Celebrating the Heritage and Practices of Traditional Fine Arts Worldwide
July 9 - September 10, 2023 Bowers Museum, 2002 N. Main St, Santa Ana, California 92706
This expansive showcase of almost 200 paintings and sculptures is selected from hundreds of entries submitted by current qualified California Art Club members for review by a panel of art experts and leading artists. The final collection spotlights today’s most exemplary works by both renowned and up-and-coming artists.
Christopher Slatoff and Elisabeth Frederickson Pollnow
Johanna Spinks
Phil Starke
Alexey Steele
William Stout
Paul Strahm
Otto Stürcke
Brenda Swenson
Carol Tarzier
Sonya Terpening
Donald Towns
Cathryne Trachok
London Vale
Jordan Walker
Jove Wang
Kun Wang
Yi Wang
Anne Ward
Durre Waseem
Ralph Waterhouse
Marilyn Wear
Sharon Weaver
Yun Wei
Yun Wei
Mary Kay West
Mary Kay West
Kirsten Whalen
Mason Williams
Wendy Wirth
Jeff Yeomans
Lin Zheng
Xiaolong Zhou
Ni Zhu
Peter Adams
Paschal Glory; Russian Orthodox Church, Hollywood
Oil on panel, 30" x 24", $25,000
Easter service at the Russian Orthodox Church is always a beautiful and uplifting experience. The display of an arcade of thousands of fresh flowers surrounding the icon of the resurrection symbolizes rebirth and the beginning of a new age. There is a sense of hope and peace.
Having grown up on the Chesapeake Bay, I'm constantly drawn to the ocean to paint. Few things in nature present a challenge to paint that includes not just ever-changing color and light but motion and sound. It's often daunting and elusive. But that's what makes it worth the effort to capture it.
On this particularly still Pacific Grove morning I caught the sunrise and was overwhelmed by the atmosphere, cool and warm hues, high contrast, shapes and calm waters. A plein air study for composition and color was a precursor to this studio piece. The California coast is truly a treasure.
– Rebecca Arguello
John Asaro
Romeo and Juliet Ballet
Oil on canvas, 52" x 44", $18,000
Being a lover of classical music—listening to the music of the Romeo and Juliet ballet by the composer Sergei Prokofiev—inspired me to create this painting. This is the part at the end of the ballet, surrounded by candles, when Romeo discovers the lifeless body of Juliet.
This piece was painted on location in Malibu. It was all about chasing those waves and capturing the atmosphere, things which still feel incredibly new and exciting to me. As a Denver artist, I'm grateful for every chance I get to visit and paint the California coast.
– Anna Rose Bain
Echo Baker
Umbrella Man
Oil on linen panel, 12" x 16", $1,800
I was drawn to the contrasts between light and shadow, the colorful umbrellas and the pale melancholic face of the old man which made me wonder what his life story was, and why he chose to be selling these common feminine items. I saw tenderness hidden behind those eyes deep in the shadow.
My guiding principle is to lead the viewer to see the beauty I see in the play of light in a scene, or to be drawn in by a particularly inspiring setting. I know a wonderful subject when I see it, and I felt that excitement upon viewing this scene of a woman and her grandson in this gorgeous garden.
This painting was inspired by a plein air event I attended at the Riding Paddock Club in L.A. I was unaware that there was such a beautiful oasis of nature there. When an instructor and her young rider walked under the arch of old trees I was painting, its beauty was perfected.
On a recent backpacking trip I was captivated by the afternoon sunlight gleaming off my friend’s fishing line as he cast into this clear alpine lake. His white shirt and red shorts contrasted wonderfully against the cool shadows of the mountainside.
We might come from different places, look different and have different traditions, but we all live with the same heartbeat. Approaching humanity with compassion is where I find inspiration and connection to a power greater than myself.
This is a painting of the Eastern Sierras in October a few years ago when the fall color was at its peak. I drove and took numerous photos of the area. Recently I found several photographs from that trip and liked this scene. I painted a small 6" x 6" study as I usually do to work out the colors and design. The study is only a guideline. The larger painting cannot be a duplicate of the study, it must have a life of its own.
A young woman would keep coming to the Garden of Abandon, as she calls it, to indulge in daydreaming and tasting sweet fruits. The garden supposedly has many secret meadows and hidden streams, but its treasures are not visible to everyone. Only individuals with love in their pure hearts and those who long for the days of yore are welcome here, and yet even they may not come back to reality, for the Garden of Abandon is a beautiful, magical place of kindness and dreams. Ultimately, my aim as an artist is to transport viewers to a world of sublime beauty and emotional resonance. This painting provides a sense of tranquility and harmony, as well as an opportunity to explore themes of femininity, sensuality, and spirituality.
Pasadena City Hall's 16th century Italian-Renaissance-influenced architecture reminds us of Pasadena’s rich collective experience. The historic structure is still standing tall today as a beacon of hope for an uncertain future and the ever-changing world which has been built up around it
What is more human than to feel the desire to be connected with another person? I found this composition especially poignant. Seeing two women bathed in sunlight and exchanging conversation added a dramatic contrast to the young woman sitting alone, seemingly desperate to find a connection.
I set up this floral still life with two of my favorite climbing roses in my Malibu garden. In the background is an oil painting of a Malibu sunrise. Painting from life allowed me to capture the subtle and rich colors.
I use careful observation, study, and thought to paint portraits, landscapes, and still lifes. My goal is to represent each subject with the honesty, integrity, and depth that they deserve.
This painting depicts a homeless drifter reading and resting on a bed of leaves. Alongside him sits his dog, behind him a backdrop of an old Adobe wall, characteristic of old Monterey, California.
My paintings are the reflections and celebrations of life. I am often inspired by daily life and wish to share my experiences through my paintings. In a sense, through my perspective, I study my subjects and place them into a reality that I believe is beautiful, meaningful and filled with essence.
The decaying, abandoned Old L.A. Zoo takes on a new life developing an ecosystem of its own. The young woman in this isolated space evokes a visceral response. Drenched in vulnerability, I sensed the connection between the girl and the ghosts of the previous inhabitants.
The strong storm systems we had this winter provided much needed water to the California landscape. The colors of the landscape come alive when this happens. I got access into this area to capture a rare moment as the water renewed the land.
My painting, Summer’s Glow - Mount Tamalpais, depicts this iconic mountain at one of its most poetic times of the year. For a brief period around sunset, on warm summer evenings, I often encounter the eye-catching glow that is captured in this painting.
– Christin Coy
Nancy Seamons Crookston
Fierce
Oil on gessoed masonite, 30" x 16", $4,400
She's a strong, secure woman (cowgirl) that doesn't mess around. She's fierce; bad to the bone.
I have always loved the quality of evening light in the northern part of California. The magic glow that comes with its fleeting moment is perhaps why it feels rarer.
– Steve Curry
Toni Danchik
Quiet Time at the Mission
Oil on linen, 12" x 16", $1,800
Having a quiet time while sitting by the water pond at the Mission San Juan Capistrano and experiencing the tranquil sounds of water running and enjoying morning sun is like medicine to the soul.
Inspired by a stream’s waterfall in Big Sur, this painting features the water’s movement, and some of the reflected light and color streaming through the overhanging trees and brush. Dappled shadows and bright spots of light express the animated feeling of life that I felt in this place.
Painting Point Lobos has become the means of judging the progress of my work. Am I trying to paint it the way I painted it last year or the year prior? For reasons I won't explain, I want to grow as a painter, I want to paint the sky in a new way, using colors not used prior, to show me I’ve grown.
This painting was inspired by a pastel that I did on location at the L.A. River in Long Beach. The L.A. River is actually quite tranquil and one of the few places where I sense expansive space in the city. The concrete flood channels and bridges reflect color and light in surprisingly beautiful ways.
– Andrew Dickson
Mick Doellinger
Corriente
Bronze, 9 of 28, 13.5" x 18" x 10", $5,300
Mick Doellinger strives to capture the essence of an animal and hopes viewers will connect with his sculptures in some way.
“For me, it’s less about creating a perfect replica of the animal, and more about sculpting a narrative or moment in time.”
Canada geese stop for a break from their winter migration at lakes near where I live in the foothills of the Sierra. I look forward to painting these long-distance travelers and I'm in awe of the distances they cover on their journeys.
A contemporary young woman wearing torn black jeans, red, thrift-shop-found jacket and hat, and black leather boots sits in a millennial pink mid-century modern style chair, her legs crossed. Rocking long dreads, large gold hoop earrings and tattoos, she gazes directly and unabashedly at the viewer.
Played out on the playground. Two acts. Two thoughts. Two hearts. Violence versus compassion.
This painting is of the evidence of a drama I discovered in a back lot corner of an orphanage one day when I was helping with a food donation delivery. ”
While teaching painting workshops in Mexico, the organizers are kind enough to incorporate a siesta into the days' schedule. These horses and mule were afforded no such break however, and I couldn't help but feel for them as they attempted to take advantage of what little shade there was.
This scene is located in the Del Monte Forest (Pebble Beach) along the Monterey Peninsula coastline. Appropriately named Cypress Point, the cypress trees are dramatic and stately. Whenever I paint in this area, I sense the spirits of the early California painters such as Arthur and Lucia Mathews.
Although mallards are one of the most common ducks in Southern California, they are also one of the most beautiful. I always try to render birds at life size, so the viewer feels they could almost touch a living bird.
I have been drawing and painting all my life and my obsession with water started at an early age. I love to try to capture the movement and translucency of it, as well as its power.
This still life composition began with one idea, my collection of dried hydrangea flowers. I felt they would work beautifully if brought together with other items to evoke a warm autumn feel. The addition of the patterned fabric completed the harmony and my vision.
Some paintings force themselves upon you, as when this winter my sister-in-law showed us her gorgeous Meyer lemons that were ready for picking. I immediately asked for three and rushed them back to my studio to paint!
– Randy Gallegos
Philippe Gandiol
Life on the Crosswalk
Oil on linen, 40" x 30", $6,900
I love painting cities as I find such a bounty of outer and inner beauty in them. From the back alleys to the majestic avenues, then diving in, then conversations, the people, the magnificent diversity and contrasts springing up all over the place!
In my painting I sought to capture the beauty of a backlit wave as well as its untamed energy and movement. I hope this painting conveys a sense of the ocean's majesty and power.
During a painting excursion in Colombia, I came across these two sleeping strays in such a natural yin-yang composition, they just begged to be painted.
– Ken Goldman
Stephanie Goldman
Lime Green Tee
Oil on canvas, 36" x 30", $5,900
The lime green tee emphasized the beautiful color of her flesh tones and is complemented by the indigo blue. Nikki was painted from life in my studio.
Making art connects me with others and I feel it is a duty and privilege to put beautiful things into the world. Much of the iconography that I integrate and identify with comes from the Southwest, my home. The figurative and Western art I make is narrative in style with a touch of mystery.
Capistrano Beach and San Juan Capistrano are home to many stands of old eucalyptus trees. They can be found on hills, along creek beds and in the most hidden spaces. They are tall, airy, and rugged and I am attracted to how they take on a new personality in every changing season and time of day.
Sometimes the light in the High Sierra bounces around the granite in ways that make a painter's mouth water. The foreground shadows being illuminated by the deep blue sky above contrast with the warm sunlit areas of rock which grabbed my attention in this scene. The rest was gravy!
– Scott Hamill
Derek Harrison
Noir
Oil on linen, 17" x 13", $4,000
Noir aims to capture the theatrical and dramatic with only black and white. The monochromatic work explores values, edges, design and composition. A minimalist approach that yields a cinematic experience when viewing the piece.
– Derek Harrison
Carolyn Hesse-Low
Village by the Sea
Oil on canvas, 20" x 24", $4,600
California's powerful rainstorms this year have created some of the most beautiful skies I have seen. Between rain showers, these cloud formations at sunset added an intriguing depth and drama to this scene outside my studio.
This is number 10 of my Pop Bottle Series to document some of the antique bottles collected and gifted to me by my brother. I could have gone several ways with the XXX, but a pair of wax lips—which had saved for years for just such an occasion—was the perfect match.
"I choose to paint what is beautiful and meaningful, knowing that this act of celebrating and communicating the beauty in this world has the power to uplift and inspire."
North Carolina artist, Paula Holtzclaw, has gained a national reputation for her ability to capture the drama of nature on canvas.
The sea has always captivated me. No place in nature quite holds the same appeal of painting as the sea. On the edges, where things come together, there is excitement.
California Glow was painted at one of my favorite scenes along the 17-Mile Drive in Carmel. There is a group of majestic cypress trees which borders the famed Cypress Point Club. At sunset, these trees and shoreline take on an amazing warm glow from the sun and I was excited to capture this moment.
– Ellen Howard
Kathleen Hudson
Sun Setting Behind Top of the World Trail
Oil on canvas, 24" x 48", $6,900
The landscape has always been my source of artistic inspiration. I love to capture sweeping views of rugged terrain, shimmering waves, and dramatic atmospherics in a manner that recalls specific moments of particular beauty. These moments tread a fine line between the real and the otherworldly.
Within a month the blanket of snow will have melted into the lakes and streams that feed the Owens River in the valley below bringing life giving nutrients to all living things along its journey.
– Rick Humphrey
Ray Hunter
Loading Up
Watercolor on paper, 14" x 18", $2,200
The Greek island of Hydra does not permit motorized vehicles on land. The delivery system used on the island involves only the four-footed delivery system shown here. These animals haul everything from tourists and their luggage to washers and dryers.
– Ray Hunter
Debra Huse
Wind Chaser
Oil on linen, 12" x 16", $3,200
As an artist, I am captivated by the timeless beauty and majesty of sailing ships. My vision is to capture on canvas the grace and power of these magnificent vessels as they glide across the open sea.
This painting was an exercise in creating a movement of light and form through the painting. Brightly lit pottery displayed in front of a beautifully woven Navajo rug. With a secondary concept of color, various shades of orange contrast one spot of turquoise.
This scene is in Point Lobos State Reserve, just south of Carmel, California. I loved the gestural shapes of the iconic cypress trees silhouetted against the sinking sun, and the rocky bluffs standing resolute against the relentless motion of the water.
As a child I used to live next to the banks of the Los Angeles River, the longest concrete-encased river in the world. While famous for its depiction in films, it is still strangely absent in the genre of California fine art landscapes. Today I paint it to tell its story.
– John Kosta
Chuck Kovacic
THAT WHICH ONCE WAS
Oil on canvas panel, 20" x 24", $7,350
An overgrown and disheveled path twisted itself through an abandoned olive grove. It hints to past activity, mingled with a once prosperous field. Painted from plein air field notes made during a springtime visit to Provence.
This plein air piece was painted in the Oakland Hills, just a short drive from my home. Although it was quite foggy when I arrived, the fog burned off by the time I set up my kit. I decided to paint what I thought it looked like earlier in the morning.
There are no deep philosophical metaphors that I'm trying to represent in this painting; it's simply an idea that I had in the middle of the night. Of course, the sequel to this painting has to be Two Fish, and so on.
My paintings are an invitation into my intimate world of still life. The soft reflected light, the imperfections on the fruit, the highlights falling on the folds of the fabric, and the overall design are my motivation. My work is successful when it has tapped into the senses.
I noticed this scene while wandering the narrow old streets of Florence, Italy. The young couple whispering looked out of place in this beautiful high-ceilinged room of a hotel. I wondered what they were thinking. I loved the way they were backlit, with the chandeliers casting a glow on the floor.
Dave Lebow wants his images to grab you and drag you—if not willingly, then kicking and screaming—into the picture. He's inspired and interested in imaginative storytelling pictures that evoke an emotional response.
Yi-Ching seeks to capture any moment’s essence, whether a certain emotion or interaction with a particular scene or place. She paints from life, painting outdoors or in studio with her subject in full view. She uses loose strokes in bright bold colors with every brushstroke placed with purpose.
– Yi-Ching Lee
Jeff Legg
Orchid with Blue
Oil on board, 18" x 18", $9,500
Whether a piece of fruit, a skull, or well used copper pot, their textures, shapes, and patina describe the life they’ve lived. Still life subjects as well as compositions are as endless and as challenging as one wishes. If one looks closely enough, there is infinite beauty in all things.
Newport Beach is a big, beautiful icon in southern California. I wanted to focus on the harbor scene as well as the people setting sail.
– Calvin Liang
Richard Lindenberg
Incandescent Cypress
Oil on canvas, 30" x 24", $4,800
The dusk light on the west coast is often magical. As an avid California-based plein air painter, my excursions often bring me to land’s end where stately cypress trees thrive. Their unique shapes, and how they catch the light, are the subject matter of many painted interpretations for generations.
Bart Lindstrom is from Southern California where he learned to appreciate the outdoors and art. The pursuit of art is to record a moment in time. To remind us of joys and feelings we want always to remember. To recall the best in our lives, the ones we love, and the journey shared.
The last flashes of the day evoke relief, hope, peacefulness, and gratitude for simply being alive to witness it. As a painter, I am endlessly inspired by such scenes, and the opportunity to convey the color, energy, and dazzling light of this event that is both ordinary and momentous.
I took a walk on a hilltop trail near downtown L.A. The backlit L.A. skyline caught my eye because the desaturated grey buildings contrast against the bright red orange evening sky. The lush green the foreground hill accentuates this inviting scene.
Petro Sunset depicts the Googie gas station in Livermore. It was built during the 20th century's highway building boom and its low gas-mileage cars. The 21st century has brought universal recognition to the fact that the use of fossil fuels must sunset.
– Carolyn Lord
Lee MacLeod
Sky Drama
Oil on board, 20" x 16", $1,600
I paint a lot of clouds. I find them endlessly interesting. They are always changing as they shape-shift and reflect the ground planes. The monsoon season in the West provides a wide array of subjects as the storms build and it seems I can't resist trying to do them justice.
– Lee MacLeod
Joe Mancuso
Study For – Winter’s Arrival
Soft pastel on archival surface, 6" x 8", $700
“When I am attracted to a certain place or scene, it is always my goal to move beyond a literal translation and say something extraordinary about light in my work."
Known for the quality of light in his work, Joe Mancuso enjoys working on location to accurately see and capture the changing light.
– Joe Mancuso
Tiffanie Mang
Daring Greatly
Gouache on illustration board, 18" x 18", $4,678
I have always been fascinated with the way light creates the most profound symphony of color notes and shapes that we see in landscapes all around us. My goal is not to reiterate what I know onto a canvas but to capture the energy, essence, and fleeting impression that the landscape embedded.
I want to express my feelings rather than illustrate them. The French village depicted here, which I visited ten years ago, is peaceful, beautiful and hopeful. That's the place I want to live, a place of ease, a place of art.
Gouache is the perfect medium to capture the vitality and energy of this simple recipe. Painted directly from life, my hope is that somehow viewers can imagine the intense and invigorating aroma that I experienced while painting it.
– Heather Martin
Adam Matano
Quarrel
Bronze, 1 of 4, 44" x 20" x 25", $40,000
I enjoyed playing with the textures of the animal, largely the folds of its neck and the pointedness of its horns, in relation to this arrow it is now holding. If we look at this as a mirror for ourselves, what are our own folds, or vulnerabilities, that invite the arrows into ourselves?
I paint the people, light, colors and sounds of the beach. Here a little hipster catches a ride with mom while another navigates the crowd. These kids are stylin’. Loved the sun, the outfits and attitudes.
In 1952 Ellsworth Kelly painted, Spectrum Colors Arranged by Chance. Sixty-five years later, at San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, a Swedish family viewed it, wearing the colors Kelly choose by chance! My photo was the basis for the painting. Melding squares & figures together is an attempt to say it felt more like magic than chance.
I love trying to capture the subtle warm and cool tones on the figure, especially in natural light and backlit. In this painting my model, Ruthie, was relaxing in my garden with beautiful indirect light enveloping the form. Her expression seemed rather contemplative and reserved.
I painted among the grasses and oaks of Cook's Meadow as Upper Yosemite Fall danced on the summer breeze.
– James McGrew
Jim McVicker
Pink Rhododendron
Oil on panel, 20" x 16", $3,500
We have several rhododendrons all around our property. Each spring we enjoy a beautiful display of color. I set up my easel in front of the pink rhododendron in the late afternoon sunlight. I was struck by the back lighting and glowing color. A plein air work.
– Jim McVicker
Marsha Gertenbach-Meers
Rejoycing
Bronze, 1 of 25, 14" x 12" x 8", $3,000
Our life on earth is short so we must realize each day that this is the day that the Lord has made let us rejoice and be glad in it!
In this piece I wanted to show the dignity and honor with which the Indigenous scouts fought alongside the military during the American Frontier Wars. Their main purpose in fighting was to protect their people from further harm and return home as soon as possible to end any further bloodshed.
Watercolor and pastel on paper, 22" x 30", $18,000
Bob's Big Boy, a Southern California icon fits perfectly in my continuing series of classic Americana. Much of my art embraces the ancient Japanese aesthetic of wabi-sabi, the acceptance of beauty that shows the passage of time. Finding and painting 20th century images has been a fifty-year quest.
It was a delightfully still summer's afternoon when I did the smaller pastel painting that was the inspiration for this larger oil. The long narrow format was a must. What caught my eye was the warm reflected light bouncing back on the cliffs.
In the context of the pandemic, I contemplated the question, "what is normal?” which led to this composition of an urban scene where people went about their business on an ordinary day. Like the pandemic, the image was very dark in the beginning, and became more colorful as hopefulness returned.
I often think about what aspect of beauty remains timeless in artworks when our society’s perception of it changes with each generation, especially when it comes to women. In my painting I wanted to capture what I consider to be the enduring beauty of emotion set against fleeting fads and fashions.
Mendocino Morning Light represents the artist’s third attempt at painting the heart of the town as it comes to life, from a perch in Hillcrest Cemetery. The perspective demands the sort of narrative one might see in a Wyeth painting or hear in the opening strains of Mahler’s First Symphony.
– Jamie Morgan
Jennifer Moses
Midnight Serenade
Oil on linen panel, 16" x 32", $15,800
Midnight Serenade haiku by Jennifer Moses:
Roused from painting dreams,
while thunderous storms sing - a
Midnight Serenade
– Jennifer Moses
Andrea Mosley
The Red Rose
Oil on canvas, 10" x 8", $2,200
There is nothing more beautiful than a rose except for youth.
– Andrea Mosley
Lisa Mozzini-McDill
From the Shadows
Oil on canvas, 20" x 24", $3,200
Clouds are constantly moving and changing, much like everything in life. This stormy vista has many layers and reflects my own struggles, literally while painting it, and figuratively while dealing with my grief. In the shadow of life's storms, look to the light.
Temple Crag is an icon of the eastern Sierra. Its presence is felt throughout the Big Pine Lakes region. The tilts and angles of logs submerged along the shallows of First Lake lead the viewer to the distant Gothic granite peaks.
I have been painting figures in various environments for over 40 years in oils. I love the feeling of paint and the depiction of reality, especially mode-oriented subjects. I believe that the characteristics of paint and surface quality are an inherent factor in all of my creations.
My love of urban scenes came from living in the Bay Area for many years. I always have been interested in the interplay of light and shadow within the scene, especially in the evening when there are so many light sources; I’m intent on capturing a sense of time and place within our history.
Hollister Ranch is a remote and unspoiled region of the California coast. As a landscape painter, the absolutely pristine beauty invites me to an even deeper ecological conversion . So much beautiful scenery to paint and too little time!
– Michael Obermeyer
Frank Ordaz
Between Heaven and Earth
Oil on canvas, 30" x 30", $12,400
As a former atheist turned theist, the act of creating and translating the awesome beauty and story of what it is to be human and made in the image of God continues to inspire me to seek new discoveries in my approach to painting and storytelling.
I love to look at fine chocolates almost as much as I love to eat them! The most enjoyment I get however is a ‘from life’ painting session with them. There are simply not many luxuries in life as beautiful, tasty and affordable as fine chocolate. The perfect gift!
– Rita Pacheco
Davis Perkins
North of Bishop (Eastern Sierras)
Oil on canvas, 24" x 30", $8,300
This painting was done from several plein air studies I did on location in the eastern Sierras of California. I had planned on painting in Yosemite Valley, but the pass was closed due to snow. I decided to take advantage of the beautiful views of the eastern Sierras.
An oasis is something, or someplace, that provides refreshing relief. Water is a symbol of hope for new life and vitality. Signage is an age-old art form that communicates brand and identity. So, for me, the empty sign signals a kind of letting go, a release of ego. A spiritually aware state.
The life of Joseph represents the kind of generosity that welcomes a sense of family larger than just genetics alone allows. His example of teaching life-skills to a future generation shows the depth of his parental support and kindness.
– Elisabeth Frederickson Pollnow
Sharon Pomales Tousey
Gamers
Oil on ACM panel, 24" x 24", $6,000
This is a behavioral observation of close friends focused on their respective tasks, surrounded by things that bring each other comfort, and their outstanding ability to sustain attention to complex tasks in their games while enjoying each other's company.
As the sun was setting on the first day of the new year, I was fascinated with how the sky seemed to melt into the tide water below, creating a beautiful liquid design of the clouds and light swept by the wind.
Southern Utah is a spectacular landscape with both grand vistas and intimate views. This painting was done just outside of Zion National Park of a beautiful moonrise over the juniper trees. I loved trying to capture the subtle transitions in the sky as the light slowly faded.
The effects of light can be seen all around us and as an artist I find it so exciting to see how I can capture a moment using my own personal color palette.
"Blessed are the weird people: the poets, misfits, writers, mystics, heretics, painters and troubadours, for they teach us to see the world through different eyes." - Jacob Nordby
Southern California has lovely quality of light as the coastal marine layer burns off. There is a brilliance to the mist that is the subject of this painting. Capturing this light is my goal and watercolor’s brilliance is the most appealing medium to achieve this.
My studio veranda is one of my favorite spots to entertain friends with my wife Donna. Many lively conversations and much laughter have echoed in its midst.
Discretion is the better part of valor when a horse meets a serpent, as shown here when a rattlesnake makes it clear who owns this ground. My goal is to depict a moment when the action is frozen in time, yet moves in the eye of the beholder.
In this grand interior of the National Gallery London, members of the crowd pause while the curator speaks about a masterpiece. With this piece I hoped to convey the unique and rich atmosphere within a museum where people are collectively enthralled by the art they find themselves amongst.
My aim is often simple: to distill my experiences of traveling through landscapes into paintings. I often bring a small sketch book where I can make plein air studies of striking moments, or work from my memories to make my paintings.
Painted en plein air on a warm fall day at Heisler Park, Laguna Beach: a couple stopping to admire the beautiful shoreline of Laguna Beach.
– Anthony Salvo
Ann Sanders
Winter Light
Soft pastel on paper, 8" x 10", $750
We have been going cross-country skiing at Tahoe Donner, near Truckee, for the past 30 years. Euer Valley is an exceptionally serene and beautiful spot, and the soothing memory of being there sustains me throughout the year. This pastel was based on a pencil sketch on skis.
– Ann Sanders
Susan Sarback
Wetland Fog
Oil on canvas panel, 18" x 24", $3,400
Since subtle-to-majestic beauty is everywhere, I see painting possibilities wherever I go. In this painting I was moved by the quiet stillness of the early morning fog. These subtle color harmonies were barely separated by value and hue which emphasized the wonder of this contemplative scene.
I painted this scene on site in my ongoing search for unique views of the citrus orchards in the Ojai Valley. I appreciate their year-round greenery, their compositional possibilities, and that I'm able to try to capture some of the agricultural beauty that has disappeared in much of California.
– Dan Schultz
Frank Serrano
The Inyo Mountains, Independence, California
Oil on linen, 16" x 16", $5,200
The Owens Valley is a very special place, flanked by the Inyo Mountains and Eastern Sierra. I feel blessed to be living and painting here and understand why artists like Edgar Payne and Maynard Dixon visited frequently to capture the beauty that exists.
With years of personal artistic dedication to fine art painting, capturing composition, shape, form, color, and values, Naomi Shachar has been professionally and personally rewarded with recognition by the CAC, OPA, WAOW and others. Her passion and love transcend to equine, figurative, still life, and natural scapes.
My wife, Gloria, posed for this painting in traditional Chinese costume. I tried to catch the different reds in the painting to create an atmosphere of harmony. Red is the favorite color in Chinese tradition.
This painting was created at Heisler Park in Laguna Beach which is one of my favorite spots to be inspired. The late afternoon light made the colors here very strong and vibrant with contrasting shadows and textures.
As a plein air painter, I have some favorite places that I like to paint again and again. Arroyo in Pasadena is one of them.
– W. Jason Situ
Christopher Slatoff and Elisabeth Frederickson Pollnow
Tree of Life
Bronze, Artists' Proof, 48" x 30" x 15", $18,750
The impetus for this sculpture began while we were teaching in Orvieto, Italy and represents the embodiment of the gospels. The parallel symbolism between the shape of an instrument of death, and the living tree which lifts up the resurrected Christ, becomes a framework for the transformation of humanity.
– Christopher Slatoff and Elisabeth Frederickson Pollnow
Oil, egg tempera and 24k gold leaf on wood panel, 12" x 12", $1,750
I'm intrigued with Renaissance master techniques but aim for a ‘modern day’ result. The process is meditative, which I enjoy after years of fast alla prima painting. Pattern-making approaches of pastiglia and sgraffito bring the hand-prepared panel of gesso and red clay to its 24K gold glory.
Oil on linen over aluminum panel, 36" x 48", $25,000
This is John Lipsey, my friend and long-time resident of one of most difficult and underserved neighborhoods remaining in L.A. County: the infamous Scottsdale in the City of Carson. A perfect symbol for systemic failures in our inner cities, as well as treasures of humanity who are abundant there. John is one such treasure. He loved sitting for me. As we worked, he shared memories of segregation in his native Mississippi. John recently passed away but his remarkable story, the story of inner-city strife and humanity is what I want to crystallize in this painting as a tribute to my friend.
Eocene Antarctica is part of my ongoing painting series depicting the history of prehistoric and contemporary life in Antarctica. This painting will be included in what I expect to be my most important book, a tome of one hundred paintings that will be the first visual history of life in Antarctica. The creatures in this painting lived in Antarctica approximately 40 million years ago. At this time, the continent was in the final process of separating from Australia which directly led to its freezing future.”
A 100% plein air painting completed in Coronado, California. The scene depicts a regular day where people are eating and waiting for food from a local diner. The red striped umbrellas are typical for the Clayton's Cafe which has been in business since the 1940s.
A hint of early morning light peeked over the undulating clouds in the far background. The sky was a beautiful transition of pale hues while the bush in the foreground seemed to reach up to praise the oncoming day with its outstretched branches. I enjoyed working in that subtle bit of whimsy.
Being a painter is more than mastery of techniques. I’m constantly striving to capture the effects of light in my work. It’s my desire to communicate how I feel about my world and my response to it. Everyday objects take on a new importance when viewed from a different angle.
I began my career with sculpture in bronze and transitioned into painting. I fell in love with plein air painting and the challenges of color and light. My still lifes create a visual space of repose, and a flow of color and light from the recesses to the front of the picture plane.
A kiss of sunlight graces the carved figure on Mission San Jose. The staccato brush work breaks the colors to more pure forms, yet still holds detail when viewed as a whole.
Inspiration for this piece is from the bible passage of Isaiah 11:6-9 which gives the idea that wild beasts will not hurt or destroy in the new earth but can be lead, and played with, by a little child.
The title of this piece, Memento Mori, means to remember death. Not in a dark way, but while we have beauty in our lives don’t forget it is transitory and appreciate it that much more. With this image I could feel what is meant by that, hopefully the painting conveys what I saw.
Enormous waves swell during a winter king tide event, churning against sharp sandstone cliffs in an incredible natural spectacle. The immensity of the ocean is easiest to perceive during a storm, when its primordial waters soar into the sky. Powerful and beautiful at once, the sea is truly sublime.
– Jordan Walker
Jove Wang
The Forging
Oil on linen, 36" x 24", $15,000
Artistic creation must be endowed with a living soul. Works of art should let people feel the charm of artistic precipitation and elastic aesthetic. When I create, I always keep the passionate mood and accompany the music, in the most imaginative time so every work is soul-penetrating.
This is my beloved garden where I grow flowers and vegetables. I love to create paintings that remind me of the beautiful quality of light on a particular day that transforms 'ordinary' things. The process aligns my heart to possibility and wonder. I plant specific flowers in my yard that have had powerful healing qualities throughout the ages. I'm grateful.
– Anne Ward
Durre Waseem
Déjà Vu
Oil on canvas, 24" x 30", $4,200
Although this is a studio piece, when painting outdoors—whether urban or landscape—I start looking at the shapes, gestures and moods of the figures around. A glance at the main group was enough to read their conversation, while the younger group was oblivious of being noticed.
Painted in late spring 2022 at Devereux Slough which is about eight miles west of Santa Barbara. It's a favorite spot for artists as it offers so many good vistas.
– Ralph Waterhouse
Marilyn Wear
The Collector
Watercolor on paper, 12" x 18", $1,800
A highlight of February in California's Central Valley is when the almond orchards are in full bloom with their beautiful white blossoms. Honeybees, like the one in this painting, play a major role in pollinating the blossoms to develop into delicious almonds, which are exported and sold worldwide.
– Marilyn Wear
Sharon Weaver
Moon Over the Sierras
Oil on canvas, 24" x 30", $3,800
My art allows me to explore boundaries, uncovering the limits to which I can push the paint. Each painting is a classic struggle of conflicting elements: chaos versus unity, hard against soft, light within the darks, etc. Striving to express my vision makes facing a blank canvas thrilling.
– Sharon Weaver
Yun Wei
Sweety
Oil on panel, 20" x 16", $3,500
I am so grateful that I was trained as a classical artist, and I hope to continue learning until the last moment of my life. I aspire to give my audience the same elegance and calmness that I paint into my work.
—Yun Wei
“Art in not what you see, but what you make others see.”
—Edgar Degas
My backyard apple tree offers perfect fruit for painting...imperfection! The splotches and dark spots add interest and draw the attention of two hungry little mice.
The bread, already broken and partially eaten, invites not only the mice, but also the viewer into the scene.
– Mary Kay West
Mary Kay West
Birds in Blue and Gold
Oil on panel, 10" x 9", $1,800
My purpose in this small work was to portray a sense of intimacy and immediacy as the viewer catches a glimpse of two lazuli buntings in a brief moment of stillness. The colors of the birds are mirrored in the vase and flowers to create a cohesive palette.
– Mary Kay West
Kirsten Whalen
Snow Queen
Watercolor on paper, 6" x 6", $1,000
I enjoy playing with the narrative aspects of still life. Objects have the power to tell stories and maps capture stories of where we’ve been and where we’d like to go. I take well-worn maps with their flattened version of the world and use their reshaped topography to tell new stories.
In Satellites, I depict a set of isolated boulders that I found while hiking along the swells of rocky hills in Joshua Tree. I was struck by a certain duality: like stars in the night sky, I felt that their immutable existence was made transient by this fleeting moment of exploration.”
– Mason Williams
Wendy Wirth
Front Row Spectators
Acrylic on panel, 18" x 30", $7,800
With a dramatic cliffside foothold, these pampas grasses enjoy a view like no other of Laguna Beach’s Three Arch Bay. Late afternoon light brought out the best in these delicate plumes, as the crashing waves set a worthy spectacle below. In nature's genius, we find metaphors for personal courage.
Trying to paint how summer feels—relaxed, warm and welcoming.
– Jeff Yeomans
Lin Zheng
Holiday
Oil on canvas, 12" x 9", $1,600
Holidays are always full of sunshine and colors.
– Lin Zheng
Xiaolong Zhou
The Moon Rises Quietly
Oil on canvas, 16" x 20", $1,280
In this painting I describe the warm and peaceful atmosphere of the countryside in the evening. The undulating mountains and houses are like a beautiful musical note, and the color of the picture is soft and warm.
This painting depicts a busy scene behind a tapas bar, capturing the contrast between the chaotic space and the inner calmness of its occupants. Through bold brushstrokes and subtle color shifts, the artist encourages viewers to reflect on the beauty and complexity of our everyday surrounding.
