Summer 2025 Classes

Saturday Morning Plein Air (SMPA)
 Milwaukee County, WI​
Select Saturdays | June 28, (no class July 5), July 12, 19, 26, August 2, 9
8:30am–11:30am​

​Meet outdoors at various Milwaukee County-area green spaces for standalone classes to begin or continue painting en plein air!

1 hour narrated painting demo followed by 2 hours independent work with instructor feedback.

Each date is a standalone class. Sign up for one or more.
Small groups of 4 students maximum.
Easels available for loan for the duration of class period. All other painting supplies to be provided by student.

Sign up for my art newsletter to receive notice when registration opens. Check the sign up (below) or email me for class location list.

​DESCRIPTION
Meet outdoors at various Milwaukee County green spaces to begin or continue painting en plein air! Suitable for both novice and experienced painters, each standalone class begins with a 1-hour narrated painting demonstration in which students are invited to ask questions. During the final two hours, students create their own studies / paintings from life on site with individual instructor feedback. Class taught in oils; students proficient in other mediums are welcome to use them.
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With a split primary (warm/cool) palette learn to use color temperature, simplification, and various mark-making to create images with a naturalistic quality of light, illusion of depth, and sense of place. Demonstrations covering key concepts, tips for working comfortably outdoors, and individual feedback set up students for future independent plein air excursions.

DETAILS
Six (6) classes total. Each date is a standalone class. Sign up for one or more classes. Sign up no later than 6pm the Friday evening before class.
Small groups of 4 students per class.
Easels available for loan for the duration of class period. All other painting supplies to be provided by student.
Contact [email protected] for each date's planned locations.
​All class communications are via email.

CANCELLATION, REFUNDS, AND PAYMENT
Cancellation due to inclement weather (e.g., heavy rain, high winds, storms) will be communicated via email by 7am the morning of class.
In the event of class cancellation, students who paid ahead using Venmo may either apply payment to a future Saturday Morning Plein Air, or request a refund. Refunds will be processed within 48 hours of the class date.
Required upon arrival is payment by cash, checks made out to Beth Stoddard, or Venmo @bethstod.

PRICE
$65 per standalone class​
Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts
Brookfield, WI
Open Figure Studio (To be confirmed)
​Wednesdays | July 2, 9, 16, (no class on 7/23), 30, August 6, 13
​(six standalone sessions)
6:00-8:30pm
Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design - Continuing Education (CE)
Milwaukee, WI

Teaching Philosophy

Observation-based, representational drawing and painting as an exploratory, supplementary, or primary artistic practice benefits beginner, returning, and experienced artists. Working from an academic training and current artistic practice rooted in art history and specific to the present, my goal is to give students the tools to express their own individual artistic perception by structuring, simplifying, and ultimately representing on paper or canvas what they see, or what they envision.

Sign up for my art newsletter to stay informed of current class offerings.
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​Milwaukee area private art lessons are also available. Contact me for further information.
Picture
In-class demonstration: H. seated (raw umber closed grisaille), oil on linen panel, 12 x 9 in., 2025