David Savellano Plein Air Workshop
David Savellano
David Savellano is a California native who worked as an architect for 40 years and now paints full-time. He admits that he’s a plein-air artist at heart. “The outdoors is my studio,” he concedes. He is best known for his fresh, vibrant scenes that capture everyday life in San Francisco’s colorful neighborhoods—morning deliveries in Chinatown, market day at the Embarcadero, midnight in the Mission, a sidewalk café in the Castro.
His loose, spontaneous brushwork captures not only iconic sections of Bay Area but also the dramatic light-and-shadow effects he seeks out. “I like capturing the mood of neighborhoods,” Savellano says. “Every subject or location has something special about it. It could be the light and shadows that create the drama that is irresistible to me—or something else entirely.”
April 16 and 17, 2026
9 am – 3 pm each day
Sacramento Fine Arts Center, 5330 Gibbons Drive, Carmichael, CA, 95608
About the Workshop
Skill level: Open to all levels, although artists with at least some basic plein air painting experience will benefit most.
In this plein air workshop David will share his methods for mastering watercolor timing—knowing when the paper is wet enough but not too wet, or when it’s the right moment to add the next wash and mixing colors directly on the paper, so that they melt into one another. We will begin with a half-day demonstration in the SFAC studio and then move to a nearby location (TBD). The second day will be entirely on location and wrap up with a critique of your work. Students will receive personalized feedback and tips tailored to your skill level, helping you develop your own voice in watercolor.
Class size is limited, so we kindly request that you sign up as early as possible. Please take a moment to review our cancellation policy below.
The Fine Print:
- Registrations are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis
- Payment is due in full upon registration.
- Students will receive a registration confirmation letter by email within one (1) week after their check is received.
- You are considered fully enrolled once you have paid in full.
If you need to cancel:
- Cancellations made forty-five (45) days before the first day of class receive a full refund, less a 15% processing fee. To receive the refund, a written notification must be received forty-five (45) days or more before the beginning of the workshop to [email protected]. You will receive a cancellation confirmation email once your cancellation has been processed.
- Any cancellations made less than 45 days in advance of the first day will receive no refund.
