SOCALPAPA EDUCATION COMMITTEE
2-DAY PLEIN AIR PAINTING WORKSHOP
ARTIST/EDUCATOR: SCOTT W. PRIOR
DATES: April 11-12, 2026
9:00am – 4pm, both days
LOCATION: Upper Lake and Boathouse, Irvine Regional Park, Orange, CA
AMENITIES: Parking lots I, H, W, V, J, T, bathrooms, food and drink concessions nearby
ARTIST’S ASSISTANT:Francis DiFronzo
ENROLLMENT: Limited to 15 students
COST: $250 per person
REGISTER NOW
WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION
This two-day, plein air painting workshop will include a painting demonstration by Mr. Prior, group critiques and extensive one-on-one instruction between each student and Mr. Prior. This workshop is intended for plein air painters of all skill and experience levels working in oil, acrylic, watercolor and pastel.
ABOUT THE ARTIST/EDUCATOR
Scott W. Prior is an award-winning oil painter and Southern California native. He holds a BFA from The Academy of Art University in San Francisco and is Signature Member of the California Art Club and Laguna Plein Air Painters Association. Mr. Prior has exhibited nationally, including shows at the Pasadena Museum of California Art, Frederick Weisman Museum of Art, Academy Art Museum in Easton, MD, Autry Museum of the West, Bowers Museum, Langson Orange County Museum of Art, Irvine, and the Hilbert Museum.
LOCATION
The workshop will be conducted at the Irvine Regional Park in Orange, CA, near the Upper Lake and the Boathouse areas of the park.
PARKING is at lots I, H, W, V, J, T
AMENITIES: There are many good places to paint with easy access to bathrooms, plus there are food and drink concessions nearby
location Mr. Prior has chosen to conduct his workshop within Irvine Regional Park provides a unique opportunity for SOCALPAPA to recruit new members and gain visibility within our community. The Boathouse and Upper Lake of Irvine Regional Park are heavily trafficked and are high visibility locations. It is anticipated that this workshop will draw a lot of attention from bystanders and represents an excellent opportunity to promote SOCALPAPA to our community.
GOALS FOR SOCALPAPA MEMBERS
The SOCALPAPA Education Committee strives to expand upon and elevate its successful workshop program to include courses aimed at experienced member artists. As our first Master’s Series Workshop educator, Mr. Prior offers our members the opportunity to learn from a true California master.
Mr. Prior’s accomplishments as an artist mirror the respect he has garnered from his peers. Mr. Prior’s workshop will attract artists from around Southern California and will begin to establish SOCALPAPA’s workshop program as the best in Southern California.
LOCATION
The location Mr. Prior has chosen to conduct his workshop within Irvine Regional Park provides a unique opportunity for SOCALPAPA to recruit new members and gain visibility within our community. The Boathouse and Upper Lake of Irvine Regional Park are heavily trafficked and are high visibility locations. It is anticipated that this workshop will draw a lot of attention from bystanders and represents an excellent opportunity to promote SOCALPAPA to our community.
DETAILED WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION
DAY ONE (7 hours) Morning Meeting and Demonstration
The workshop will begin with a group meeting near the boathouse and a detailed review of the weekend-long workshop.
Mr. Prior will then begin his painting demonstration which will continue until noon. Students will take a lunch break and then select their painting locations around the Upper Lake and Boathouse.
Painting in the Afternoon
Through the remainder of the afternoon, Mr. Prior will work one-on-one with each student, advising and assisting them as they begin their paintings.
Day One will conclude with a brief group meeting.
DAY TWO (7 hours) Morning Meeting and Painting
Students will meet as a group with Mr. Prior and review their work goals and plan for the day.
Lunch and Critiques
During lunch, students will gather with Mr. Prior and conduct a brief group critique of their work up to that point.
Afternoon Painting
Students will resume painting at their selected locations around the Upper Lake and Boathouse. Mr. Prior will continue working with each student on a one-on-one basis for the remainder of the afternoon.
Day Two will conclude with a brief group meeting and review of each student’s accomplishments.
REGISTER NOW