Upcoming Workshops & Retreats

Below you can find all upcoming workshops for 2026-2027

Workshop and Retreat Cancelation Policy

Private Consultations

Need something a little more specific? Or just want help guiding you through the next phase of your art journey? We can do that. By signing up for a consultation you’ll be able to tailor exactly what you are seeking whether it’s technique questions on how to be a better painter or how to get your art up out there and making money.

Private consultations are available in single sessions and packets of 5 and 10.

Learn More

“Amanda is an amazing artist with a wealth of knowledge, and shares information in an articulate, organized way as well as offers illuminating demos. But beyond “teaching art,” she is great at creating a supportive atmosphere for CREATING—where it is safe to enter that vulnerable space of not knowing with curiosity and playfulness, and where feedback on our work doesn’t feel like judgment but rather as kind insight to nurture our growth. I left the class inspired to create more, to learn more, and to see where my artistic journey leads me. That feels like quite a gift, and for that I am grateful.”

— Christine U.

Bike, Barge & Paint Through Impressionist France

September 22 - 29, 2026 (France)

THIS TRIP IS SOLD OUT

Spend 7 days with me traveling through impressionist France by bike and barge. Trace the shimmering curves of the Seine and the quiet poetry of the Oise, painting your own impressions where Monet, Morisot, Pissarro, and Van Gogh once stood. Travel by bicycle along riverside trails and off-the-beaten pathways, while our boutique barge glides ahead to hold your comfort and logistics, leaving you free to create.

Learn More

Supplies List

“Amanda is quite possibly the best art teacher out there. She is a rock star in the art world and when you take her class her brilliant star dust will fall onto you and into your soul and inspire your own inner rock star status all from the convenience of your own home. Divine Inspiration!”

— Ann F.

Plein Air Painting in Oregon Wine Country

October 22-25, 2026 (Cornelius, OR)

Nestled in the foothills of Oregon's Willamette Valley, Amanda's studio overlooks vineyards and valleys from all views. Join her 4 day plein air workshop to capture the "peak week" of harvest colors in her own back yard. Different from the typical 9-5 plein air workshops, when Amanda goes outside, she gets serious about the light. That means not painting at noon. "The best light is at the edges of our day when the light is most dramatic and the shadows are long". With two sessions each day, a morning session and an evening session, Amanda will demo how to capture the light, color and glory of some of Oregon's best pinot noir views.

Learn More & Sign Up

Supplies List

“Thank you Amanda for sharing your passion! I was one of those teary students, now feeling energized, liberated and inspired to paint. I haven't fully unpacked all that I gleaned from the workshop but I have set up half a dozen gessoed boards, ready to go! You have a gift for teaching and I am forever grateful I was able to take your class! Thank you for helping me find my voice.”

— Kim S.

Painting into the Glow

December 2-4, 2026 (Cole Gallery - Edmonds, WA)

In this workshop, I invite you to explore how paintings become luminous, not through force, but through sensitivity. Rather than relying on high contrast alone, we’ll look at the quieter mechanics of light, subtle temperature shifts, transparency, and nuanced edge relationships that allow a painting to feel radiant from within. Through thoughtful design and restrained transitions, light begins to emerge naturally, creating atmosphere, depth, and emotional resonance.

We’ll also explore contre-jour painting, working directly into the source of light, where form softens, edges dissolve, and illusion deepens. This approach encourages a more refined way of seeing, where glow is not added, but gently revealed.

Learn More & Sign Up

““Amanda provides a plethora of information backed with examples of work to reinforce her discussions and methods. She is articulate and engaging but most of all encouraging and complimentary.”

— Mary C.

Creativity Retreat in Oaxaca, Mexico

March 11-19, 2027

This creative and cultural retreat includes seven days of plein air painting in and around awe-inspiring Oaxaca City, morning movement, art classes, creative exercises, and demonstrations at our beautiful private colonial home in centro. We’ll explore artisan villages, Zapotec ruins, open-air markets, and Oaxaca’s celebrated gastronomy, with a traditional cooking class and new this year - a special cacao workshop.

Steeped in the warmth, beauty, and vibrant culture of Oaxaca, this intimate small-group retreat offers plenty of one-on-one instruction and space to develop your own creative practice. I’ll be demonstrating in pastel, but all mediums are welcome!

Learn more & sign up

“It was the best, most fun and informative workshop I’ve ever attended, and I’ve attended a lot of them!”

— Vicky J.

Art of Interpretation;
A Four-Day Journey Beyond Observation

April 29 - May 2, 2027 (Cole Gallery - Edmonds, WA)

What separates a painting from a photograph is interpretation.

This workshop is about learning how to turn a landscape reference into a painting that feels personal and expressive. Students will explore how to use design, value, color, edges, and atmosphere to simplify what they see and communicate what drew them to the subject. The focus is on developing confidence, trusting your instincts, and creating paintings that reflect your own artistic voice rather than simply copying a photograph.

The goal is not to paint a place, but to paint your experience of it.

More info and registration coming soon!

“Amanda is an extraordinarily engaging teacher! She goes the extra mile. She’s very organized, stating the objectives clearly, she is able to explain compositions, techniques and demonstrations that are useful. In a class of 14 people, she was able to move around the room and assist everyone, at their different level of experience with their particular needs in a kind and low pressure environment. I am thrilled to study with her again.”

— Sheila M.

The Poetry of Place: Painting the Soul of Sicily

Marsala, Sicily, Italy

September 19 - 25, 2027

What separates a painting from a photograph is interpretation.

Join me in Sicily for a workshop exploring what separates a painting from a photograph: interpretation.

Using the landscape as our starting point, we’ll explore design, value, color, edges, and atmosphere to create work that is personal, expressive, and uniquely your own. Through guided exercises and longer painting sessions, you’ll learn to trust your instincts, simplify complexity, and paint not just a place, but your experience of it.

Learn more & sign up

Painting the Beauty of Shadows

Nov 5-7, 2027 (Oregon Arts Centre, Portland, OR)

The secret to painting radiant light lies in understanding its opposite—the shadows. In this immersive pastel workshop (open to all mediums), artist and instructor Amanda Houston will guide you in exploring the beauty, depth, and mystery found in the darker side of every composition. Through live demonstrations, guided exercises, and individual feedback, you'll learn how to create luminous light effects by studying the temperature shifts, edges, and color relationships that make shadows come alive. Amanda brings her seasoned experience teaching across three continents and her deep passion for helping artists paint with greater sensitivity and awareness. Whether you work in pastel, oil, acrylic, or gouache, you'll gain practical tools to elevate your understanding of value, color, and form— while also exploring the symbolic "shadow work" that fuels authentic creative expression. Begin the year grounded, inspired, and ready to let your light shine brighter through The Beauty of Shadows.

More info and registration coming soon!

Past Workshops

  • Diving Deep into Process, Design & Your Voice (Aug 25-28, 2026)

  • Crimson Clover Plein Air Paint Out (May 11-12, 2026)

  • Oaxaca Creativity Retreat, México (Feb 3-10, 2026)

  • Painting the Beauty of Shadows (January 16-18, 2026)

    Painting the Beauty of Shadows (January 16-18, 2026)

  • Plein Air Retreat in Oregon Wine Country (Oct 23-26, 2025)

  • Creativity Retreat in Cinque Terre Italy (Sept 27 - Oct 4, 2025)

  • Diving Deep into Process, Design & Your Voice (June 24 - 27, 2025)

  • Skies & Water (June 6-8, 2025)

  • PACE Plein Air Convention & Expo (May 19-23, 2025)

  • Bird Gestures (April 17-18, 2025)

  • Creativity Retreat in Oaxaca (January 13-17, 2025)

  • Deep Dive Into Process (August 20-23, 2024)

  • Discovering Your Voice With Skies (Mar. 1-3, 2024)

  • Creativity Retreat in Oaxaca (Jan. 21-26, 2024)

  • Creativity Retreat in Oaxaca (Jan. 13-17, 2024)

  • Diving Deep Into Process: Design & Your Voice (Oct. 4-6, 2023)

  • Creativity Retreat in the San Juan Islands (Jul. 17-20, 2023)

  • Bird Gestures (Jun. 21-22, 2023)

  • Discovering Your Voice With Skies (April 14-16, 2023)

  • Creativity Retreat in Oaxaca, Mexico (Jan. 19-24, 2023)

  • Luscious Landscapes: From Plein Air to Studio (Aug. 12-14, 2022)

  • Creativity Retreat in the San Juan Islands (Jul. 21-24, 2022)

  • Discovering Your Voice With Skies (Feb. 26, 2022)

  • Bird Gestures (Feb. 8, 2022)

  • Passion to Profit (Feb. 5, 2022)

  • Creativity Retreat in Oaxaca (Jan. 17-21, 2022)

  • Plein Air Retreat in Oregon Wine Country (Oct. 9-11, 2021)

  • Creativity Retreat in the San Juan Islands (Jul. 20-23, 2021)

  • Plein Air in Amanda's Garden (Apr.-May, 2021)

  • Becoming A Better Painter (May 1, 2021)

  • Passion to Profit (Mar. 13, 2021)

  • Bird Gestures (Mar. 6, 2021)

  • Hopeful Skies (Feb. 2021)

  • Discovering Your Voice with Skies and Reflections (Feb 27-Mar 1, 2026)