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

2026 Summer Classes In Watercolor Painting

With Dottie Oatman

NEWSFLASH: •

• “Painting Morocco: trip, September 28-October 8, 2026. The continuation of exploring this part of the world, Spain, and now Morocco, which we've been doing for the past 10 years. Led by myself and Salli Gutierrez, we will travel to Morocco with a native guide, view and experience its unique culture, colors and landscape, while creating our own art travel journals along the way. The exotic, visual beauty of this country will be a perfect subject for painting. e-mail me if you are interested in receiving more information!

* Painting Mexico—-March 15-25, 2027. Start planning! and let me know if you are interested and i’ll put you on the “get more info” list.

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

2026 Summer Classes
In Watercolor Painting
With Dottie Oatman

1. Tuesdays or Wednesdays • Garden Painting Tour • 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 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.
Dates:Tuesdays: June 16, 23, 30, July 7, 14, 21. 9-12:00pm
Wednesdays: June 17, 24, July 1, 8, 15, 22.
Cost: $44 per class. Sign up and pay in advance for those classes you can attend. (see registration below)

2. Beginning Watercolor!
Tuesday afternoons. 3:00-5:00pm At Studio 108.
I teach a series of 4 classes for beginners, materials included, where you will learn about color mixing, brush handling, texture creating, washes, hard and soft edges, etc. all the stuff you need to get started in Watercolor Painting. No experience necessary and I focus on making it FUN, experimental, greatly reducing the fear factor of painting. Materials provided.
4 classes: June 23, 30, July 7, 14.
Cost: $200, includes all materials.

3. Studio Fridays___________________________FRIDAYS 9-12:00. Studio 108
Friday mornings: Studio Fridays: • 9:00-12:00pm at Studio 108. Bring your own subject matter and work independently in a supportive painting group atmosphere with individual instruction. Work at your own pace, and get individual feedback from instructor (and group!). Class size limited to 8 participants.
Dates: 5 classes. June 17, 24, (no class July 8), July 15, 22, 29.
Cost: $40 per class or $35 per class if paying for entire session. Drop-in available—-Sign up for the classes you can attend.
•8 classes: June 5, 12, 19, 26, July 3, 10, 17, 24.
$44 per class you can attend or $40 per class if registering for all 8 classes in the session. ($320). Class size limited....

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+++++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.