pm
Register by
August 04, 2025
Grade Range
Adult - Adult
Join painter Kurt Anderson for this plein air workshop focused on water scenes
Instructor
Kurt Anderson

Early Morning Cattails with Lori Feldpausch

Saturday, August 16 - Saturday, August 16

Presented by
CTAC Petoskey
Time
Saturday, 10:00 am - 2:30 pm
Register by
August 11, 2025
Grade Range
Adult - Adult
Join Lori Feldpausch in this plein air workshop focused on relationships between flora and water.
Instructor
Lori Feldpausch