The iconic Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California. Photo by Line Kjær. 

One of the biggest art movements to emerge from the state was California impressionism, in which revered 20th-century artists like Edgar Alwin Payne, Granville Redmond, Anna Althea Hills and John Marshall Gamble painted outdoor scenes in plein air. These artists and many others immersed themselves directly in the nature they depicted, creating a unique interpretation of the West Coast that grew into its own regional variation on American impressionism.

Albert Bierstadt (1830-1902), Among the Sierra Nevada, California, 1868, oil on canvas, 72 x 1201⁄8". Smithsonian American Art Museum, bequest of Helen Huntington Hull, granddaughter of William Brown Dinsmore, who acquired the painting in 1873 for “The Locusts,” the family estate in Dutchess County, New York, 1977.107.1.

Known for his tonalist landscapes, Redmond, who was born in Philadelphia but spent most of his life living and studying in California, often depicted the state’s bucolic wildflower fields. Gamble was also captivated by California wildflowers—golden poppies, redwood sorels, pastel purple heliotropes and vivid lupines—capturing the abundance of blooming color throughout the state. Other artists within the zeitgeist of American fine art who were beguiled by California’s sweeping vistas, mountainscapes and wildflower fields include such esteemed names as Albert Bierstadt, George Inness, Thomas Moran and more.

John Marshall Gamble (1863-1957), Wild Heliotrope and Poppies, San Francisco, ca. 1893-1906, oil on canvas, 20 x 24". Birmingham Museum of Art. Public domain. 

The works of both historic and modern-day artists intertwine to create an intricate tapestry of past and present. Undoubtedly, the beauty of California will continue to inspire artists for decades to come. Within the following pages, readers can learn more about a handful of the current art institutions, galleries and artists based in the Golden State.

Top: An aerial view of Arts District Liberty Station. Photo by Malik Earnest. Bottom: Colleen Veltz, Tears of Joy, acrylic on canvas, 12 x 12"; Renee Addison, Inspiration Seahorse (detail), proprietary acrylic blend on canvas, 48 x 24"

In her latest series of botanical-inspired art, Colleen Veltz employs luminous fossil-like layers often utilizing the botanical as the paintbrush. A selection of works premiered at Art San Diego 2024, followed by a show at Wow Atelier Gallery in Salt Lake City. Her Topography of Tears series will open at Veltz Gallery in Barracks 16, on March 7.

Top: David Patchen, Amber/Cobalt Thread Ellipse, blown glass, murrine, zanfirico cane, 19 x 14 x 4"; David Patchen, Mixed Murrine Foglio, blown glass, murrine, zanfirico cane, 22 x 13 x 4". Bottom: David Patchen and James Devereux, Amber/Jade Quillon, blown glass, murrine, hot-chipped, 14 x 36 x 4"

Primarily self-taught, Patchen’s artistic journey was influenced by observing local artists and visits with maestro Afro Celotto, a former assistant to Lino Tagliapietra in Murano, Italy. He has been a guest artist at institutions including the Corning Museum of Glass, Tacoma Museum of Glass, and in Seto City, Japan, where he lectured and demonstrated his craft.

Top: Visitors explore artwork during a previous Festival of Arts. Photo by Kyle Fierro. Bottom: This Pageant re-creation of Pierre-Philippe Thomire’s mantel clock, originally housed at The Getty Museum in Los Angeles, will be showcased in the 2025 show. Festival of Arts/Pageant of the Masters, Blue Dog, oil on canvas, 16 x 20", by Susan Hoehn.

Each evening from July 5 to August 29, the Pageant of the Masters brings art to life under the stars. This iconic theater production features living pictures, where performers re-create famous works of art in breathtaking detail, accompanied by narration and live music. The pageant’s all-new theme for 2025, “Gold Coast: Treasures of California,” will bring California’s artistic legacy to life, celebrating the state’s landscapes, history and cultural treasures.

Clockwise from top left: The interior of J. Willott Gallery with works by artists Eric Nash and Chase Langford; J. Willott Gallery, Suburban Landscape with the Artist Jackson Pollock Painting, oil on canvas,  42 x 26", by Leonard Koscianski; J. Willott Gallery, By the Aasgard Rainbow, oil on canvas, 77 x 77", by America Martin.

J. Willott Gallery opened in 2007, focusing on museum-quality contemporary artwork from some of the country’s most accomplished artists. The gallery boasts 22-foot-high ceilings, glass concrete floors, state-of-the art lighting and one of the region’s most highly-regarded roster of artists. From humble beginnings, the gallery is now internationally recognized as one of the most consistently outstanding galleries in California.

Plaster casts in the Kline Academy of Fine Art studio; A drawing session in one of Kline Academy of Fine Art’s studios. 

Walking into Kline Academy of Fine Art feels like you are walking into a European atelier. Throughout the studio are historic plaster casts for teaching an academic style of drawing and painting. Moving into the courtyard you are comforted by plants, flowers and the sound of a splashing fountain. In the main studio there is natural light from above, an essential feature for drawing and painting the live model and learning to mix skin tones. A skill-based, private art school, Kline Academy offers a menu of programs and classes in both classical fine art, contemporary painting, printmaking and sculpture, providing students of all ages and levels an understanding of how to create great art by focusing on skills first and learning historic, step-by-step techniques. The academy’s artist instructors are masters of their craft and pride themselves on tailoring their instruction to each individual who comes to study.

SHOH Gallery, Picnic with One Umbrella, 1967, oil on canvas, 56 x 68", by Roland Petersen; SHOH Gallery, Trees and Granite, 2021, oil on canvas, 30 x 40", by Kanna Aoki.

Artists exhibited at SHOH Gallery all work from studios within the region. In this global center of creativity, innovation and skill, finding amazing new works and exciting perspectives is a delightful certainty. While the gallery focuses on paintings and other two-dimensional works, the artists featured are as talented, diverse and unique as the area itself, ranging from new, exciting voices to established artists with works in major collections and museums. “At SHOH, we see our mission as assisting collectors in finding fresh and intriguing works that will connect with them on a deeper level and add inspiration and beauty to their lives and homes for decades to come,” the gallery notes. —