KATONAH, NY.- From July 13 through October 5, the Katonah Museum of Art presents All Things Bright and Beautiful: California Impressionist Paintings from The Irvine Museum, with over 60 works created by 40 artists during the early decades of the 20th century. Lush summer gardens, tranquil picnic scenes, sweeping views of the Sierra Mountains , and sparkling seascapes glow with the vivid colors and intense light that characterizes the “ Land of Sunshine .”

Most of the artists came to California from out-of-state, attracted by the temperate climate, beautiful landscapes, and burgeoning economy. Some settled in Laguna Beach and Newport Beach , while others moved to the larger cities such as Los Angeles and San Francisco ; by the early 1900s several of the state’s most picturesque places boasted artists’ colonies.

Emerging several decades after Monet painted Impression: Sunrise (1872), the canvas that gave Impressionism its name, California’s plein-air movement can justly be called Impressionism’s Indian summer, remarkable not only for its belatedness, but also for its fervor. From the dusty banks of Pasadena ’s Arroyo Seco to the beaches of San Diego Bay , artists deserted their studios to take up painting out of doors. The French Impressionists of the late 1800s had a tremendous influence on the California artists, many of whom had studied in France . They adopted the French technique of using loose brushstrokes to varying degrees, some applying the paint with an almost abstract abandonment of form, others maintaining a sharper focus on details. But unlike the French Impressionists or even their American progeny in the east, these artists – such as Guy Rose and Maurice Braun – sought out isolated nature, sometimes making lengthy and arduous treks into the wilderness. Motivated by a strong spiritual awareness and reverence for nature, they strove to show the natural world in its true and unspoiled beauty, rarely including figures or architectural elements.

The distinctive style of California Impressionism peaked in the 1920s and by the end of the decade was relegated to history. The onset of Modernism combined with the effects of the Depression forever changed the face of American art. Curated by William H. Gerdts, All Things Bright and Beautiful stands as a testament to The Irvine Museum’s dedication to preserving California ’s rich Impressionist heritage.