Photo by Blanca Begert.

Beyond the beneficial environmental functions of trees—they help clear air pollution and their shade mitigates heat island effects—their many visual attributes, including their various gestural personalities, textured barks, and contrasting heights, masses, and colors, provide almost limitless possibilities as painting subjects, whether you choose close-up views of their roots or trunks or wider landscape views that include deeper space. This three-week class is taught studio-style, with individual instruction, and a group critique and discussion at the end.