Geoff Allen Plein Air Watercolor

Registration for the Waitlist is now Open!

August 12-14, 2026
Click below to register for the waitlist for Geoff Allen's Watercolor workshop hosted by the Sierra Watercolor Society.
Should a spot become available, individuals on the waitlist will be contacted in the order of registration received.
Direct questions to Tricia Leonard or Kathryn Dudley at [email protected]

REGISTER for the Waitlist!

$330 Members - $390 Non-Members

Credit Card payments will incur a 3% platform fee

Check payments accepted, but must be received within one week of registration to keep the spot reserved. 

Make payment to SWS and mail to:

Sierra Watercolor Society

Attn: Treasurer
P.O. Box 70564
Reno, NV 89570-0564

Indicate for: Geoff Allen Workshop

Workshop focus: Plein Air in Watercolor - Capturing Nature

Geoff Allen is an award-winning Plein Air watercolor artist, whose painting “Color for Nothing” was recently on the cover of Plein Air Magazine (June/July 2024 issue). He was an instructor at the 2025 Plein Air Convention and Expo here in Reno, NV. Geoff states that he finds that watercolor is both the medium and metaphor for “going with the flow.” This is what inspires Geoff. He loves the process of inserting himself into an environment with the goal of capturing its elusive essence in a quick fresh watercolor style. The mystery of not knowing the expressive outcome and allowing for discovery along the way makes plein air painting Geoff’s preferred art making process. This workshop will involve both classroom and plein air painting.

Joys of Plein Air Painting

Instructor: Geoff Allen

Learn the joys of capturing the moment, color and mood in watercolor.  This workshop will cover the basic watercolor handling techniques that can speed up your process, loosen you up, and increase your success in capturing outdoor scenes.  Beginning and intermediate topics will be covered in the studio and outdoors in plein air.

There will be daily skill building exercises focusing on controlling paper moisture, mixtures,  and timing. Geoff’s demonstrations will review materials and show students how all these techniques flow together to “keep it fresh” while focusing on a variety of subject matter; coastal, landscape, and still-life.

Geoff’s daily demos will cover how to take your inspiration through a process of simplification while enhancing design dynamics, expression, defining light/ shadow, and creating atmosphere.  It all starts with practicing watercolor’s quartet of skills; values, shapes, color, and mark making.  Geoff will be following up individually with students to reinforce concepts and skills at their easel.

Day One and Two, In the Studio:

We will be starting with watercolor handling and learning how to read moisture in the paper in order to respond with a brush mixture and edge control. The class will focus on understanding a three value approach to applying watercolor layers and how drawing a preliminary sketch defining light and shade can loosen up your watercolors. There will be a total of three demonstrations on each day.

Day Three On Location TBD:

The morning demo will focus on coastal scene of atmosphere, reflections, and trees followed by a student painting session. The class will meet for a quick sharing of students’ work on site.