Early California Art Blog

Art in the Adobes, Sept 30 through October 2, 2011

2011-09-22T15:45:00.000-07:00

Early California Art lovers are looking forward to “Art in the Adobes”, a unique event taking place in downtown Monterey September 30^th through October 2^nd. During the weekend, a number of important paintings by a variety of Early Monterey artists will be on view. The title of the Exhibition is “Hidden Treasures from Old Monterey”, since many of the paintings have rarely been seen by the public until now. The exhibition focuses on local artists from the Monterey area who worked during the late 18^th century and early 19^th century. The works will be displayed simultaneously in a number of historic venues, including the Stevenson House, The Cooper-Molera Adobe, and ColtonHall, site of the 1849 California Convention.

Note: Images posted in this blog are NOT paintings that will be on display at this event (those will remain “hidden” until the Festival begins on the 30^th). Images seen in this post are paintings by artists represented at the event, and several of the works are currently available to interested collectors through Karges Fine Art.

Paintings that will be on display during Art at the Adobes include works by noted marine artist Armin Hansen, Charles Rollo Peters, and Mary DeNeale Morgan.

Armin Hansen settled in the Monterey area in 1913, and was one of the founders of the Carmel Art Association. One of his oversize masterpieces will be on view at Casa Serrano during the Festival. He is best remembered for his dramatic depictions of coastal scenes, boats, and local fishermen.

Fisher's Landing by Armin Hansen

Mary DeNeale Morgan settled in Carmel in 1909, and attended summer art classes that were led by William Merritt Chase. She later became the director of the Carmel School of Art from 1917-1925.

On Sunday, October 2^nd, 2011, Lila Staples, Chair of the Visual and Public Art Department at California State University Monterey Bay, will present a lecture and slide discussion focusing on women artists of Monterey’s early years. For additional information about other lectures scheduled throughout the weekend, click here. Scott Shields, Chief Curator of the Crocker Art Museum, will be on hand Saturday October 1^st at Monterey City Hall with a lecture titled “When Monterey was Modern: The Peninsula’s Early Art Colony and its Place in California Art”.

Works by Christian Jorgensen (1860 – 1935) will be on display at the Cooper-Molera Adobe, a National Historic Trust site. He is best remembered for his intricately detailed coastal scenes featuring the distinctive local Cypress trees. In 1905 he and his wife Angela built a boulder home in Carmel, which later became the Hotel La Playa.

Christian Jorgensen - Coastal Cypress SOLD

Charles Rollo Peters, known for his quiet, contemplative nocturnes, will also be represented at the event. The MontereyMuseum of Art will mount a special display of important paintings on loan, and the StevensonHouse will also provide a temporary home to paintings by Peters and his second wife, Constance Evans Easley Peters.

Charles Rollo Peters "Adobe SOLD

The Monterey Public library will have paintings on display by local artists Arthur Hill Gilbert, Francis McComas, and Abel Warshawsky.

Abel Warshawsky - Coastal Scene

Francis McComas, noted for his delicate watercolors, studied with Arthur Mathews (a central figure in the San Francisco Bay Area art scene) at the Mark Hopkins Institute in San Francisco at the turn of the century.

Francis McComas "Monterey Oaks"

For additional information, details, and tickets to the Art in the Adobes event, please visit the official website at www.artintheadobes.org

Three Important Exhibits on Display at the Crocker Art Museum

2011-08-09T15:51:00.000-07:00

The Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento currently has three outstanding exhibitions of early California and American paintings on display. The museum, which unveiled a new 125,000 square foot addition in October of 2010, also has a strong permanent collection of Early California art. The exhibitions currently open to the public also include works from the Brooklyn Museum and the Bank of America Collection.

The first exhibit, which opened on May 14^th, 2011, is titled “Transcending Vision: American Impressionism, 1870-1940”. This collection of paintings by American Artists who were influenced by the French Impressionist movement features 125 works by a diverse group. Paintings by notable and influential American artists George Inness and George Bellows are included in the exhibition, which ends on September 25^th, 2011.

Another exhibition of interest to admirers of Early American art is “Landscapes from the Age of Impressionism”, which opened to the public on June 11^th, and runs through September 18^th. This display includes approximately 40 landscape paintings from the Brooklyn Museum. Both French and American artists are represented in a group of works from the mid-nineteenth through the early twentieth-century. Works by John Singer Sargent and Childe Hassam are prominently featured.

The third show currently on display at the Crocker is titled “Gardens and Grandeur: Porcelains andPaintings by Franz A. Bischoff”. The collection went on view June 25^th, and the exhibition continues through October 23^rd, 2011. The exhibit chronicles the history and career of the “King of the Rose Painters”, and features approximately 40 examples of this artist’s work.

Remembered primarily for his floral still lifes, Bischoff was one of the finest early California Impressionists, and an outstanding colorist. For additional information about this important Southern California artist, see our Blog entry which was posted last December.

For additional information about the Crocker Museum, including operating hours and directions, please visit their website at www.crockerartmuseum.org

The Quiet Landscapes of Russell Chatham

2011-02-24T16:15:00.000-08:00

Born in 1939, a native of San Francisco, Russell Chatham has been an active artist in Livingston, Montana, where he still resides, since 1972. A talented, self-taught painter, illustrator, and writer, his works are often highly evocative with soft tonal qualities. He is also considered one of the world’s foremost lithographers.

"Spring Moonrise", Lithograph

His grandfather, Gottardo Piazzoni (1872 – 1945), was a well known early California artist and is also remembered for his simple compositions and quiet, muted colors.

Russell Chatham’s landscapes often reveal his fascination with the changing seasons and the subtle nuances of light and shadow. His works often depict quiet moments of solitude and spirituality. Of his work, he says: "Creating art is an attempt to search for something beyond ourselves".

"Winter Moonrise" 12x16, Original oil on board - AVAILABLE NOW

This painting shown above, “Winter Moonrise”, is signed by the artist, on the right side, with his personally developed calligraphic character, placed within a double oval. Chatham developed this character in his late twenties. It was based on the distinctive shape of the little slough that lies at the head of Tamales Bay in Marin County.

Chatham moved to Marin in 1949. He has placed this monogram, rather than a traditional signature, on all his works since his late twenties. He has said that this two dimensional calligraphic character “represents the epicenter of my relationship to the natural world”. He also noted that “I was never comfortable seeing my name written on the face of the pictures, partly I suppose because visual and verbal language seem so at odds with each other. But using the monogram, and doing so very discreetly, seems to help soften the presence of my hand, moving it into the shadows where it belongs.”

"Landscape" 7 x 9 inches SOLD

His personal interests include fly fishing, hunting, and conservation, and he has written numerous essays and short stories on these topics. In 1990, he began working on a series of twelve large paintings for the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, Montana.

Chatham has had hundreds of exhibitions in galleries and museums over the course of his lifetime, though he is not a prolific painter. He continues to create his beautiful, quiet landscapes, and sometimes only completes six or seven large paintings a year. For additional information on available paintings by this remarkable artist, feel free to contact Patrick Kraft at William A. Karges Fine Art in Carmel, California at (800) 833-9185.

Franz Bischoff Exhibit at the Pasadena Museum of California Art

2010-12-02T13:12:00.000-08:00

Franz Bischoff (1864-1929) is considered to be one of the finest early California impressionist painters, and an outstanding colorist. His free flowing brushwork calls to mind both the impressionist and post impressionist styles, and he was well known for his strong compositions. He is remembered primarily for his floral still lifes, especially his roses, but his body of work encompasses a wide variety of subjects and locations. His paintings include Southern California landscapes, Carmel coastal scenes, and beautiful vignettes of Cambria.


"Point Lobos" (Monterey County, California) SOLD

Born in Austria in 1864, Bischoff studied painting, design, and porcelain decoration in Vienna. He immigrated to New York in 1885, became a successful china painter, and eventually earned a reputation as “King of the Rose Painters”.

"Vase" SOLD

"Rose Garden" SOLD

He first visited California in 1900 and soon moved to Los Angeles. In 1908 he completed construction of his home in South Pasadena, built in the Italian Renaissance style. His home included a gallery, ceramic workshop, and a painting studio.

During his early years in California he began painting en plein air, creating landscapes outdoors in natural light.

"Arroyo Seco" SOLD

In 1912, he traveled to Europe to study the French Impressionists, and afterwards his use of color became more pronounced, dramatic, and vibrant.

"Bush Gardens" SOLD

Bischoff was an early member of the California Art Club, whose other members include important early California Impressionists Edgar Payne, Hanson Puthuff, and William Wendt. He was also a member of the Laguna Beach Art Association . He died in Pasadena, California on February 5^th, 1929 after a long, successful career.

Visitors to the Pasadena Museum of California Art can now view a large collection of the artist’s works at the current exhibit “Gardens and Grandeur: Porcelains and Paintings by Franz A. Bischoff”. The exhibition includes early ceramic works, as well as his later canvases. The exhibition continues through March 20^th, 2011. The museum is open Wednesday through Sunday 12 to 5. Call 626-568-3665 for further information. In the future, the exhibit will also travel to the Crocker Museum and the Irvine Museum.

Sacramento's Crocker Art Museum Reopens its Doors

2010-10-28T13:53:00.000-07:00

Early California Art lovers were delighted to hear about the recent new addition to The Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento. The new 125,000 square foot building, designed by architect Gwathmey Siegel, was opened to the public on October 10^th. Established in 1885, the Crocker Art Museum includes one of the premier collections of Early California paintings in the state. The new building houses a gallery filled with early 20^th century Southern California Landscape paintings.

The monumental work, “Great Canyon of the Sierra, Yosemite, 1871” by early landscape artist Thomas Hill (1829 – 1908) is prominently featured in the new building.

Other notable works in the permanent collection include “San Fernando Mission” by Charles Rollo Peters , “April Skies, 1910” by William Wendt , and “A Shepherd and his Flock in the Early Morning Mist, 1930” by Granville Redmond.

Also found in the vast collection are works by artist Colin Campbell Cooper (1856 – 1937), known for his impressionist style views of cities around the world.

Master watercolorist Percy Gray, remembered for his delicate, misty, romantic landscapes, is also represented in the permanent collection.

Other early California paintings on view at the Museum include works by such notable artists as Franz Bischoff, John Gamble, and Edgar Payne.

The Crocker Art Museum is located at 216 O Street, Sacramento, CA. Phone: (916) 808-7000. Hours are Tuesday & Wednesday 10 AM-7 PM, Thursday 10 AM-9 PM, Friday-Sunday 10 AM-5 PM, Closed Mondays. Every third Sunday of the month is “Pay What You Wish Sunday”.

For additional information about currently available original paintings by these important early California artists, please visit William A. Karges Fine Art at Dolores and Sixth Avenue in Carmel, CA (831) 625-4266 and 427 N. Canon Drive, Beverly Hills, CA (310) 276-8551 or visit the website at www.kargesfineart.com

William Ritschel

2010-09-16T15:02:00.000-07:00

William Frederick Ritschel was primarily known for his marine and coastal views of the Carmel area. A talented and successful early California artist, his paintings still evoke a strong emotional response. Using impressionistic lighting effects to create scenes that varied from quiet moonlit shores to dramatic, violent ocean storms, Ritschel had a remarkable ability to convey a particular mood or atmosphere.

Ritschel was born in Nuremberg, Germany on July 11^th, 1864 and worked as a sailor in his youth. He was inspired by the ocean and its changing moods and became fascinated by it as he drew and sketched. He studied at the Royal Academy in Munich, and was quite well known throughout Europe. Immigrating to New York City in 1895, he also enjoyed considerable success in the United States.

He was a member of the Salamagundi Club and the New York Watercolor Society. Like other followers of the Impressionist style, he explored the quality of light in each scene, using loose, clearly visible brushstrokes, that captured a feeling of movement and spontaneity. His attraction to the ocean, with its ever-changing moods and motions, seemed perfectly suited to the impressionist approach.


William Ritschel, "Seafoam and Rocks", 25 x 30 inches, SOLD

In 1911, he came to Carmel, California, which was quickly becoming a thriving artists’ colony as painters began to arrive following the San Francisco earthquake. In 1912, he began to exhibit his California coastal scenes at venues on the East Coast and simultaneously displayed his works at the Art Gallery at the Del Monte Hotel in Monterey.

William Ritschel, "Trees and Surf", 24 x 24 inches, SOLD

In 1918, he built “Castel a Mare”, his castle-like home in the Carmel Highlands area, perched directly on the ocean’s edge. He was known as a flamboyant character, often dressing in a flowered sarong.

William Ritschel, "Carmel Highlands", 12 x 16 inches, SOLD

In 1913, artist Armin Hansen moved to Carmel, and was eventually introduced to William Ritschel in 1918. Ritschel arranged for Hansen to show his works in a New York gallery and Armin Hansen eventually became one of the most prominent and celebrated early California artists who also focused on marine and coastal subjects.

Armin Hansen, "Beating it for Home", 14 x 17, SOLD

Ritschel traveled around the world and painted the seas and coasts of various exotic locations including the South Seas, Asia, Capri, and Majorca. He died in his beloved “Castel a Mare” on March 11^th, 1949. In October of 1949, Armin Hansen was the author of a moving tribute to the artist for Ritschel’s Memorial Exhibition which was held at the Carmel Art Association.

A number of Ritschel’s large scale paintings can currently be seen at the Monterey Museum of Art as part of the current exhibition “Land and Sea: Paintings and photographs of Monterey and Beyond”. Selections on view include a remarkable and unusual canvas depicting New York City’s East River in Winter, a large dramatic work of a ship drifting in a stormy Sargasso Sea, and several moonlit Seascapes featuring local scenes from the Carmel and Monterey area. The exhibit continues through October 24^th, 2010.

For additional information on currently available paintings by William Ritschel and Armin Hansen, please contact our staff at William A. Karges Fine Art in Carmel at (800) 833-9185 or in Beverly Hills at (800) 884-4022.

Exhibition - Lasting Impressions: Colin Campbell Cooper

2010-08-24T12:24:00.000-07:00

Early American artist Colin Campbell Cooper (1856 – 1937) is best known for his cityscapes, street scenes and architectural subjects painted during his extensive travels throughout the world. A comprehensive exhibition of his works, “Lasting Impressions: Colin Campbell Cooper”, is currently on view at the Santa Barbara Historical Museum through October 8^th, 2010. The exhibit features over thirty paintings that portray his views of Europe,

India

and the East Coast, as well as local places of interest, such as the Santa Barbara Mission and the historic El Encanto Hotel. Cooper joined the faculty of the Santa Barbara School of the Arts as Dean of Painting after arriving in the area in 1921.

His body of work encompasses a wide variety of subjects, including still lifes, portraits, and landscapes. Cooper created his paintings using an Impressionist style and palette inspired by artists such as Childe Hassam (1859 – 1935).

His many trips abroad led him to Europe, including a trip in 1886 to Holland, a country that inspired many of his most accomplished and exceptional works.

"Amsterdam", Oil on canvas, 29 x 43 SOLD

In 1889, the artist moved to Paris, where he studied at several prominent art schools, including the Academie Julian. Traveling throughout Europe, he painted numerous views of various scenic locations, including Rheims Cathedral in France, the medieval town of Bruges in Belgium, and the poetic Wells Cathedral in England.

"Rheims, July 5, 1906", Gouache, 21 x 15 SOLD

"Street in Bruges, Belgium", Oil on canvas, 22 x 18 SOLD

"Wells Cathedral, 1902", Gouache, 18 1/2 x 16 1/2 SOLD

During his long and successful career, Colin Campbell Cooper was a member of many of the leading art clubs in the United States, including the distinguished National Academy of Design, and the American Watercolor Society. Examples of his elegant Impressionist paintings can be found in such renowned institutions as the Metropolitan Museum of Art (“View of New York City”), the Dallas Museum of Art (“The Flatiron Building, 1904”), and the White House Collection (“The Capitol at Night”).

The Landscapes of Hanson Duvall Puthuff

2010-07-29T15:02:00.000-07:00

Southern California Early American Impressionist painter Hanson Duvall Puthuff was born to Alonzo Augustus Duvall and his wife, Mary Anne Lee, on August 21^st, 1875 in Waverly, Missouri. When he was two years old, his mother passed away, and Puthuff was raised by a close friend of his mother’s, Elizabeth Stadley Puthuff. He eventually assumed her last name.

Photo Credit: “Plein Air Painters of California – The Southland” by Ruth Westphal

After training at the University of Denver Art School he moved to Southern California. Arriving in Los Angeles in 1903, Puthuff sometimes worked as a billboard painter over the next several decades. The billboards were often situated in remote areas, in locations with especially beautiful views. After completing his work on the billboard, he would pull out his easel and begin to sketch and paint.

"Summer Evening" 24 x 30 AVAILABLE NOW

During this period, he also worked as a theater scene artist, sometimes painting the advertising curtains used in the theaters. He painted backgrounds for the model train exhibits on display by the Santa Fe Railroad, and background scenery for the animal exhibits at the Museum of Science and Industry in Los Angeles. One of his most notable accomplishments was the creation of a series of three panoramic dioramas for the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial, commissioned by the American Museum of History in New York.

A family man, Puthuff enjoyed two strong and fulfilling marriages that lasted over thirty years each. He was the father of five children, twins Lee and Duvall, and Robert, Paul and Matilda.

Around 1926, he began to concentrate full time on his easel paintings and the exhibition of his artworks at various venues. One of the founders of the Laguna Beach Art Association, Hanson Puthuff is most often remembered for his majestic landscapes and quiet desert scenes.

"Desert Landscape" SOLD

He enjoyed friendships with a number of well respected Southern California Impressionists, including fellow members of the California Art Club Edgar Payne, William Wendt, and Jack Wilkinson Smith.

"Beach Road" 12 X 16 AVAILABLE NOW

Puthuff’s paintings are noted for their strong compositions, beautiful impressionistic lighting and atmospheric effects, free brushstrokes, and warm, rich colors.

"Langourous Summer" SOLD

Many of his works were painted outdoors, en “plein air”, and display a feeling of spontaneity and vitality.

"Malibu" SOLD

Hanson Puthuff died on May 12^th, 1972 in Corona del Mar, California, after a long and successful career. His paintings can be found in the collections of numerous prestigious institutions, including the Laguna Beach Museum of Art, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and the Pasadena Art Institute.

For additional information about acquiring currently available paintings by this artist, please contact William A. Karges Fine Art in Beverly Hills at (800) 276-8551.

The Nocturnes of Charles Rollo Peters

2010-07-08T15:45:00.000-07:00

Early California artist Charles Rollo Peters, famous for his quiet, peaceful tonalist nocturnes, has often been called “The Poet of the Night”. His paintings, often created using shades of deep blues and rich purples, evoke feelings of mystery and serenity. In today’s high-tech, fast moving world, they bring a much needed sense of tranquility to this artist’s many admirers and collectors. They encourage the viewer to imagine the slower paced life that existed long ago on the Monterey peninsula where the artist made his home during the early 20^th century.


Charles Rollo Peters "Monterey Adobe at Night" 11 x 14 1/4 AVAILABLE NOW

Artists of the Northern California tonalist movement, including Gottardo Piazzoni, Xavier Martinez, and Will Sparks, rejected the Impressionistic plein-air style and brighter palette that was favored at the time by painters in Southern California. Instead, they focused on creating an interpretation of nature using muted colors, soft outlines, and subtle nuances and gradations of single hues in a narrow range. Their paintings convey feelings of calmness, peace, and timelessness, and often depict the uniquely hazy, foggy atmospheric effects commonly seen in the weather patterns of the Monterey area.

Casa Sargenti

SOLD

The darker hues Peters used in his night scenes, the nocturnes, create a vision where the forms are often indistinct and mysterious. A viewer of one of his paintings once remarked that “It’s like a secret being revealed”. As one’s eyes adjust to the light, the objects on the canvas, a crumbling Spanish Adobe, the branches of a Cypress tree, or the moon behind the clouds, slowly come to life and are quietly unveiled.

Charles Rollo Peters was born in San Francisco in 1862 to a wealthy family. He clearly had a talent for painting, and in the 1880’s he studied with artists Jules Tavernier and Chris Jorgensen at the California School of Design. He traveled to Europe in 1886 for a period of four years, studying at the famed Ecole des Beaux-Arts and the Academie Julien.

Notre Dame, Paris

SOLD

He returned to San Francisco in 1890, married his first wife Kathleen Mary Murphy, and traveled back to Europe for an extended trip. His son, also an artist, Charles Rollo Peters III, was born in France on September 25^th, 1892 during this period. During his time in Europe, he was deeply influenced by the beautiful paintings of James McNeill Whistler, who was reported to have said that “Peters was the only artist other than himself who could paint nocturnes”.

He returned to California about 1895 and soon after that, moved to Monterey, making his home there on thirty acres of land that he purchased, in an area known as “Peters Gate”.

Castro Adobe

SOLD

During his time in Monterey, he painted numerous scenes of the local Spanish adobe houses, including the Castro Adobe, as well as the California Missions, during his time in Monterey.

Mission Buenaventura

SOLD

The lobby of The Inn at Spanish Bay in Pebble Beach is currently the site of one of the artist’s most striking large nocturne scenes. Visitors to the area often make a special trip to view it, and many feel that the night sky in this painting, with its wonderful array of stars, is one of the loveliest he created during his lifetime.

In 1907, along with William Keith, Karl Neuhaus and Will Sparks (another artist noted for his jewel-like nocturnes), Charles Rollo Peters established the Del Monte Art Gallery in Monterey, which was the first gallery to focus entirely on the local California artists of that time.

His first wife, sadly, died in 1902, and Peters was also deeply upset by the passing of his young daughter in 1904. His excessive spending, often on lavish parties for his artist friends, eventually caught up with him. Though he did remarry in 1909, later in life he began drinking on a regular basis, perhaps as a way to mute the pain of his tragic losses and his increasing depression. Authorities foreclosed on his Monterey estate, and his health declined. He died in San Francisco in 1928, and will always be remembered for his quiet, tranquil and mysteriously beautiful nocturnes.

For additional information about available original paintings by this artist, please contact Patrick Kraft, Director of William A. Karges Fine Art, Sixth and Dolores, Carmel, California. www.kargesfineart.com (800) 833-9185 or (831) 625-4226.

“Saving Paradise” Exhibition at the Irvine Museum June 16th through October 23rd, 2010

2010-06-29T11:38:00.001-07:00

A new exhibition recently opened at the Irvine Museum on June 16^th, 2010. Titled “Saving Paradise”, this superb collection of paintings celebrates the unspoiled beauty of Early California. Concentrating specifically on California Impressionist paintings created from 1870 through 1930, the exhibition includes works by such notable artists as Guy Rose, Benjamin Brown, Alice Chittenden, Jack Wilkinson Smith, Jessie Arms Botke, and Elmer Wachtel.

The Irvine Museum is located at 18881 Von Karman Avenue, Ste. 100 (Ground Level) Irvine, CA 92612 Telephone: (949) 476-0294 website: www.irvinemuseum.org Museum hours are Tuesday through Saturday 11 am to 5 pm. Admission is free.

The Art of Mary DeNeale Morgan

2010-06-14T16:04:00.000-07:00

With the 2010 U.S. Open Golf Tournament beginning today, visitors from around the world have begun to arrive in Pebble Beach and Carmel-by-the-Sea. The dramatic beaches and sand dunes, the beauty of the Del Monte Forest, and the mysterious coastal Cypress trees continue to draw both tourists and artists to the area year round.

One of the most prominent early Carmel artists, Mary DeNeale Morgan (1868 – 1948), made her home in the quaint village of Carmel beginning in 1910, when she settled there, until her death at 80 years of age on October 10th, 1948.

Mary DeNeale Morgan is best known for her pastels, watercolors, and oil paintings depicting the coastline, dunes, and beaches of the Carmel region. Her landscapes featuring the swaying, windswept Cypress Trees are sought after by knowledgeable art collectors, and enjoyed by the many museum visitors who appreciate this talented artist’s work.

"Three Cypresses" SOLD

Born in San Francisco in 1868, Mary DeNeale Morgan moved across the Bay to Oakland as a young child. She was, for a brief time, a teacher at Oakland High School.

“Lake Merritt, Oakland”

SOLD

A longtime favorite student of the brilliant landscape artist William Keith (1838 – 1911) , Mary studied at the School of Design in San Francisco under several notable teachers, including Arthur Mathews, prior to her move to Carmel. She worked in her home/studio in Carmel, which she acquired from the artist Sydney Yard, from 1904 onwards.

"The Artist’s Studio-Home on Lincoln near 7th Street in Carmel"

SOLD

Mary was not only a well respected Carmel painter, but was an important part of the local art community. As a teacher and an organizer, she was instrumental in turning Carmel-by-the Sea into a vibrant art center. She was an early member of the Carmel Art Association, a group of local artists that included such famous members as Armin Hansen, E. Charlton Fortune, and master seascape painter William Ritschel. She was a student, attending William Merritt Chase’s summer classes in 1914, and eventually became a teacher, offering six weeks of instruction for $15 through the Arts and Crafts Club in Carmel. From 1917 to 1925 she was the Director of the Carmel School of art. Her paintings were also exhibited by the Del Monte Art Gallery and the California Watercolor Society.

Her beautiful, contemplative, elegant landscapes of the Monterey Peninsula can be found in numerous museums including the Monterey Museum of Art , the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and the Oakland Museum of California.

“Carmel Coast”

SOLD

For additional information about available paintings by Mary DeNeale Morgan shown here, please feel free to contact us at (800) 833-9185 or (831) 625-4226 at our gallery in Carmel. Please stop by and visit the gallery this week at Dolores Street and Sixth Avenue if you’re in town to enjoy the U.S. Open in nearby Pebble Beach.

The History of the Laguna Beach Art Association

2010-05-27T15:19:00.000-07:00

For over a century, the scenic beauty of the landscape and the coastline of Laguna Beach has attracted scores of talented and distinguished artists, including such important Early California painters as Edgar Payne, William Wendt, and George Gardner Symons.

Photo Credit: Laguna Beach Visitors and Conference Bureau

The new California Impressionist style, emerging as a primary genre of painting in Southern California in the early part of the 20^th century, was a natural match for the Laguna Beach area. This style, borrowed from the French Impressionists who painted in the late 19^th century, focused on the effects of light, a bright and colorful palette, and the loose application of paint to capture a passing moment in time.

One of the first artists to arrive in Laguna Beach was Norman St. Clair, who was originally from San Francisco. He helped to establish the area as an artist’s colony when he arrived there in 1903. Norman St. Clair urged the prominent landscape artist Granville Redmond to come to Laguna Beach and the two painted together there in 1903.

George Gardner Symons had a studio in Laguna Beach, and acquired property at Arch Beach in 1903. He asked his friend William Wendt, who became one of the most significant Southern California Impressionists, to visit. In 1913, Wendt and his wife Julia built a studio-home in Laguna Beach and settled there permanently in 1919 until his death in 1946. Wendt was also a founding member of the Art Association.

William Wendt

"Seaside Cottages"

Oil on canvas, 24 x 24 inches

Frank Cuprien, (noted for his spectacular seascapes), and several other artists, rented rooms from local residents before building their own studios. Cuprien first visited Laguna in 1912, was charmed by the beauty of the area, and later moved to Laguna and built a studio dubbed "The Viking."

The first step towards the creation of the Laguna Beach Art Association was to establish an art gallery. With funds collected from local artists and residents, the abandoned community house was repaired and renovated. The gallery officially opened on July 27^th, 1918. The exhibition included nearly 100 artworks by 25 artists. This gallery eventually became what is now the Laguna Art Museum.

The Laguna Beach Art Association was officially founded on August 22nd, 1918, with one hundred and fifty charter members, thirty-five of whom were artists. The group was originally organized by Edgar Payne, who served as President. Payne, perhaps the most well known of all the Southern California Early California artists, moved to Laguna Beach in 1917 with his wife, Elsie.

Edgar Payne (1883 – 1947)

"Laguna Coastline"

28 x 34 inches

Founding members also included Frank Cuprien, Anna Hills, George Gardner Symons, and Hanson Puthuff.

Hanson Puthuff (1875 – 1972)

"California Coast"

Oil on canvas, 24 x 30 inches

Another famous member of the Laguna Beach Art Association was California Impressionist painter and master colorist Joseph Kleitsch . He and his wife, Edna, moved to Laguna Beach in 1920, where Kleitsch was inspired by the quaint street scenes and beauty of the coast. His works are noted for their beautiful, vibrant colors. Anthony Anderson, an art critic for the "Los Angeles Times" in 1922, was quoted as saying: "Kleitsch has discovered more varieties of loveliness in Laguna Beach than any other artist...he explored little intimate places, he painted quaint old streets with towering eucalyptus, and the gardens rioting with bloom”.

Joseph Kleitsch

"Laguna Boats"

Oil on canvas, 20 x 24 inches

J.N. (Nick) Isch, proprietor of the general store, post office, and livery stable, and brother-in-law to Joseph Yoch, owned the most famous cottage of the period, appropriately named “The Paint Box”. The Paint Box housed many artists over the years, including Norman St. Clair, Donna Schuster, Mabel Alvarez, and Edgar Payne. The building later was lost to fire in 1926.

William Griffith, distinguished painter of landscapes and coastal scenes, moved to Laguna Beach in 1920, and served as President of the Laguna Beach Art Association. He died in Laguna Beach on May 25^th, 1940.

Home to at least three major annual Art Festivals, Laguna Beach remains a vibrant artist colony today; a wonderful gathering place for those who appreciate spectacular paintings, scenery, fine restaurants, and pristine beaches.

For additional information about available paintings, feel free to contact us at our Carmel Gallery at (800) 833-9185, or our Beverly Hills Gallery at (800) 884-4022. www.kargesfineart.com

EARLY CALIFORNIA PAINTING IN CARMEL AND MONTEREY

2010-05-12T14:41:00.000-07:00

Uniquely situated in a spectacular setting on the Pacific Ocean near the Del Monte Forest, Carmel-by-the-Sea has been a gathering spot for talented visual artists for well over a hundred years. The natural scenic beauty of the area has attracted and inspired dozens of notable Early California painters including Armin Hansen (1886 – 1957), William Ritschel (1864 – 1949), Percy Gray, and Francis McComas (1875 – 1938).

A recent exhibition at the Monterey Museum of Art, “Artists at Continent’s End: The Monterey Peninsula Art Colony, 1875-1907” clearly confirmed that the natural beauty, the rich history, and mild climate have drawn talented artists to Carmel/Monterey area since the late 19th century. Organized by the Crocker Museum in Sacramento, the display included the quiet tonalist nocturnes of Early California artist Charles Rollo Peters (1862 – 1928), who lived in the area of Monterey known as Peter’s Gate.

Charles Rollo Peters

"Adobe"

Oil on canvas, 10 x 16

Other artists active in the late 19th century represented in the exhibition included Jules Tavernier (1844 – 1889), noted for his quiet scenes featuring California’s unique Redwood trees, and Chris Jorgensen (1860 – 1935). Jorgensen, often remembered for his highly detailed coastal scenes featuring the Monterey area’s famous Cypress Trees, built a boulder home in Carmel in 1905 which later became the La Playa Hotel.

The city of Carmel-by-the-Sea was founded in 1902, and incorporated in 1916. In 1905, the Carmel Arts and Crafts Club was formed to support the local artistic community. In 1906, following the San Francisco earthquake, a large number of talented artists moved to the Carmel area. The Carmel Arts and Crafts Club held frequent exhibitions of works by local artists and, in 1913, began providing lessons for aspiring painters. Distinguished artists William Merritt Chase, Xavier Martinez, and Mary DeNeale Morgan all taught six week classes arranged by the Club for $15 in those early days.

Mary DeNeale Morgan

"Cypress, Point Lobos"

Oil on board, 16 x 12

In 1907, artists William Keith, Xavier Martinez, Karl Neuhaus, and Will Sparks founded the Del Monte Art Gallery, now the Herrmann Hall at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey. This was one of the very first galleries focused specifically on work by California artists.

In 1923, the distinguished tonalist painter Percy Gray (1869 – 1952) moved to Monterey. His remarkable, quiet, introspective watercolor paintings are cherished by collectors today for their ability to capture the mysterious, misty qualities of the local landscape.


Percy Gray "Poppies and Eucalyptus" SOLD

In 1927, The Carmel Art Association was formed, founded by artists Josephine Culbertson and Ida Johnson. Early members of the group included Paul Dougherty and E. Charlton Fortune. Their mission statement explains that “the Association exists to provide its members with a permanent art gallery, to advance knowledge of, and interest in the arts, and to create a spirit of cooperation and fellowship among artists and the community”. The association is the second oldest operating non-profit artist cooperative in the United States, after a group in Rockport, Massachusetts, and to this day, member artists are always selected by their peers.

Fine examples of the rich artistic history of the Carmel/Monterey area can be found in museums throughout California and the United States. Important paintings by artists including a large selection of works by Impressionist E. Charlton Fortune are currently on view at the Monterey Museum of Art in the exhibition “Land and Sea: Paintings and Photographs of Monterey and Beyond”. The exhibition continues through October 24, 2010.

For additional information regarding the available paintings featured in this post, please call William A. Karges Fine Art at (800) 833-9185 in Carmel, or (800) 884-4022 in Beverly Hills, or visit our website at http://www.kargesfineart.com/

Millard Sheets Exhibit at Pasadena Museum of California Art

2010-05-06T15:28:00.000-07:00

On February 14, 2010, the exhibit “Millard Sheets: The Early Years (1926 – 1944) opened at the Pasadena Museum of California Art. Curator Gordon McClelland has organized the first cohesive survey of the first two decades of this early California painter’s career.

Emma Jacobson-Sive, Pasadena Museum of California Art Director of Public Relations, noted “It is often a challenge to narrow down works of a prolific and important artist, but the emphasis on the time period--the earlier part of Sheets’ career--certainly helped focus the exhibition. The works selected capture the changes and evolution of the artist’s style and by including some of his successful students’ work, they also capture his influence too.”

Millard Sheets was born in Pomona, California, in 1907. He attended the Chouinard Art School in Los Angeles, studying with Clarence Hinkle. Following a painting trip through Europe, Sheets returned to Los Angeles to teach at Chouinard. He is best remembered for his depression-era regionalist works known as the “California Scene Paintings.” Sheets spent 20 years teaching at Scripps College, and 6 years as the director of the Otis Institute before retiring to Mendocino County in 1960.

Millard Sheets

Karges Fine Art currently has several works available by this well respected artist:

The Capitol Building at Night, 1956

Watercolor, 22 x 30 inches

Mount Hood, Oregon, 1951

Watercolor, 22 x 30 inches

“The Capitol Building” was a part of a larges series Millard Sheets completed in the 1950’s and early 60’s as a commission to promote areas serviced by United Airlines. The images were reproduced in a series of United Airline calendars to promote the wonder of travel.

Sheets, well known for his individual paintings, is also known for the artworks featured in the interiors and exteriors of dozens of buildings in Los Angeles County. He also drew, 1n 1957, the Los Angeles County Seal

The Pasadena Museum of California Art is dedicated to the exhibition of California art, architecture, and design from 1850 to the present.

The Pasadena Museum of California Art

Located at 490 East Union Street, the museum opened to the Public in June, 2002. Open Wednesday through Sunday from 12 to 5 pm, this exhibition features a cross section of eighty outstanding oils, watercolors, drawings and lithographs, a number of which have not been publicly displayed since the 1930s. The Exhibition continues through May 30th, 2010.

website: http://www.pmcaonline.org/ (626) 568-3665

Irvine Museum "El Camino de Oro, A Journey Through Early California"

2010-04-28T12:28:00.000-07:00

The Exhibition “El Camino de Oro, A Journey Through Early California” is currently on view at the Irvine Museum in California from February 24th through June 5th, 2010. Featuring paintings by Early California Artists including Maurice Braun (1877 - 1941), Thaddeus Welch (1899 – 1919), and Benjamin Brown (1865 – 1942), the exhibit includes a large selection of landscape paintings from the Late 19th and early 20th Century.

The museum is located at 18881 Von Karman Avenue Ste. 100 (Ground Level), Irvine, California 92612. The museum is open: Tuesday through Saturday, 11am - 5pm. Admission is free and parking is validated. A docent tour is available to the public every Thursday, at 11:15am. Recorded information and directions: 949-476-2565. www.irvinemuseum.org.

The Watercolors of Lorenzo Latimer

2010-04-15T14:22:00.000-07:00

Lorenzo Palmer Latimer, widely known for his peaceful watercolor landscapes of northern California, Lake Tahoe, and the Sierra Nevada Mountains, was born in Placer County. After spending time as a child near the rolling hills on a ranch with his family in Windsor, California, the Latimers moved to San Francisco in 1869. Studying at the School of Design there, he graduated in 1882 and opened his own studio on Clay Street. As a member of the raucous, partying circle of artist Jules Tavernier (1844 – 1889), his career languished during this period, though he likely enjoyed himself very much.

Around 1833, when Latimer was in his mid-twenties, he began to teach outdoor painting classes, primarily to groups of women, who eventually, in 1916, became known collectively as the “Latimers”. Members of this group later became the founders of the Nevada Art Gallery, which eventually formed the basis for the Nevada Museum of Art. Latimer arranged many painting trips to Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada Mountains. In 1914, he spent three summer months near Tahoe at Fallen Leaf and returned every summer for the remainder of his life. A fine example of a watercolor from Fallen Leaf is shown below, including a lovely, quiet, contemplative composition inscribed on the back of the painting: “The Mountains from the long trail to the top of Mount Tallac - Fallen Leaf and Glen Alpine Region, 1916”.

Fallen Leaf Lake SOLD

Influenced by Tavernier, he later became especially fascinated with the creation of paintings of California Redwood scenes.

Lorenzo Latimer’s works were often exhibited with the San Francisco Art Association, and he was later elected to artist membership in the exclusive Bohemian Club.

The Bohemian Club, located at 624 Taylor Street, San Francisco

From 1893 to 1894, he taught at the Mark Hopkins Insitute, whose name was later changed to the California School of Design. Much of his work was lost entirely in the earthquake and fire of 1906, and he moved, at that time, across the bay to Berkeley. Beginning in 1916, he regularly taught painting classes in Reno, Nevada.

Highway, Reno, to Pyramid Lake SOLD

Lorenzo Latimer died on January 14, 1941 in Berkeley, and will always be remembered for his delicate watercolors that so gracefully captured the beauty of the California Redwoods, the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and the Lake Tahoe area.

Washoe Lake, Nevada

For additional information regarding available paintings by Lorenzo Latimer or other early California artists, please call (800) 833-9185 or visit our website at http://www.kargesfineart.com/