Plein Air with Barbara Nell

Outdoor Painting: Join Our Plein Air Workshop

Southern Highlands | Plein Air | Barbara Nell

Discover the unique magic of the Southern Highlands water systems—an experience no camera lens can capture. Standing at Fitzroy Falls Reservoir, watching the wind ripple the water as the sky shifts from morning gold to afternoon blue, offers a powerful lesson in light and atmosphere.

To truly master landscape art, you cannot rely on a flat studio photograph. You have to stand within the environment. Join our upcoming Plein Air course, step outside the studio, and learn to paint directly from nature.

This season, you have an exclusive opportunity to do exactly that. Join renowned artist and technical mentor Barbara Nell for an unforgettable, immersive Plein Air Multimedia Adventure right on the picturesque, accessible banks of the Fitzroy Falls Reservoir (Zone C, Myra Vale Road, Southern Highlands).

👉 [Click Here to Secure Your Easel Now]

Along the foreshores of Fitzroy Falls Reservoir

Master the Art of the Single Session: Outdoor painting naturally teaches you to practice alla prima—the rewarding technique of completing an entire artwork in a single, fast-paced session before the daylight shifts.

What Exactly is "En Plein Air"?

En plein air is a beautiful French expression that translates literally to "in the open air." It describes the historical and deeply meditative practice of painting landscapes directly outdoors in natural light.

Popularised by 19th-century French Impressionists like Monet and Renoir—who were suddenly liberated by the invention of portable metal paint tubes—this movement shifted art away from stiff, calculated studio arrangements. Instead, it became a thrilling race against the sun to capture fleeting moments, atmospheric conditions, and the changing qualities of light.

When you paint outdoors, you practice alla prima (completing a work in a single, fast-paced session), which sharpens your observation skills, deepens your connection with nature, and unlocks rapid, instinctive decision-making.

Barbara Nell | Plein Air Kit

Welcome everyone, from absolute beginners holding a sketch pencil for the first time to established studio artists looking to expand their technical horizons.

An Inclusive Space: All Mediums & Skill Levels Welcome

This workshop changes that narrative completely. Held at the highly accessible General Public Use Area (Zone C) off Myra Vale Road, this adventure features flat ground, tar-sealed roads right to the site, picnic tables, and public amenities.

It is purposefully designed to welcome everyone, from absolute beginners holding a sketch pencil for the first time to established studio artists looking to expand their technical horizons.

While Barbara Nell will be working primarily in her specialty medium of oil paints—offering master-level technical advice on mixing, mediums, and handling oils in the wild—students are strongly encouraged to bring whatever medium they are most comfortable using.

Whether your passion is watercolour, acrylics, soft pastels, charcoal, or multimedia sketch journaling, Barbara’s guidance will focus on universal, core artistic laws: mastering structural composition, establishing accurate tonal values, capturing water reflections, and translating raw nature into a cohesive artistic voice.

Every artist reaches a point where studio walls can feel limiting. This workshop isn't just an art class; it's a sensory reboot. It’s an opportunity to breathe in the fresh air, listen to the water, and translate the energy of the highlands onto your canvas under the warm guidance of an exceptional technical mentor.

Spaces are strictly limited to ensure an intimate, high-quality learning environment.

• Location: Studio meeting first, followed by Fitzroy Falls Reservoir (Zone C)

• Date: Saturday 27 June 2026

• Time: 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM

• Investment: $120

• 
  

👉 [Click Here to Secure Your Easel Now]