"I discovered this old Victorian mansion near the area that I live. Out of the many options to paint this subject, this particular vantage point and an early morning light effect was settled on. Both the light and shadow patterns created a dynamic design and enhanced the details of this unique Victorian mansion. I didn’t notice right away, but the subtle reflective light underneath the roof of the porch became a pleasant bonus to the whole scene. In addition, the flowered landscaping surrounding this subject worked as the perfect framing."

– Kenn Erroll Backhaus

"I came across this restaurant while driving near Santa Fe one afternoon. I could not believe my luck -- it was such a perfect scene for me, with dramatic light and long shadows. As I walked around taking photos from various angles, a red truck pulled up -- apparently employees, who were there to clean or prep. I never intended to include my little white rental car, but later when I reviewed the photos, I decided I liked including it as a foreground element in shadow, contrasting with the main subject of the painting in light. The red truck completed the scene perfectly."

– Timothy Horn

"Susanna and I were returning home one late afternoon after visiting our good friends, Libby and David Tolley. The way the light hit the barn was seductive and the scene burned itself into my mind. As it was private property, the next day I contacted Libby to see if she could arrange for me to paint the space. I met Libby there and sure enough, Sonny Avila was more than willing to permit me to work on his ranch. I painted Sonny Avila’s Barn in April of last year near Cayucos, California immersed in the excitement of open air."

– W. Truman Hosner

"It is a rugged and austere life on the outer peninsula of Point Reyes. Those who live and work here know a lifestyle that has been unchanged for many years. What they lack in city amenities they more than make up for in sheer beauty."

– Richard M. Humphrey

" Loleta Spring was painted in the small downtown area of where we live. I drive there daily to pick up mail from our PO Box, always observing and making mental notes of things I may want to paint. On one such visit, I looked over my shoulder to the east and saw this glorious late afternoon light after a day of early spring rain showers. The painting was started onsite, worked on in the studio, and then continued onsite."

– Jim McVicker

"Carole Rafferty is a contemporary California landscape painter who specializes in urban and architectural scenes. Her paintings portray her emotional response to the complex energy of city life. Through bold line and brush strokes and a vivid interplay of light and shadow, Rafferty’s paintings exhibit the vibrancy of the urban experience. The complexity of rendering a city is a constant inspiration, especially San Francisco where the light routinely changes—often within the space of a few seconds- from bright and vibrant colors to a spectrum of ethereal grays. These fleeting moments make the mood and atmosphere of San Francisco unmistakable and a great artistic challenge."

– Carole Rafferty

"The beauty and madness of plein air painting is the challenge of replicating light and space. This cannot be replicated through photos; one must be at a site. Yet, onsite, petty distractions try to sabotage your focus. So, why paint en plein air at all? Because that is where the light is."

– Gerald D. Rahm

"Remember embraces my love of pure color through a simplified application of paint to retain the essence of each color. By using unblended brush strokes, I leave the colors unaltered, almost like a mosaic of colored pieces of paint. This fractured application of color gives a more vivid rendition of my subject than I could achieve from blended brushwork. It is not my desire to move away from a realistic rendering, but to enhance my subject. For this reason, I keep my brush strokes small and adhere to value and perspective. From a distance, my work reads as realistic. Yet as one approaches my art, color and brushwork dominate."

– Sonya Terpening