Anyone interested in seeing local artists work paying visual justice to our beautiful state of California, are welcome and still have time to see the “Painting The Golden State” display of paintings at the Scott’s Valley Library.
Paintings, by Santa Cruz Oil Painters, inspired from all over California will be presented through November 1st at the Scotts Valley Library. The paintings that will be displayed were inspired by and are celebrating California’s diverse landscapes.
The artist’s at SCOP (Santa Cruz Oil Painters) traveled extensively throughout California and painted places such as Lake Tahoe, Big Sur, the Redwood Forests, and Yosemite using what’s called “plein air”. Plein air is a french phrase for nature, where the painters are, and when and where they get their inspiration for their paintings. Plein air is the type of style the artists used when painting. Artists from SCOP set up a meeting location and create their art showing the diverse scenery our state has to offer. The paintings show details like the different landscapes of the state, lights, shadows, and sky movement.
The SCOP’s goal is “to inspire artists to get outside, painting in nature as often as possible, with a feeling of joy and confidence.” The exhibit not only includes paintings of the states but also, a more personal touch, information about and portraits of the talented artists.
Not only are state parks and natural history museums portrayed, but other, more diverse, even unknown, parts of California are shown such as farmlands, ridged coastline, forests, lakes, and mountains. As you take a walk around the library, California’s pure beauty and the artists personal appreciation for not solely the surrounding but the chance to create it is apparent. As one reads the artist’s information one will find that the art isn’t for viewing pleasure. Some artists want emotion, others want to catch youth attention, and some want to teach anybody something about what art really is.
“Painting the Golden State” is not only for the students at SLV that are interested in art, but for anybody! So, feel free take a walk around the new library and see what this great state and local artists have to offer.
The Claw 