Aaron Schuerr

Aaron is an internationally recognised plein air artist who works in pastel and oils. 

Livingston, Montana artist Aaron Schuerr has embarked on solo plein air painting treks across the Grand Canyon, over the Beartooth Mountains, and deep into the alpine wilderness areas of Montana and Colorado. He also makes regular trips to the coast, painting and teaching workshops in Maui and along the California coast.

He has been a guest on The Kelly Clarkson Show, interviewed about his plein air paintings. His work has been featured in publications as diverse as The Daily Telegraph, The Times of London, Bored Panda, My Modern Met, Southwest Art, Art of the West, Big Sky Journal, Western Art and Architecture and Plein Air Magazine. Schuerr is a frequent contributing writer to The Pastel Journal and The Artist Magazine and has penned a cover article for Plein Air Magazine. He was awarded “Best Pastel” for the 2022 Plein Air Salon for a coastal plein air pastel and has won numerous awards for the Laguna Beach Plein Air Painting Invitational, including The Seascape Award in 2023.  He is represented by The Legacy Gallery, Illume Gallery West, Montana Trails Gallery, and Huse/Skelly Fine Art Gallery. Schuerr resides in Livingston, Montana with his wife and three sons.

Master Class Information

Master Class No 1 – “Fresh and Direct Plein Air Pastel”

Thursday 25 & Friday 26 September 2025 (plein air)

Peel Region, Western Australia

From thumbnail sketches to finished painting, we will explore the possibilities of landscape painting. Learn to paint it in a way that is direct, simple, fresh, and honest. Engage in fun exercises designed to focus on value, color, and shape.  From that foundation, you’ll explore edges, atmospheric perspective, color and shape relationships, composition, and mood. We’ll talk about ways to get the most out of your colors. Most importantly you’ll learn to paint with greater intention.

Through demos, group discussions, composition walks, painting exercises, and plenty of individual instruction, you will learn to approach the landscape in enthusiasm and confidence.  We will focus on plein air painting, but we will explore strategies to plan studio paintings from plein air studies. This workshop is open to pastel and oil, but demos will be in pastel.

Two Days $440 

Register here

Includes Morning Tea, BYO lunch

Master Class No 2 – “Playful Exploration in Composition”  ALL MEDIUMS

Wednesday 24 September 2025 (plein air, near Mandurah)

Mandurah, Western Australia

Do you ever feel like you lose the sense of play and discovery in pushing to create a frame-worthy plein air painting? By pushing to the finish we can forget to enjoy the process.

This workshop is all about discovery. We’ll play with iterations- different versions of the same scene. You’ll experiment with different compositional options to find an approach that feels exciting and personal. We’ll strip back the finish and focus on the essentials- color harmony and design. Most importantly, we’ll find the fun in focusing on process over product.

This workshop is open to all mediums. All Aaron asks is that you come with a sense of humor and a willingness to experiment.

One Day $230

Register here

Includes Morning Tea, BYO lunch

Demonstration Information

Live Pastel Demonstration, Saturday 27th September, 1pm

How can you take a favourite plein air painting and plan a larger studio painting from it?

• What makes a strong composition?
• How is the preparatory drawing done?
• How are colour choices determined?

During Aaron Schuerr’s live theatre presentation, he will demonstrate how he begins his pastel painting, and the steps and techniques he uses to create a masterful artwork.

Registration $40

Mandurah Performing Arts Centre, Fishtrap Theatre

Register here

Note: Fully Registered Artists – DO NOT REGISTER as this is already included in your Access All Areas Pass.