Celebrating the Heritage and Practices of Traditional Fine Arts Worldwide
June 20 - September 25, 2023 CAC Virtual Gallery
Building upon the California Art Club’s long history promoting traditional fine art, we are pleased to present Lazy Days of Summer, the tenth installment of the quarterly Excellence in Traditional Fine Art Competition!
Our gratitude goes to Amy Scott, Vice President, Research and Interpretation at the Autry Museum of the American West, for being the guest judge and curating these original works of art for this virtual exhibition, showcasing the most exemplary submissions as well as the prize-winning works.
Artwork is available for purchase. If you have interest in acquiring a work, please submit a purchase inquiry. In addition, we suggest consulting our Terms of Sale.
The figure has always been the principle subject of my art, and beachgoers inspire much of my artwork. My paintings explore the way people express themselves naturally through movement, gesture and interaction with one another and their environment. Umbrella Friends depicts girlfriends lounging at a local’s beach. An umbrella just outside the picture frame provides them with some protective shade, and an outcrop of beach rock creates an alcove of privacy for them to share their stories and confidences. The intimacy of the scene, the warmth of the sun, and the patterns of light and shadow falling across the girls inspired me.
The roof-top slide of Valley Pool has been a Livermore icon for decades, where supplies are sold for back-yard pools in suburbia. This pool slide has been a perennial inspiration to me, for paintings in both watercolor and oil. Sunset of Valley Pool was painted in the studio, based on smaller field paintings of the slide, with Mount Diablo in the distance.
This unexceptional little corner of Santa Barbara came alive with the warm light radiating off the hills and beckoned me to paint before the streets were too crowded with tourists.
On a scorching summer day, my attention was drawn to the exquisite rocks that had been sculpted by the weather and sea over countless years. The gentle shimmer of the ocean peeking through the gaps between the rocks captivated me. I was instantly struck with the inspiration to do a plein air session, and then refine the painting in my studio. The process of creating this artwork brought me great joy.
