Painting Beyond the View:
Capturing the Light, Atmosphere
& Spirit of Carmel
Instructor: Ellen Howard
Medium: Oil Painting (Plein Air)
Dates: May 5–7, 2027
Class times: 9:00–4:00
Tuition: $650
Class Size: 16
Location: Carmel Area
Materials List
For more than a century, artists have been drawn to Carmel by its extraordinary light, dramatic coastline, rolling hills, and ever-changing atmosphere. While the scenery is undeniably beautiful, the true challenge—and reward—is learning to paint beyond what we see and capture the feeling of a place.
In this three-day plein air workshop, nationally recognized artist and instructor Ellen Howard will help students simplify the landscape. She will also help them strengthen their compositions and create paintings that emphasize light, atmosphere, and emotional connection. Through daily demonstrations, individual instruction, and one-on-one critiques, students will learn how to organize values and develop harmonious color relationships. In addition, they will create depth through atmospheric perspective and make more confident design decisions. Rather than simply recording the landscape, students will learn how to interpret it.
Ellen’s Field Guide
Each participant will also receive Ellen’s Field Guide to Painting Carmel, created especially for the workshop. The guide will introduce several of Carmel’s most influential painters—including Edgar Payne, William Ritschel, Percy Gray, Armin Hansen, Francis McComas, Mary DeNeale Morgan and E. Charlton Fortune. It will also explore how these artists approached light, composition, atmosphere, and the distinctive California landscape. Small reproductions and painting notes will help students connect Carmel’s rich artistic history to the work they create during the workshop.
Whether you’re new to plein air painting or looking to strengthen your personal vision, this workshop will help you see the Carmel landscape with fresh eyes and leave with practical tools you can continue to use long after the workshop ends.
What You’ll Learn
- How to simplify complex coastal scenes into strong value patterns.
- Understanding Carmel’s unique coastal light and atmospheric conditions.
- Creating mood through color harmony and edge control.
- Seeing shapes and value masses rather than individual objects.
- Knowing when to edit, simplify, and leave things out.
- Learning from the historical Carmel painters while developing your own unique voice.
- Making stronger compositional decisions in the field.
BIO
For more than three decades, nationally recognized landscape painter Ellen Howard has explored the California landscape in search of the fleeting moments of light, atmosphere, and quiet beauty that define a place. Working primarily in oils and gouache, her paintings celebrate the California coast and the American West. They also celebrate the quiet beauty found in the landscapes that inspire reflection, connection, and a deeper appreciation for the natural world.
Having spent much of her career painting throughout California, Ellen has developed a deep appreciation for the state’s rich plein air tradition. She is represented by Carmel Fine Art in Carmel-by-the-Sea, where her work continues the legacy of artists who have long been drawn to the Monterey Peninsula’s extraordinary light and atmosphere. Moreover, her years of painting along the Monterey Peninsula have given her a deep appreciation for the unique coastal light that inspired generations of California painters, including Edgar Payne, William Ritschel, Percy Gray, and Armin Hansen.
A passionate educator, Ellen has taught workshops throughout the United States and internationally, including the French Alps and Spain, and has served multiple times as faculty for the Plein Air Convention. She is a guest writer for PleinAir Magazine, where she explores the intersection of painting, art history, and the creative process. Ellen currently serves as Vice President of the California Art Club. In this role, she has helped promote California’s historic plein air tradition for more than a decade through educational programming, artist outreach, and initiatives that support the preservation of traditional fine art.
Ellen believes that painting is more than simply recording a scene—it is about interpreting the feeling, light, and atmosphere that make a place memorable. She believes the greatest challenge in plein air painting isn’t simply learning how to paint—it’s learning how to truly see. Her workshops combine practical instruction with insights into California’s historic painters. As a result, she helps students create paintings that capture not only the landscape, but its atmosphere, mood, and spirit.
