The Art of Quiet Light: Painting the Mood of Borrego in Oils with Ellen Howard
Location:
Studio West
587 Palm Canyon Drive, suite 208
Borrego Springs, CA
DATE & TIME:
February 25, 26, and 27, 2027
Thursday, Friday, and Saturday
from 9:00 AM – 3:30 PM
Price:
Members: $450
Non-Members: $500
DESCRIPTION:
There is a quiet beauty to the Borrego landscape—one that doesn’t announce itself, but reveals itself slowly. Soft transitions of light across the desert floor, distant mountains dissolving into the atmosphere, and a stillness that invites you to look longer.
In this oil painting workshop, we will explore how to capture not just what we see, but what we feel.
Drawing on my experiences participating in the Borrego Springs Invitational and returning
This year, I’ll guide students through a process that emphasizes:
- Seeing subtle value relationships that create depth and calm
- Understanding atmospheric perspective in the desert environment
- Simplifying the landscape to express mood over detail
- Using color temperature and harmony to evoke light and time of day
- Designing strong compositions rooted in quiet intention
Through demonstrations, guided painting time, and individualized instruction, students will learn how to translate the understated elegance of Borrego into paintings that feel both grounded and expressive.
This workshop is ideal for painters who want to move beyond recording a scene and toward creating work that carries a sense of presence, stillness, and emotional resonance.
Whether you are new to oils or looking to deepen your approach, you’ll leave with a stronger understanding of how to paint the desert—not just as a place, but as an experience.
RECOMMENDED MATERIALS LIST:
12 Student Maximum
INSTRUCTOR BIO:
Ellen Howard is a nationally recognized impressionist landscape painter whose work explores the fleeting effects of light, atmosphere, and color. Working primarily in oils and gouache, she is especially drawn to the quiet beauty and expansive light of the Western landscape.
Ellen returns to Borrego Springs for her third appearance as an invited artist in the Borrego Springs Plein Air Invitational and will return for her second year as a Featured Artist for California Desert Plein Air. She has taught workshops throughout the United States and internationally and has served three times as faculty for the Plein Air Convention & Expo. Her work has been featured in national publications and exhibitions, including the California Art Club’s Annual Gold Medal Exhibition.
Ellen serves as Vice President of the California Art Club and is a contributing writer for Plein Air Magazine. She is represented by Carmel Fine Art in Carmel-by-the-Sea and Holton Studio Gallery in Berkely, CA. Through her painting and teaching, Ellen encourages artists to move beyond simply recording a scene to capture the light, atmosphere, and emotional character that make a place memorable. She also writes a widely read monthly newsletter, The Art of…, where she shares insights on painting, the creative process, and finding inspiration in the natural world.
REGISTRATION:
Please register in advance for this workshop.
Class may be cancelled due to low enrollment.
To become a Borrego Art Institute member click HERE