Saturday, April 1st, 2023 – 1:00pm – 5:30pm
AND Sunday, April 2nd, 2023 – 10:00am – 2:00pm

$80 per person ($70 for Friends of Pepperwood)
Ages 14 and up welcome
Meet at the Bechtel House

Spend an inspiring weekend painting “en plein aire” in the midst of Pepperwood’s iconic Sonoma County landscapes with artist Marsha Connell. Engage your senses to awaken an energetic relationship with the blooming spring landscape. This two-day workshop offers you the opportunity to immerse yourself in your practice, and to connect deeply with the environment you are painting. Beginning painters will learn the basics of working in the field. Experienced painters will practice and expand your repertoire. Marsha will provide demonstrations in oil and pastel, but you may paint in any medium you choose. Marsha is also practiced in watercolor and acrylic. Enjoy support for finding your own painting voice to express the spirit of this special place.

Please bring your own painting supplies. There are no specific required supplies, but a suggested materials list will be provided upon registration for your reference.

This event will go on in light rain, heavier storms will cancel. In the event of a weather cancellation refunds will be offered. In the case of light rain, the deck of the Bechtel House will serve as a sheltered option for painting. If the weather is questionable, we will notify you of the status of this event.

COVID Protocols: All events will follow current regional health safety guidelines. Please practice good health hygiene, and physical distancing when possible. If you do not feel well, please do not attend.

About the Instructor:
MARSHA CONNELL was nurtured in her love for art, nature, and learning by her grandfather, Samuel Riss, watercolor painter and Renaissance farmer in Upstate New York. She expresses this legacy in her passion for the environment, and through painting en plein air. Marsha Connell’s paintings are a dance in color. She combines observation—mirroring the natural world—with improvisation—giving voice to the spirit of place. She is a graduate of Skidmore College with a B. S. in Fine Arts and San Francisco State University with a Masters in Sculpture. 

Marsha was first introduced to Pepperwood as a Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC) faculty member through their Institute for Environmental Education. She has since brought many of her SRJC painting classes to Pepperwood over the years, in addition to facilitating community education workshops at the reserve. Several of Marsha’s painting students have even gone on to become Pepperwood Stewards. Marsha’s relationship to Pepperwood was developed further through a faculty grant from the Pepperwood Foundation. Through this partnership, she collaborated with scientists to explore the connection between art and science through study, painting, teaching and lectures – which she continues to strive to do. 

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Register for this class using the secure form below.

To register, select the applicable level below, either General or Friends of Pepperwood and click +Add. On mobile devices, you may need to scroll all the way to the right to find the +Add button. In the pop up window, enter your attendee information and scroll to the bottom to click “Continue”. Repeat this for other attendees. Next, on the main form, you may add an additional donation amount in the open field, then click the green “Continue” button to move to the final page for payment. Click the green “Process” button on this final page to complete your transaction.

For all questions about this event, please contact Holland Gistelli, Education Program Coordinator, at hgistelli@pepperwoodpreserve.org or (707) 591-9310 x 124.

Early bird registration for Friends of Pepperwood begins at 9am on Monday, December 5, 2022. Enter the code you received as a current Friend of Pepperwood to access early registration and to receive your discount. If you’re not sure about your Friends of Pepperwood status or don’t know the code, contact Sloane Shinn, Donor Relations, at sshinn@pepperwoodpreserve.org or (707) 591-9310 x 133. Click here to become a Friend of Pepperwood today!

Registration for the general public begins at 9am on Monday, December 12, 2022.