OPM Presents: Plein Air with the Masters — A Series of Guided Tours
OPM is excited to announce a new, online educational forum for painters to explore principles taught by some of the most influential plein air artists in history. Beginning with John F. Carlson's Guide to Landscape Painting, this new online program will include three one-hour weekly sessions on Zoom.
Our goal is to provide an opportunity for group learning and sharing of progress for artists anywhere with internet. The total cost for the three one-hour sessions is $75 for non-members, and $35 for members. Calendar-year membership in OPM costs $40.
Our goal is to provide an opportunity for group learning and sharing of progress for artists anywhere with internet. The total cost for the three one-hour sessions is $75 for non-members, and $35 for members. Calendar-year membership in OPM costs $40.
March 26 • April 2 • April 9
7:00pm
7:00pm
Spring 2025 Guided Tour: Plein Air Painting with John F. Carlson's Guide
Dates: March 26, April 2, and April 9, 2025 starting at 7:00pm Central Daylight Time (Minnesota, United States)
The Source Material: Carlson's Guide to Landscape Painting by John F. Carlson
Your guide for our first tour is Nelia Harper French, a graduate of the Great Lakes Academy of Fine Art and an avid plein air painter with a decade of outdoor painting experience. Nelia will break down the key components of John F. Carlson’s guiding principles into bite-size pieces with weekly practice exercises and demonstrations. Regardless of your preferred medium, mastering these principles will bring depth and atmosphere to your paintings. This interactive session will include demos, opportunity for questions, and time for feedback on attendees work.
Session 1: Wednesday, March 26, 2025 • 7:00-8:15pm CDT
In the first session, Nelia will provide a tonal demonstration of planes in the landscape. She will explain how to apply the principles to photo reference or while working on location. Attendees will be able to ask questions throughout the demo and then practice each of the simple exercises on their own before joining session two.
Session 2: Wednesday, April 2, 2025 • 7:00-8:15pm CDT
When we come back together for session two, Nelia will take us through the next step of understanding light, color, and atmosphere as she conducts a color demo and answers your questions and provides feedback. Participants will then practice the color exercises on their own, either using the material and references provided or their own paintings and/or reference material.
Session 3: Wednesday, April 9, 2025 • 7:00-8:15pm CDT
In session three, we bring everything together. Nelia will provide examples of how to approach various scenes that artists encounter and how to use John F. Carlson’s teaching to create more cohesive, truthful landscape paintings—just in time for the 2025 plein air painting season!
Paintings by Nelia Harper French:
