Last week, some of the top watercolor artists in the world gathered in Reno and Lake Tahoe to share their best plein air painting advice with hundreds of outdoor painters of all skill levels at the 2025 Plein Air Convention & Expo (PACE)! Among the painters demonstrating their processes, there was an impressive contingent from Australia, including the incomparable Joseph Zbukvic (who also held a pre-convention watercolor workshop), Lisa Wang, and Barbara Tapp. Amit Kapoor represented India, and Harsh Agrawal joined us from London. Also on hand were top U.S. artists Tim Oliver, Geoff Allen, Frank Eber, Richie Vios, and Steve Mitchell.
Sharing their best tips and techniques for painting watercolors outdoors — with specific advice for capturing the unique light and scenery of Reno and Lake Tahoe, the amazing lineup of faculty kept the artists busy from early morning til late afternoon when it was time to head out to one of our inspiring paint out sites that included the Truckee Riverwalk in Downtown Reno; Virginia City, Nevada; and the Stampede Reservoir in Tahoe National Forest, California.
At the end of the week, faculty and attendees put all their techniques into practice as they painted side by side for an entire day at Sand Harbor, Lake Tahoe.
And we’re doing it all again next year — May 14-18, 2026 — in the Ozarks! Thomas W. Schaller, Xi Guo, and Brienne Brown will be there; will you?
Can’t wait that long, or want to learn some new skills before hitting the Ozarks in person? Join us for Watercolor Live in January 2026!
