California Artists: 19th-21st Century

 

Online videos:

May, 2023 screenshots via Google video search:

 

Behind the Scenes with Wayne Thiebaud is a 30 minute 1992 video released by First Run Features based on a series by PBS. Follows American painter Wayne Thiebaud (b. 1920) as he uses drawing to expand children's understanding of line from simple outline to its creation of volume, shape, feeling, and movement.

Brush With Life: The Art of Being Edward Biberman is a 2006 DVD produced by Jeff Kaufman. "With epic scope, intense romance, a stellar cast of characters, and stunning artwork, Brush With Life: The Art of Being Edward Biberman brings alive an extraordinary man in a passionate trek through a turbulent century of art, politics, struggle, and hope... With interviews and locations filmed in High Definition, an impressive array of archival footage, and hundreds of photographs and paintings, Brush With Life moves from a classic American immigrant saga, to youthful artistic discovery, a growing commitment to social justice, patriotic home-front service during World War Two, McCarthy-era repression and heroics (Edward's murals were investigated for "subversive content" and his brother, director Herbert Biberman, went to prison as one of The Hollywood Ten), an inspiring commitment to family in trying times, and into a protean period of creative development that still dazzles... With its grand sweep, rich personalities, and vast array of breathtaking paintings, Brush With Life: The Art of Being Edward Biberman builds a deep connection to a man who lived by the same high standard he set for his paintings. It's an unforgettable journey, an overdue tribute to an unjustly unsung artist, and a rare glimpse into the heart of a deeply humane man." text courtesy of edwardbiberman.com

California Missions #110 - ART OF THE MISSIONS is a 28 minute 2000 video by Huell Howser Productions. "Over the years countless artists have depicted the California Missions in drawings, paintings, etchings and photographs. Huell visits the Huntington Library, which has one of the largest collections of Mission art in the world. We'll also visit Luis Tur, who has made 19 of the 21 Mission models using nothing but pieces of junk." Text courtesy of Huell Howser Productions.

California's Green #125 - SANTA BARBARA ARTISTS is a 28 minute 2006 video by Huell Howser Productions. "Some people talk about the environment. Others actually do something proactive about it... Like the group of 26 Santa Barbara artists who founded the Outdoor Airing Club more than 20 years ago. The O.A.K. Group, as it is known, is made up of artists who paint magnificent, unspoiled open spaces threatened by development. They then sell these art pieces at a special auction with 50 percent of the profits going to organizations in Santa Barbara County working to preserve our precious and unfortunately disappearing open, natural, landscape... Huell spends a day with some O.A.K. Group members as they painted in three different spectacular locales, and then attends the auction several months later. The resulting episode of California's Green is not only beautiful, bit inspirational as it shows how important a small but dedicated group of people who really care can be." Text courtesy of Huell Howser Productions.

Ed Ruscha is the taping of a June 29, 2000 lecture by the artist at the Hirshhorn Museum. The Hirshhorn Museum Library's web page contains a video clip from the lecture.

Guy Rose: American Impressionist, by Robert Boudreaux, produced in conjunction with the retrospective exhibition in 1995 by The Oakland Museum of California and The Irvine Museum. The video is 26 minutes in length and is available from the sponsoring museums. Available through the Irvine Museum.

Impressions of California: Currents in Art 1850-1930. The Irvine Museum collaborated in the filming of this KOCE public television documentary video, produced by Paul Bockhorst, consisting of four 1/2 hour television programs totaling 112 minutes. Available through the Irvine Museum.

The Wildling Museum says: "This landmark public television series, produced by KOCE TV Foundation in 1996, documents the story of California art from statehood in 1850 to the beginning of the Depression in 1930. The narration, illustrated by original works of art from many California museums, features interviews with respected art historians, Bill Gerdts, Wanda Corn, Harvey Jones, and Jean Stern among others. Each program lasts 28 minutes.

Part I: Awakening in the North traces the development of art communities in San Francisco and Monterey.

Part II: The Rise of Impressionism in Southern California reviews the coloristic explorations of the "plein air" painters of the early 20th century.

Part III: Early Art in Laguna Beach and San Diego describes the art colonies in these two southern California coastal cities and the unique brand of impressionism practiced by artists William Wendt, Edgar Payne, Anna Hills, Joseph Kleitsch, Maurice Braun and others.

Part IV: Beyond Impressionism, documents the more subjective and expressive styles of "progressive" artists throughout the State who were influenced by Post-Impressionism in the first decades of the 20th century: The Society of the Six in Oakland, Maynard Dixon in SF, Henrietta Shore and Donna Schuster in Los Angeles, among many."

Milford Zornes, Watercolor Master, is a 2003 production of Erickson-Zapata Productions. Pomona College Alumni News says of the video:

"Milford Zornes" is the first in a series of Artist Documentaries planned by this publisher. "At 95, Milford Zornes is one of California's great water color painters, a maverick and an adventurer. The Claremont, California resident is the last living founder of the California Water Color Movement that gained national attention during the 1930's for its bold, daring style... Zornes and other young California painters turned the gloomy days of the Great Depression into a golden era for West Coast art. Painters such as Millard Sheets, Phil Dike, Emil Kosa, Phil Paradise, Lee Blair and Milford Zornes joined together to take what they did not know and change the way Americans looked at art and themselves... Zornes recalls the excitement, jealousies and competition among his contemporaries... This documentary is an amazing opportunity to meet Milford Zornes as he travels back in time to go behind the scenes to introduce the artists who took up the challenge to create a new art for a floundering nation... Zornes is still an incurable globetrotter, whose work captures nearly 80 years of history, people and places... "

Milford Zornes, Watercolor Master is available through Pasadena Museum of California Art, Pasadena, CA. 626-568-3665. http://www.pmcaonline.org/

Milford Zornes: A Life of Canvas, is an independent film on the life of California painter Milford Zornes, which premiered in September 2000. Screenplay by Sharon Dymmel who is an award-winning screenwriter for both the feature film and television broadcast industries.

Plein Air: Painting the American Landscape episodes take the viewer on a journey, from Cape Cod, where the Atlantic meets the land, to the peak of

Denali, the "Great One," North America's tallest mountain. Other episodes feature the Tongass Rain Forest; Seward, Alaska; Taos, New Mexico; Trinidad, Colorado; and central Michigan.

Plein air artists featured in the series include Matt Smith of Scottsdale, Arizona; Kenn Backhaus of Robesonia, Pennsylvania; Jean LeGassick of Silver City, Nevada; Connecticut artist Charles Sovek; Utah artist Ron Rencher; and Frank LaLumia of Trinidad, Colorado. Episodes features one or two of the contemporary plein air painters and examine their technique plus history of the plein air genre. Plein Air: Painting the American Landscape appeals to art lovers and outdoor enthusiasts alike and helps viewers to understand America's own naturalist art form.

For more than a century, a unique group of American artists ventured out of their studios to capture the essence of the American landscape. Some learned their craft from the French Impressionists, others through trial and error. What unites them is their dedication to the interplay of land, water and sky, and the study of how light, shadow and color form the varied and rich masks of the natural world.

This six-part series premiered in August 2007 on PBS and was presented in high definition. Underwriters for the series are Rasmuson Foundation and Joan Irvine Smith & Athalie R. Clarke Foundation. The producer is Greg Bombeck of Bombeck Productions and the PBS presenter is KTOO Juneau. DVDs are available through Bombeck Productions, LLC, 18016 Kamkoff Ave., P.O. Box 770302, Eagle River, AK 99577.

Time Captured in Paintings: The Monterey Legacy was released by the Monterey Museum of Art which tells the story of Monterey's art colony, including artists Armin Hansen, E. Charlton Fortune, Henrietta Shore, William Ritschel, Gottardo Piazzoni, Xavier Martinez, and others. Jack Lemmon narrates this 28 minute 1991 presentation by Steve Rosen and Terri DeBono. From the arrival of French painter Gaspard Duche de Vancy in 1786, to the thriving creative community of today, this video demonstrates the wide variety of art inspired by the region.

Visions of California: The Story of California Scene Painting, produced by Paul Bockhorst for KOCE Public Television in collaboration with The Irvine Museum, is the 1994 story of California Scene Painting 1925-1950. Bockhorst, working with scores of collectors and dozens of institutions and museums nationwide, has created a three-part series of artistic delight and intellectual insight that features almost 150 works of art. Each part is 28 minutes in length with a total viewing time of 84 minutes. Available through the Irvine Museum.

Visiting...With Huell Howser #404 - ARTISTS is a 28 minute 1996 video in which "Huell visits with Milford Zornes and Guillermo Bert, two L.A. artists with very different styles. We'll go to both artists studios and get a peak at their work." Text courtesy of Huell Howser Productions.

Visiting...With Huell Howser #1505 - DIORAMA is a 28 minute DVD/VHS video in which "Huell visits the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County to discover the history of its famous animal dioramas... A visit with Robert Reid who has been the resident artist for 20 years at the Los Angeles Natural History Museum and the man responsible for creating all of the beautiful dioramas. From deserts to beaches, Robert captures the natural beauty with his paint brushes. Robert works closely with Tim Bovard who is the Taxidermist and the man responsible for making all those animals look so lifelike. Together, they make a unique team." Text courtesy of Huell Howser Productions.

Visiting...With Huell Howser #726 - GARDENA ART is a 28 minute 1999 video by Huell Howser Productions. "Beginning in 1919, the graduating classes of Gardena High School bestowed gifts of paintings upon their beloved school. This program lasted until 1956, and amassed more than 90 works. Soon after the program ended, many of the paintings were stored away and forgotten about. Along with several Gardena High School Alumni, Huell visits the Irvine Museum to see an exhibit of 31 fully-restored paintings from this important collection." Text courtesy of Huell Howser Productions.

Visiting...With Huell Howser #1005 - MOSAICS is a 28 minute 2002 video by Huell Howser Productions. "You've seen his work all across the Southland. Meet Denis O'Connor master mosaic artist, who has created some of the largest and most amazing mosaics in America." Text courtesy of Huell Howser Productions.

Visiting...With Huell Howser #738 - MURALS is a 28 minute video by Huell Howser Productions. "Huell visits a local elementary school to join a group of 5th graders on a field trip to some of LA's many murals. Along for the ride is the artists himself to discuss his art with the children. All in all it's a great LA day!" Text courtesy of Huell Howser Productions.

Visiting...With Huell Howser #911 - PANORAMA is a 28 minute 2007 video by Huell Howser Productions. "Sara Velas is an artist with one passion--panoramas. On a drive through Hollywood, Velas looked past the round, kitschy, South Pacific design of the building at 5553 Hollywood Boulevard, and saw the perfect rotunda for a panorama. Velas shares her knowledge of this popular Victorian art form with Huell, as well as her inspired painting of the Los Angeles basin housed inside the Tswuun Tswuun Rotunda." Text courtesy of Huell Howser Productions.

Visiting...With Huell Howser #109 - WATTS TOUR is a 28 minute video by Huell Howser Productions. "Ride with members of the Los Angeles Conservancy on the Blue Line to the Watts Towers where they are met by young docents who conduct an inspiring tour of the Watts Towers Art Center." Text courtesy of Huell Howser Productions.

William Keith: The Artist and His Times, is a 1995 video running 23 minutes and features images from the St. Mary's College Collection.

A Studio Miramar Production. The Gallery web site says of the video: "When William Keith arrives in California in 1859, he begins a fifty-year artistic and emotional journey. His early paintings strive to capture the drama of the Western wilderness. But by the 1890s, Keith paints subtle, intimate landscapes that reveal his artistic and spiritual maturity. In this documentary, more than fifty of Keith's paintings show the range of his artistic vision. Historic photographs, footage of California scenes today, and the words of the artist, his friend John Muir, and their contemporaries help tell the story of this remarkable artist and his times." The Gallery's description adds: "Studio Miramar has remastered our excellent video, 'William Keith: The Artist and His Times,' into dvd format. An important addition to the library of works about the late 19th century master artist, the comprehensive, educational and entertaining presentation juxtaposes rare archival photographs with spectacular contemporary footage of the Western wilderness, extensive presentation of Keith's paintings, and the words of John Muir, Keith, and others." (right: VHS video cover)

 

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