Plein Air for Members George Ranch Frontier Days
Coordinator: Alla Adams
Date: November 12, 13, or 14, 2026
On: Thursday, Friday, or Saturday
Time: 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM Thursday & Friday; 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Saturday
Location: George Ranch Historical Park 10215 FM 762 Rd, Richmond, TX 77469
Members: Free
Step Back in Time with Your Watercolors!
What an exciting opportunity for our WAS-H Plein Air artists! We have been invited to a three-day paintout at the historic George Ranch, where the charm of 1930s Texas comes alive! Imagine setting up your easel amid picturesque ranch buildings, rustic fences, sprawling landscapes, and timeless scenes of Texas heritage. From weathered architectural details to the beautiful interplay of sunlight and shadows, this historic setting promises endless inspiration for watercolor artists. Bring your brushes, capture the spirit of the Old West, and enjoy wonderful day(s) of painting and creativity!
Let's turn a little Texas history into beautiful watercolor memories!
Choose which days/times you are attending on check-out. Entrance to George Ranch is free and we are part of their Frontier Days event. Plan to paint and talk to visitors and answer questions about WAS-H. You may offer your works for sale. You must fill out and return the Volunteer Agreement in order to participate. Return completed form to admin@watercolorhouston.org
The George Ranch Volunteer Agreement (pdf) or (docx)
Free Lunch is provided by George Ranch if you register before Oct. 28. Since Saturday is divided you may not get free lunch that day. There will also be food vendors there. George Ranch requests that we wear a white shirt and jeans. WAS-H will provide art aprons to wear so that we blend in with their festivities.
Frontier Days Event: Along with our regular historic house tours, guests will explore a pioneer village, discover a cowboy cookout on the cattle drive trail, contribute to the farm life of a sharecropper and learn about the lives of soldiers during WWII. The Ranch will host costumed volunteers and re-enactors representing more than 100 years of Texas history. In addition, there will be hands-on activities, live entertainment, games, and more.
Frontier Days is our biggest living history event of the year. You don’t want to miss it!
Link to Information about George Ranch Frontier Days
Our Plein Air Motto: Progress over Perfection
This plein air event will focus on capturing the rustic charm of the historic ranch and the beauty of its surrounding countryside.
Class Type: Meet Up-No Instruction
Plan for walking and carrying supplies to get to painting area. They request we are setup by 8 AM and that someone is there for the advertised times to talk to guests.
Additional information is emailed to those who register.
Below are a few helpful YouTube video demos you can practice with at home before attending the event on location. I typically watch the full demonstration first to understand the process and take notes on key techniques. Then, I replay the video and paint along with it. One of the things I appreciate most about YouTube demos is the flexibility - they can be paused or rewound, allowing me to learn and paint at my own pace.
I hope you enjoy practicing in advance and are excited about our topic – painting a building in a cityscape in Plein Air!
Watercolor Tutorial “Farm House 2” by Rick Surowicz
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qb7RZ7MwQkU
Watercolor Tutorial Western, Cowboy for Beginners by John Box Art
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYYN6kIQ8Jw
Cattle and Cowboys by Tina Schmidt
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUcuWDNrKjE
Capturing the Beauty of Old French Buildings: Plein Air Watercolor Painting Demo by Tim Wilmot
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvRHj3hHlJI
Venice Travel Plein Air Watercolor Painting Demo: Renaissance Building Façade by Ina Xi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzIPip5uer0
This Is the Best Way to Paint Buildings by Robert Mee
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GugmXDPiiA4
How to Draw Perspective – A Simple Guide and Sketching Tutorial by Toby at Sketch Loose
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vs9f9shBpNI
How to Paint Architecture in Watercolor Loose Style – Painting Light and Mood by Nina Volk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKzkitSEUro
View Supply List
️Detailed Event Description
