The bright and dazzling state of California often conjures specific scenes in the imagination, from the Sierra Nevadas to Yosemite National Park. One look at the vast cliff face of El Capitan, a rock formation of godly proportions, inspires wonder and awe. Or trekking through California’s redwood forests, you’ll experience some of the most dense old-growth woods in the region. A view of Lincoln Heights, one of the oldest neighborhoods in downtown Los Angeles. Photo by Sterling Davis.

Of course, an ever-present theme within the Golden State is the Golden Age of Hollywood, where Western movies shared a major spot in the limelight and John Wayne, Gene Autry and Roy Rogers captivated the country. The cowboy way of life—and the surrounding landscape that is iconographic of the West—still holds power today. All of these things, from natural wonders to human history and culture, inspire artists every day to create. The Autry Museum of the American West in Los Angeles, California, showcases the history of the West through art and exhibitions throughout the year.

San Diego, California, at golden hour. Photo by Lital Levy.

Indeed, many of the top California-based artists working today continue to tell the stories of the history of the West, as do art galleries and museums. Among some of the top Western museums in California are the Autry Museum of the American West in Los Angeles, the Olaf Wieghorst Museum & Western Heritage Center in El Cajon, and the Santa Barbara Carriage and Western Art Museum in Santa Barbara. And of course, collectors won’t want to miss Maxwell Alexander Gallery in Los Angeles, which showcases original paintings, drawings and sculpture from the Southwest.

Continue exploring this special section to learn about more artists and institutions based in the Golden State. 

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Julia Munger Seelos
(650) 746-3646
julia_seelos@yahoo.com
www.juliaseelosgallery.com
Julia Munger Seelos has been painting outdoors since growing up in Kentucky. Her fondness for the natural world is given voice in her fresh interpretations of the landscape. She is inspired by the rich tapestry of changing colors and light of the American West. Plein air events have taken Seelos to the colorful Western landscapes of Zion, Escalante, Sedona, the Grand Canyon, Telluride and Santa Fe. From her home base on the San Francisco Peninsula, with its temperate climate, she can paint the California coast from San Francisco to Big Sur yearround.Julia Munger Seelos, Point Lobos Pines, oil on canvas, 12 x 12"

Julia Munger Seelos, Garapata River Bend, oil on canvas, 20 x 20"

This April, Seelos will be featured with Pacific Panorama at Viewpoints Gallery in Los Altos, California. Her works will feature the dramatic Pacific Coast and the lush landscapes on the headlands. In May Seelos has been invited once again to the Carmel Art Festival starting the plein air season.Julia Munger Seelos, Garapata Pacific Majesty, oil on canvas panel, 14 x 18"Seelos is a Signature member of the American Impressionist Society and the Monterey Bay Plein Air Association, and on the board. She has works selected for both the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association and the California Art Club. She also currently has works in the Studio Gallery in San Francisco and the Epperson Gallery in Crockett, as well as the 101 Anniversary Exhibit at the Pacific Art League in Palo Alto, California. Her painting Point Lobos Pines will be in the California Art Club exhibition California Dreaming at Curated by the Sea in Santa Cruz in February. 

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Maxwell Alexander Gallery
406 W. Pico Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 91105
(213) 275-1060
info@maxwellalexandergallery.com
www.maxwellalexandergallery.com 

Maxwell Alexander Gallery has quickly become one of the leading galleries in the Western art genre. With a focus on contemporary artists, the gallery has been able to curate the strongest artists all under one roof. Artists include Logan Maxwell Hagege, T. Allen Lawson, Glenn Dean, Len Chmiel, G. Russell Case, Eric Bowman, Thomas Blackshear II, John Moyers, Brett Allen Johnson, Tim Solliday and Josh Elliott. The “New Breed of Fine Art” is a philosophy the gallery holds dear, featuring only the best artists with a forward-looking view of the West and with a superior technical ability to create. Maxwell Alexander refuses to represent a large roster but instead focus on a quality roster of master artists.Maxwell Alexander Gallery, Cliff Dwellers, oil, 48 x 60”, by Glenn Dean.The art market in Los Angeles and across the West continues to be robust. Maxwell Alexander Gallery recently celebrated a 10-year anniversary its largest exhibition ever. Collectors from all over the country attended the three-day event in Los Angeles; opening night saw 200-plus attendees and more than $1 million dollars in sales.A view of Maxwell Alexander Gallery in Los Angeles.The newest artist they’ve added to the roster is Gregory Mortenson. Mortenson is a Utah native that moved to New York for classical training and ended up staying much longer than expected.  A much sought-after artist focusing on the human figure, Mortenson has recently returned to his Western roots.Maxwell Alexander Gallery, Slow Poke, oil on canvas, 24 x 24”, by Eric Bowman.

Upcoming shows of note this year at Maxwell Alexander Gallery include John & Terri Kelly Moyers in March, Eric Bowman in September, Brett Allen Johnson in October, a Black Friday group show in November and Joshua LaRock in December.

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Rick J. Delanty
(949) 412-6907
rdelanty@cox.net 

The Casa Romantica Cultural Center in San Clemente, California, presents unique cultural events for the appreciation of the San Clemente community and beyond, to visitors in and out of state. One of these will be a solo exhibition titled Inspired by History, featuring 22 paintings by national award-winning landscape painter Rick J. Delanty.Rick J. Delanty, Mission San Miguel, acrylic on board, 12 x 24”

Rick J. Delanty, Montana de Oro Poppies, acrylic, 14 x 14”

The show is inspired by the works of renowned painters like Armin Hansen, Anna Hills, Frank Cuprien, Albert Bierstadt, William Ritschel, Thomas Hill and William Wendt. Each historical/contemporary pairing will be connected by a variety of elements that could include subject matter, geographical location, similar composition, color and theme. Paintings were created both in the studio and plein air.Rick J. Delanty, Heaven and Half Dome, oil on board, 11 x 14”Delanty has painted for 50 years, and taught painting and drawing for nearly 40 years, in which he developed a deep appreciation for the contribution of a variety of artists to the history of art. He is a signature member of six national art organizations and is represented by Waterhouse Gallery in Santa Barbara, California, and Illume West Gallery in Montana. “My own association with these organizations and their legacies,” says Delanty, “is one of the reasons I was eager to work on this wide-ranging project, Inspired by History.”

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Tehachapi Arts Commission
Tehachapi, CA
(626) 945-3753
info@artstehachapi.org
www.artstehachapi.org

On Friday, July 21, the Tehachapi Arts Commission will unveil its third nationally recognized art show. At this elegant gala, the 47 artists who journeyed to Tehachapi, California, in May to explore the area and begin their paintings will be back to display the finished works that were juried into the Art 2023 show. In 2022 an “Aerospace Art” category was added due to the area’s proximity to Edwards Air Force Base, attracting aerospace artists like Doug Castleman and Michelle Rouch.Tehachapi Arts Commission, Tehachapi Afternoon, oil on linen, 11 x 18”, by Eleinne Basa.

Tehachapi Arts Commission, Hillside Trail, oil on linen, 11 x 14”, by Rich Gallego.

Tehachapi Arts Commission, Lone Yucca, oil, 14 x 11”, by Linda Brown.

Attendees at the Friday evening event will have the opportunity to purchase paintings and talk with collectors from all over the country, as well as meet the artists, including the 2023 featured artist Junn Roca. Also returning this year will be Charles Muench, winner of the 2022 Best of Show and last year’s featured artist, Eleinne Basa. The show will be open to the public on July 22 to 23.

For more information visit www.artstehachapi.org. —

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