Plein air painting classes with artist Jan Prisco offered at Allied Arts Guild

Portola Art Gallery artist Jan Prisco will offer weekly pastel plein air painting classes at Allied Arts Guild on Wednesday afternoons from 1:30-4:15 pm, starting April 17 and running through August.

Beginning and intermediate pastel painters are welcome, along with watercolor painters. Classes will be limited to six painters per class to ensure individual attention. The cost will be $30 per class, or $100 for a four-class bundle. To sign up or get more information, contact Jan at (65) 341.9519 or jan_prisco@yahoo.com.

Pastels provide a natural medium for plein air painting due to their immediacy and their vibrancy of color. Allied Arts Guild is among the most beautiful and historic spots on the San Francisco peninsula, and artists will enjoy painting both the gardens and the buildings.

Classes will cover valuable pastel tools for success, including hard pastel, soft pastel and watercolor underpainting, as well as the importance of sketches and value studies in order to create a solid composition prior to beginning a painting. Watercolor painters who wish to learn to apply pastel on top of their watercolor paintings are welcomed.

Jan Prisco, of San Mateo, works primarily in pastel and oils. In portraiture, her goal is to capture the likeness and vitality of those she paints by studying and capturing the gesture, reflection of light, facial expression and color. When painting landscapes, Jan works toward capturing the mood and light of the spot she is painting.

Winter Fog Approaching, SF Baylands, oil on canvas by Jan Prisco