Watercolor Classes

Dottie has been teaching watercolor painting in Boulder and beyond for more than 20 years. She loves encouraging students, as her first painting teacher did, to “be a slob,” “push the color,” and “treasure your accidents.” In sharing the tricks and techniques of watercolor, she aims to support students in facing their fears around painting, in playfully taking risks and experimenting with the media. (Yes, you can even erase it!) Painting is a constant dance of letting go and finding form; it is from this place that expressive and exciting paintings arise.

Classes
Dottie teaches watercolor painting classes in landscape, still-life, portrait, and summer garden painting, as well as an “In the Studio” painting group class, for beginners through advanced students.

Private and Semi-Private Classes
Dottie also teaches private and semi-private classes from her Make Room For Art Studio at 2881 21st Street for children, adolescents, and adults, mixed media. 1hr -2hr sessions, $55–$135.

Consultation Time
Bring your paintings and questions to my studio for some private or semi-private consultation time. Get feedback on finishing paintings, fixing paintings, the next step, etc. a general and specific problem-solving time. Cost: $45/half-hour, $75/hour.

Contact dottie@dottieoatman.com 303-641-8704 to get more information, and sign up on Dottie’s mailing list via this website to receive e-mail fliers about her classes.

Current Classes

2025 Summer Classes In Watercolor Painting

With Dottie Oatman

NEWSFLASH:

We are looking for a few more adventurous travelers for our “Painting Spain; Al-Andaluz.” trip. Discover and paint the cultural tapestry of Andalucia. September 28-October 7, 2025. We are going to Sevilla, Cadiz, Antequera, and Granada (the home of the Alhambra!) painting artist travel journals along the way. Contact me for more information and to register: dottie@dottieoatman.com

Follow me on Instagram and see my most recent paintings at dottieoatmanart.

2025 Summer Classes
In Watercolor Painting
With Dottie Oatman

1. PAINTING GARDEN TOUR _____________Tuesdays or Wednesdays • 9am-12:00pm
Plein Air Painting in a variety of gardens. Different facets of the garden and of watercolor painting will be explored and demonstrated each week in this outdoor painting class. Watch gardens go through their different phases, smell the flowers, hear the bees, see the butterflies and hummingbirds as you paint!
***Sign up in advance for those classes you can attend. Tuesdays - For seasoned painters but all levels welcome. Wednesdays -for more beginning Plein Air painters (but all levels welcome) as I will break down the many aspects of outdoor painting into sizeable “bites” for newer painters. Motivations, Demonstrations, Instruction, as usual. A list of garden locations and suggested materials and equipment will be sent out prior to the first class.

Tuesdays: June 17, 24, July 1, 8, 15, 22.. 9-12:00pm
Wednesdays: June 18, 25, July 2, 9, 16, 23.
Cost: $264 entire session or $44 per class. Sign up and pay in advance for those classes you can attend. (see registration below)

2. BEGINNING TWO ____________________Tuesdays 3-5:30. Studio 108
Following the Beginning classes, we will put into practice more of what we were learning and gain more experience with color mixing, texture making, creating shadows, hard and soft edges. A little bit of still life and some beginning landscape painting.
Tuesdays 3-5:30 • 5 classes • June 17, 24, July 1, 8, 15.
$220

3. STUDIO FRIDAYS_____________________Fridays 9-12:00. Studio 108
Come paint with others, bring your own subject matter, work on unfinished paintings, get feedback and help from me and peers, enjoy watercolor painting camaraderie! (I’ll be roaming around to help, in this studio class.) Class size limited. Some drop-in spots usually available.
Fridays 9-12:00• 5 classes• June 20, 27, (No class July 4,) July 11, 18, 25.
$44 per class or $40 per class if registering for all 5 classes in the session.

+++++DO NOT SEND PAYMENT Until you have e-mailed me and received a confirmation back from me via e-mail. BE SURE AND E-MAIL ME FIRST BEFORE SENDING IN YOUR PAYMENT TO MAKE SURE THERE IS SPACE IN THE CLASS YOU WOULD LIKE TO REGISTER FOR. THANKS!

**REGISTRATION** AND CANCELLATION POLICIES:

Please e-mail to register, dottie@dottieoatman.com and I will respond with availability filling classes on a first come, first serve basis. Your space is then reserved upon receipt of full payment for the class. (But be sure and e-mail me first to see if there is space!) Make checks out to Dottie Oatman and send to me at 2881 21st Street, Boulder, CO 80304. Or pay by Pay Pal (send to friends and family to avoid extra fees), via my e-mail address, or Venmo (also to avoid added fees, put something other than “painting classes” in the subject line—get creative!). @dottie-oatman, phone is 303-641-8704.

*****Sorry no refunds or make up classes available. (except sometimes, read below under Can’t do a full Session?) I’m too small an operation for that!

Can’t do a full session? Drop-in sometimes available—e-mail dates you are interested in and we’ll see what shakes out. No guarantees. Priority given to those registering for all classes in a session, but fill-in participants welcome and often able to find spaces. After classes have started, if you have reserved a spot in advance, and still have to miss it, there are no refunds, but you may be able to make up a missed class in another class going on, space available.