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Edgar Payne

One of the most famous and distinguished painters of the Early California art genre, Impressionist artist Edgar Payne is best known for his plein-air landscapes of the Sierra Nevada mountains, boat and fishing scenes from Italy and France, and coastal seascapes.

He was born in Washburn, Missouri in 1883 and left home at age 14, as his father did not approve of his choice of career as an artist. He traveled to the Ozarks, Texas, Mexico and Chicago, where he studied very briefly at the Art Institute, though he was largely self-taught.

He traveled to California in 1909, eventually settling in Laguna Beach in 1918, where he established and served as the first President of the Laguna Beach Art Association. He later moved to Los Angeles, to be closer to the Stendahl Galleries, one of the primary venues for the sale and display of his work.

Many of Payne's boat and fishing themed works were painted in France and Italy c. 1923 when Payne and his wife, artist Elsie Payne, traveled extensively throughout Europe for several years. This was a prime period in the artist's career, the early 1920's, and his canvases from this era often feature vivid coloration, superb light, and remarkable atmospheric effects.

“Boats in Harbor”, left, is one of the finest of this genre by this artist we have ever offered. It was very likely painted in Brittany, France. Painted in a classic Impressionist style, the loose, visible brushstrokes produce a richly textured surface that imitates the way the viewer's eye quickly takes in the scene at first glance. This graceful work reveals the the artist's lifelong fascination with the play of sunlight and atmospheric effects and showcases his exceptional talent for choosing the optimum placement of forms and shapes to create a strong and balanced composition. The delicate, subtle pink, blue and green tones, gently draping sails, and soft reflections in the still surface of the water create a quiet, peaceful, mood and evoke feelings of tranquility and serenity.

Payne's iconic Sierra Nevada works often feature deep, rich colors and bold, vigorous brushwork. In his book “Edgar Payne: The Scenic Journey”, Scott Shields, Associate Director and Chief Curator of the Crocker Art Museum describes Payne’s works as “imbued with an internal force and active dynamism achieved through majestic, vital landscape subjects. In each locale, he sought vitality, bigness, nobility, and grandeur, which he turned into unified, carefully calculated compositions with brushwork that seemed to pulsate with life.”

Throughout his lifetime, Payne was intrigued and fascinated by the natural beauty, rugged terrain, and panoramic views of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. California landscape paintings, plein air works in particular, called attention to the exceptional and unparalleled splendor of the mountain peaks, Alpine lakes, and granite cliffs. One of the most famous and distinguished artists of the Early California art genre, this artist is best known for his plein air landscapes of the Sierra Nevada mountains. including interpretations of the area known as “Fifth Lake Peaks”. This scenic area in Eastern California is located between the Inyo National Forest and King's Canyon National Park, and Fifth Lake is considered to be one of the most visually stunning of the Big Pine Lakes. The granite bowl is filled with deep blue, clear water and is surrounded on three sides by towering, steep, rocky cliffs.

Payne occasionally went on trips with fellow artist Hanson Puthuff, another notable Southern California Impressionist. They both particularly enjoyed painting desert scenes including works featuring Canyon de Chelly in Arizona.

“Canyon de Chelly”, left, is a quintessential desert scene by Payne, featuring deep, rich colors, and bold, vigorous brushwork. The Canyon de Chelly National Monument in the four corners region of northeastern Arizona has long been considered a very special and important place to the Navajo Nation. The name comes from their word “Tseyi”, which translates as “among the canyons” or “among the rocks”, and the area has a history that stretches over 4,000 years. It was inhabited at various times by different Native American Indian Groups including the Anasazi, who built dwellings along the cliffs, then the Hopis, and most recently, the Navajo people. Edgar Payne was personally drawn to and deeply inspired by this spot, and visited it multiple times during his long, successful career.

Paintings depicting this particular location are highly sought after by his collectors who admire both his technical artistic skills, and the way he utilizes that knowledge to express a distinctive feeling and mood. Our first reaction to this scene and composition is one of awe at the massive height of the impossibly steep cliffs, the sharp contrasts between light and dark areas, and the unexpected and nuanced beauty of the various shades of pale pink and brick red. The artist has clearly noticed that colors in the desert, due to the crisp, clean dry air, tend to appear brighter and more vibrant.

Emotionally, the magnificent view spread out before us evokes feelings of disbelief and wonder as we marvel at the power and force of the natural world, and the sense of humility that realization brings. Those sheer, soaring canyon walls are absolutely immense, and the inclusion of the two diminutive riders gives us a real sense of scale, directly enhancing our perception of the monumental size of those cliffs. It's as though the artist has taken the time to give our own overwhelming emotions a visual voice.

Payne's seascape themed works were often created in “plein-air”, outside, and were painted in the area that he frequently returned to for inspiration, the Laguna coast. His popular seascapes brilliantly capture the power, movement, and vitality of the Southern California coast.

In 1941 Edgar Payne wrote "Composition of Outdoor Painting", a comprehensive book that discussed landscape painting techniques, composition, color, repetition, rhythm, and value. The book has been wildly popular with artists. and the seventh edition printing of the work was completed in 2005.

Edgar Payne’s works can be found in numerous museums and public collections, including the Laguna Art Museum, the National Museum of American Art in Washington D.C., the Oakland Museum, and the Art Institute of Chicago.

For additional information about Edgar Payne, please visit:

www.edgarpayne.com

Wikipedia: Edgar Payne

A Large Assortment of Paintings by Edgar Payne on The Atheneum

Laguna Art Museum

Laguna Plein Air Painters Association

Edgar Payne was the 9th President of the California Art Club

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