Also on exhibit is the Sebastopol Center for the Arts (SCA) Water Media Exhibition which promotes local California talent. Bodega Bay Heritage Gallery's own Jean Warren's work is part of this exhibition. It is juried by Christopher Schink, a renowned watercolorist who studied with Rex Brandt and Barse Miller.

This year's grand prize winner is Twin Palms of Mendocino by Carolyn Lord of Livermore. You may see more of Carolyn Lord's paintings locally at the Calabi Gallery in Santa Rosa. See our neighboring gallery listings below. Carolyn studied with Millard Sheets, Rex Brandt, George Post, Milford Zornes and Robert E. Wood.

The SCA presents exhibits and live performances as well as providing classes and local art events. In Sebastopol, the Art Center is the happening place. Over time, you will see some great art and meet the local talent responsible for making it. Drop in soon and take a lingering look, and make plans to return often.

Thomas Hill 1829-1908. In the late 1800's, Thomas Hill was known as one of San Francisco's best resident artists alongside William Keith and Albert Bierstadt. He is best known for his grandiose paintings of the Sierra and Yosemite. Upon the death of his friend Virgil Williams, Hill became the director of the California School of Fine Arts. John Muir asked Hill to accompany him to

He joined the Bohemian Club where he became close friends with Joseph Strong, Raymond Yelland and Jules Tavernier. For a time he shared a studio with Jules Tavernier.

William Hahn 1829-1887. In 1869, William Hahn met San Francisco artist William Keith in Dusseldorf. In 1871, Hahn accompanied Keith to Boston where the two shared a studio. In 1872, the two came to San Francisco. Hahn enjoyed the wonder of the California landscape, making excursions into the Sierras, Yosemite, and the Napa Valley. In 1876, he was a member of the Bohemian Club and director of the San Francisco Art Association. Although he remained active and involved on the East Coast and lived in London for several years, he considered the Bay Area home. While on a trip to his native Germany, he died in Dresden in 1887.

Prior to his arrival in Pasadena in 1896, Benjamin Chambers Brown 1865-1942 studied at the St. Louis School of Fine Arts in Paris. In California, he was known for his portraits, but increasingly was drawn to painting landscapes, and quite often the scenes around Laguna Beach. Brown was quite proud of his California paintings, so much so that when a New York dealer suggested he conceal his California residence, Brown defiantly began adding the word "California" beneath his signature.

Elmer Wachtel 1864-1929. Wachtel's earlier work was tonalist, but as his career progressed, he employed more play with light and

impressionist techniques. He studied at the Art Students League in New York with William Merritt Chase. After continued studies in London, Wattle returned to California, establishing his studio in back of his parent's home on Griffin Avenue in LA. In 1904, he married Marion Kavanaugh, who was introduced to Wachtel by William Keith. The couple soon proved

themselves to be artistic royalty. For the next quarter century, they traveled in their specially equipped motor car and painted throughout Southern California and the Southwest.

California painter Franz Bischoff 1864-1929 is known for his landscapes, florals and ceramics. The second meeting of the California Art Club was held at Bischoff's studio on February 5, 1910. Fellow artists Carl Oscar Borg and William Wendt were in attendance. Critics likened Bischoff's expressive use of color with Fauvism. His vivid compositions led some to say he was flirting with Expressionism. In March of 2011, Sacramento's Crocker Museum hosted its Summer of Impressionism. Part of that exhibition was organized by the Pasadena Museum of California Art and was called Gardens and Grandeur which featured a stunning array of Bischoff's porcelains and paintings.

William Wendt 1865-1946. Today, William Wendt is one of California's best known landscape painters. He was a co-founder of the California Art Club. He studied at the Art Institute of Chicago. During the 1890's, he made several early trips to California with fellow student and close friend George Gardner Symons. They were among the first impressionist painters to paint in California. During his career, Wendt's work became stronger and bolder. Art historian Nancy Moure wrote "Wendt was carving out the underlying structure of the mountains, delighting in the folds of the earth. His colors moved from organic to stronger purer tones, and for a time he was fascinated with brilliant greens.

Karl Yens 1868-1948. Karl left his native Germany for New York, arriving in 1890. During his first decade in America, he was commissioned to do murals in New York and Washington. In 1910, he was active in LA and Pasadena. In 1915, he won a medal for his paintings at the Pan California International

Exposition held in San Diego's Balboa Park. He is remembered for his portraits, still lifes, genre subjects and many studio figure studies, often done in a decorative style executed with bold color. He exhibited widely, and was a member of the California Art Club and the Laguna Beach Art Association.

Frank Cuprien 1871-1948 is known for his opalescent seascapes. He was a leading member of the Laguna Beach Art Association, and is often referred to as the Dean of the Laguna Beach Art Colony. He was well schooled, having studied at the Art Students League and Cooper Union in New York and the Academie Julian in Paris. His rustic studio was located on a cliff overlooking the Pacific and he called it "The Viking." His studio was the site of art exhibitions and his well known piano recitals.

Granville Redmond 1871-1935 graduated the California School of Design, but preferred living in California's Southland. He lived in LA from 1898 to 1909, and after a time back in the Bay Area, he came to LA a second time in 1917. He was completely deaf and was a close friend of silent filmmaker and star, Charlie Chaplin. Redmond's most famous compositions are of California hillsides blanketed with wildflowers. In his painting Talk on the Beach, Redmond gives us an intimate view of beach life, where a young woman walks toward the viewer while others seated behind seem to be gossiping about her.

Carl Oscar Borg 1879-1942 was a frequent visitor to Laguna Beach, and was a member of the Laguna Beach Art Association. His major job upon arrival in California was as a photographer and painter for Phoebe Apperson Hearst, the

mother of William Randolph Hearst. She gave Borg an opportunity to return to Europe to study art. In California, Carl enjoyed painting the desert and the Grand Canyon. Back in LA, he helped found the California Art Club.

Clarence Hinkle 1880-1960. Although he studied in some of the best art schools and his teachers

included Arthur Mathews and William Merritt Chase, he later claimed he learned most from walks through the Louvre. He was intrigued by the work of Thomas Gainsborough, Lawrence Copley and Henry Raeburn. In 1917, he moved to Los Angeles and taught at the Los Angeles School of Art and Design and was an instructor at the Chouinard School of Art. His students included Millard Sheets and Phil Dike. After living a brief time in Laguna Beach, he made Santa Barbara his home.

After studies in Paris, Anna Hills 1882-1930 came to California in 1912. She had abandoned her earlier tonal approach to painting and adopted an impressionist style, employing richer and brighter color, often using a small palette knife. Her preferred locales for landscape painting were near her home in Laguna Beach, the Mission at San Juan Capistrano, and the California and Arizona deserts. She helped establish the Laguna Beach Art Association and served several terms as its president.

Edgar Payne 1883-1947. Except for a short stint at the Art Institute of Chicago, Edgar Payne was self taught. He is best known for his paintings of the Laguna Beach Coast, the Sierra and the Canyons of Arizona. In 1920, he was founder of the

Laguna Beach Art Association along with Anna Hills, Franz Bischoff, William Wendt and Carl Oscar Borg. The first meeting of the association took place in his studio. He married fellow artist Elsie Palmer in 1912. The couple separated in 1932 because Payne's career overshadowed Elsie's. Towards the end of his life, Elsie returned to care for Edgar who showed remorse.

Carl Schmidt 1885-1969. Carl was born in rural Minnesota and studied at the Art Institute of Chicago. He moved to California early in the 20th century, settling in Southern California where he was a member of the Laguna Beach Art Association, the Los Angeles Art Association, and the San Bernardino County Art Association. A mural of his can be seen at Trinity Methodist Church in San Bernardino.

Conrad Buff 1886-1975 is known for his abstract paintings of desert landscape, noted by his use of blocks of bright color. His compositions did not accurately portray the landscape before him. After 1910, he began using a cross hatching technique. He is also well known for his illustrations for children's books written by his wife, Mary Buff. Conrad met Marry when she was an assistant curator for the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Later in his career, he was a good friend and painting partner of Maynard Dixon, and he and his wife Mary became close friends with a young artist at Disney Studios, Joshua Meador and his wife Libby.

In 2003, a notable landscape titled Canyon Land sold at auction for $77,000.

Bill Bender died on January 5th, his 97th birthday. According to Ed Ainsworth, Bill Bender's painting stands on its own, yet is intricately laced with the teaching of his old mentor (44 years his senior), Jimmy Swinnerton.

Jimmy helped Bill achieve a mastery of the basics. Bill often quoted Jimmy who taught, "If you can't see it, you can't paint it." Bill went on to say, "Lots of times he would tell me to sit and look at something so that I would be able to paint it and sometimes it was only four square feet of dirt."

Ed Ainsworth wrote, "Swinnerton explained the mystery of shadows and the innumerable shades of color embodied within them if they were to be translated to canvas. He particularly stressed there is a balance in all nature and that if the painter will look long, and philosophically, enough, he can detect the balance.

Jimmy advised Bill not to paint horses in his desert landscapes until he mastered the colors of the desert. Today, he is known for his

During the Cold War, John W. Hilton was commissioned by the Air Force to visit the Philippines and Vietnam to do some painting. Hilton was told to bring along a second artist and John chose young Bill Bender.

When Jimmy Swinnerton first introduced Bill to John, John says he was captivated by young Bill's personality and his desire to learn to paint.

Hilton first became aware of Bender's fear of flying while at the Los Angeles airport as they were to depart on their trans Pacific trip. John's encouragement and generous doses of martinis gave Bill the fortitude to continue.

Freelance writer Ann Japenga writes of her friend Bill that he was "the poster boy for longevity." He was into holistic medicine and was the picture of perfect health.

Japenga writes that Bill was a stuntman in the movies and a lineman. He rode horseback

stringing line from Kernville to Lone Pine. She writes, "Bill was 100% cowboy, but still very caring and kind." She reports she had just received a Christmas card from Bill and his handwriting was perfect. He left his mark on the world, and he will be truly missed.

Kathi Hilton reports that Swinnerton had called Bill "the kid," and Bill in turn called her the same thing.

Upon hearing the news of Bill's passing, Kathi told the story of John W. Hilton's memorial service held at the Twentynine Palms Art Gallery. She said Bill comforted her that day, telling her, "Now you're the last of the Desert Painters." While reminiscing, Kathi recalled a box of letters she has which Bill had sent to John and Barbara Hilton. Kathi said she was going to reread those letters and then send them along to us for publication. She said Bill's letters were most entertaining because he illustrated them with drawings. Stay tuned to our newsletter for more.

Our gallery has lost a great friend. Jennie Kelly was an amazing woman. She established the Salton Sea History Museum and worked diligently to promote the history of the Salton Sea, including those who came before her, such as the California Desert Painters.

She fought to preserve John W. Hilton's Rancho Dos Palmas near

Jennie Kelly and her good friend and museum associate,
Linda Beal at the Salton Sea Museum

the Salton Sea's North Shore Beach and Yacht Club, and his Art and Gem Shop in Thermal. Those in attendance at her memorial praised Jennie for her empassioned advocacy for the Salton Sea, and rededicated themselves to teaching people about its history and being politically active to safeguard its fragile ecology.

Several years ago, Jennie drove from Palm Springs to Roosevelt, Utah, to visit with desert artist Kathi Hilton, the daughter of artist John W. Hilton. The two became good friends. Soon afterward, Kathi's paintings were on exhibit at the Twentynine Palms Art Gallery where I met Jennie and journalist Ann Japenga of CaliforniaDesertArt.com.

Jennie's memorial was held on the shores of her beloved Salton Sea, at the Albert Frey designed North Shore Beach and Yacht Club, on Saturday, January 30.

For information about the efforts to restore the Museum, please call 760-250-8927 or email Achsshm@aol.com. The museum's website is www.SaltonSeaMuseum.org. ... Daniel Rohlfing

Philadelphia , PA
The Philadelphia Museum of Art