Thriving on the Monterey Peninsula

BY VANESSA ROTHE

TODAY’S MASTERS

DETLEF SAMMANN (1857–1938) Evening Rays Del Monte Forest, c. 1914 Oil on canvas, 30 x 40 in. Steven Stern Fine Arts Beverly Hills

FTHRIVINGOUR ON THEPA MONTEREYINTE PENINSULARS n a rocky ledge overlooking the North- Following in the footsteps of the histori- ern California coast near Monterey, a cal masters who have called this area home — quartet of painters gather to capture including William Ritschel (1864–1949), Guy Oits dramatic beauty. At their feet, orange pop- Rose (1867–1925), and Detlef Sammann (1857– pies contrast with the teal and green waves 1938) — the members of this elite circle have crashing upon gunmetal-gray rocks. Layers of already made their mark on the art world. Today silvery blue and pearl-colored fog cling to the they are colleagues both professionally and ragged ochre cliffs. InCannery Row (1945), John socially, living close by and working in similar Steinbeck described the sunsets here: “It is the ways. Now seems an ideal time to consider their hour of pearl — the interval between day and camaraderie, as well as their inspiration by the night when time stops and examines itself.” Just past, and how it influences their own artistry. as writers use words to describe such natural beauty, so the professional landscapists Brian Blood, John Burton, Laurie Kersey, and Jesse Vanessa Rothe is the West Coast Editor of Fine Powell convey it by using color, values, and light Art Connoisseur, as well as an exhibiting artist, — and they do so with conviction. freelance curator, lecturer, and author of An Art School Approach to Oils.

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FAC masters Monterey Peninsula (5 pages).indd 52 6/15/16 1:07 PM JESSE POWELL

JESSE POWELL (b. 1977), Spring Bloom, Point Lobos, 2014, oil on linen, 30 x 36 in., Irvine Museum, Irvine, CA

Born in Los Angeles, Jesse Powell (b. 1977) grad- Tired of the chaos of Southern California, Among Powell’s key influences are Matt uated from the University of Puget Sound with Powell moved from Laguna Beach to Monterey Smith and Clyde Aspevig, as well as great a B.F.A. in painting and drawing, then studied in eight years ago. “I fell in love with the scenery impressionists from the past. Among North- the Republic of Georgia under the Russian and and wildness,” he explains. “Carmel is a per- ern Californians, Guy Rose stands out. “I have American painters Nikolai Dubovik, Ilya Yat- fect fit for me, as I am surrounded by the sub- always admired him, but when I moved here I senko, and John Wurdeman. jects I love to paint; I enjoy the more dramatic really connected with his color and atmosphere, Powell descends from a long line of artists weather and marine conditions, as well as the and with many of the locations he painted, and patrons, starting with his paternal grandfa- fog and heavy atmosphere from the ocean spin- which remain much as he knew them," Powell ther, Jack Powell, a landscapist and portraitist drift.” says. “William Ritschel is another role model, who lived in Pasadena in the 1940s and ’50s. His Several subjects are of endless fascination able to capture how wild the ocean can be in own father, John, now focuses primarily on still to Powell, but especially the cypress trees: “They such a painterly way.” life. His maternal ancestor Jonathan Sturges are probably the most interesting trees to paint, Powell feels fortunate to have his art- was a major patron of such Hudson River and every one of them is different.” He also ist friends nearby. He says, “Whether it’s a day School painters as Frederic Church and Asher treasures the wildflowers that bloom along the painting at Point Lobos or a studio visit, I gain B. Durand. Powell notes appreciatively, “One of coast every spring: “The patterns of poppies and a tremendous amount from them, especially the largest hurdles that faces any artist starting lupine add a nice shot of color to a painting and their critiques, which are crucial to any art- out is securing the support of family and close can be really fun to design. I control the color ist’s growth.” The paintings made on their days friends”; he feels lucky to have always enjoyed so that it doesn’t overwhelm, picking out one or out together reflect heartfelt conversations, such encouragement. two flowers as most dominant.” laughs, and hours talking about art.

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FAC masters Monterey Peninsula (5 pages).indd 53 6/15/16 1:07 PM J O H N B U R T O N

The career of John Burton (b. 1966) started in San Francisco, designing and illus- trating for major companies like Apple and Hewlett Packard. Always seeking to broaden his vision, he won admission to the Academy of Art University, where he studied under Huihan Liu, Barbara Brad- ley, and Bill Sanchez. Shortly after gradu- ating, he moved to Arizona, but his gallery relationships and desire to paint the coast soon brought him back to California. Upon returning, Burton decided to create 100 small paintings outdoors, in order to know his subject well before starting his first studio work. “It was all so new, and there was so much to learn,” he recalls. Burton finds joy in portraying transi- tory beauty, and is humbly grateful for the opportunity to study the Lord’s Creation and move closer to his full potential. The fact that his Mormon ancestors crossed the Great Plains in covered wagons has, he believes, influenced the way he views the majestic landscapes of the American West. “Living here has enhanced my education in outdoor painting,” Burton explains. “The weather varies hourly from foggy to sunny, automatically accelerating my study of light. It’s not just the light that changes, but also the atmosphere from the spindrift that affects even the mountains miles up the val- ley.” Burton feels that painting is a conver- sation between the artist and nature: “Hik- ing the trails, swimming in the ocean, and sleeping under the stars have provided my paintings with even greater understanding and depth.” His favorite setting, Point Lobos, is, he says, “about a mile from my studio, so I have many opportunities to try to capture something special there.” Burton is proud to exhibit at Carmel Fine Art alongside many historical masters. On view there recently were large can- vases by William Ritschel and Edgar Payne (1883–1947), so when he dropped off his lat- est works, he paused to admire his forerun- ners firsthand. “I am grateful,” he says, “to show in a gallery that has paintings by artists who line the walls of many museums. It is humbling to hang next to them, but it JOHN BURTON (b. 1966), Higher Power, 2015, oil on linen, 40 x 30 in., private collection also inspires me and forces me to work even harder.” Burton is also thankful for the camaraderie of his fellow artists; he and Powell were once neighbors at Monterey’s Old Cannery, and now are together again at the Barnyard in Carmel. He admits, “Across the country, I can count on one hand the num- ber of artists with whom I share critiques and the difficulties and triumphs of painting. Having Brian, Laurie, and Jesse nearby has contributed to our collective growth in many ways.”

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FAC masters Monterey Peninsula (5 pages).indd 54 6/15/16 1:07 PM L A U R I E K E R S E Y

LAURIE KERSEY (b. 1961), Cypress Sunset, 2014, oil on canvas, 30 x 40 in., private collection

Laurie Kersey (b. 1961) loves the dramatic land- Kersey paints elegant still lifes, especially florals; a composition different from my own. We are not scape of the Monterey Peninsula that she and figures in repose; and horses at work and play. competitive with each other, but see each other her husband, Brian Blood, call home. After Kersey draws inspiration from various his- as teammates. We don’t critique or get involved training at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh and torical artists including Percy Gray (1869–1952, in each other’s paintings, but try to be support- pursuing a 15-year career as an art director and for his trees, skies, draftsmanship, and color ive. We have separate studios, but paint together illustrator on the East Coast, she relocated to harmony) and the tonalist Arthur Mathews outdoors frequently.” San Francisco and studied painting at the Acad- (1860–1945, design, color harmony, light, mood, Regarding Powell and Burton, Kersey notes, emy of Art University. Since then, she has taught figures). Like all of her colleagues, she admires “Painting is a solitary profession, and having painting and drawing there. Ritschel for his dramatic compositions, lively other painters nearby makes it seem a little less Kersey was living in San Francisco when brushwork, color, and conveying of movement solitary. Sometimes their works give me an idea Blood brought her south to Monterey for a and power. Kersey notes that she often consults of a different way to approach the same subject. weekend getaway. She fell particularly for its Gray, Mathews, and Ritschel “for advice on how Our interactions are not mainly about advice, as topographical diversity — from sandy beaches to handle a particular issue in a painting.” we are all experienced. We might discuss busi- and rocky coastlines to rolling farmland and As for artists working today, she is “of ness matters, such as galleries, shows, or framers. golden hills dotted with dark oaks. “I am drawn course influenced by Brian’s work; there is no Or we share information about a painting spot — to the drama and grandeur here,” she explains, other artist whose work I see so much of.” She there’s lupine blooming somewhere, etc. Or we “crashing surf on the rocks; sweeping dunes says, “It stopped me in my tracks the first time might just eat, drink, and be merry, not talking with endless patterns; gnarled, gestural trees I saw it, and I am still in awe of his abilities. I shop at all.” sculpted by the wind.” In addition to landscapes, admire his way of seeing a scene, or his choice of

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FAC masters Monterey Peninsula (5 pages).indd 55 6/15/16 1:07 PM BRIAN BLOOD

Brian Blood (b. 1962) began his professional life as a graphic artist and art director in Bos- ton. He headed to San Francisco for under- graduate and graduate studies at the Academy of Art University, where he later taught alongside Laurie Kersey. Blood has spent most of his life in cities, so he is skilled at painting street scenes and urban life. It was while teaching an on-location class that he began visiting Monte- rey, Carmel, and Point Lobos. There he found “the new and diverse subject matter appealing creatively, but equally important, there were new career opportunities.” He says, “It became clear that, to move to the next level, I needed to shift from city scenes to more rural ones, especially of the coast. So in 2001 Laurie and I bought a 1920s Craftsman home in Monterey overlooking the bay, and we both found a gallery in Carmel.” Primarily a plein air painter, Blood creates numerous studies directly from nature, then takes them back to the studio with his refer- ence photos to use as the basis for his larger works. Like his colleagues, he is passionate about the beauty of the landscape: “I play a lot of golf, so I find tons of great compositions and possibilities while walking the courses. Per- haps that is why I can’t break 80 — I’m more focused on the scenery than the game.” As for influences, naming them is impossi- ble: “While I like the California impressionists, I’m also drawn to the tonalists,” he says. Blood marvels at how one artist saw the scene, and then another slightly differently. He also keeps in mind if or how a particular beauty spot might have changed since then: “It’s exciting to access the same places and give them my own spin.” Regarding his wife, Blood notes, “I know we influence each other. Laurie’s work is more technical and refined, while mine is looser and intuitive. We have our own careers and will gladly critique when asked, or run ideas by each other. I do see elements in her work I wish I could have in mine. She can render objects in perfect perspective, with ellipses and proportions that are all spot on. And she con- veys a strong sense of design and composition.”

WHERE TO SEE THEIR WORK All four of these talents will be busy in the next six months. Jesse Powell (jessepowell fineart.com) will exhibit alongsideMatt Smith at Del Monte Fine Art in Carmel (August 26– September 23). John Burton (burtonartstudio. BRIAN BLOOD (b. 1962), Along the North Coast of Pebble com) will show large works inspired by his Beach, 2013, oil on canvas, 30 x 20 in., collection of the artist ancestors’ journey along the Mormon Pioneer Trail in a group exhibition at the Church History Museum in Salt Lake City, opening November 17. His work is usually on view at Carmel Fine Art and Bonner David Galleries (Scottsdale). Both Laurie Kersey (lauriekersey.com) and Brian Blood (brianblood.com) are represented by Jones & Terwilliger Galleries (Carmel).

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