The Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County partnered with the California Art Club to provide land access to areas that are on non-public property, where access is limited. California Art Club artists visited San Luis Obispo County last spring to capture on canvas the unique natural landscapes en plein air (“in the open air”).

More than 50 artists from around the state participated in this “paint-out,” one of many events that marked the Club’s 100th anniversary. The centennial celebration was themed “Capturing California’s Preserved Lands and Historic Districts.”

The artwork captured here in San Luis Obispo County will be a feature exhibition at the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art. Gems from the Central Coast: A California Art Club Centennial Exhibition debuted on Feb. 18 and will continue through March 27. A special exhibition reception in conjunction with Art After Dark will be on March 4 from 6 - 9 p.m. at San Luis Obispo Museum of Art.

The California Art Club will also present its annual premier exhibition, the 100th Annual Gold Medal Juried 

xhibition, at the Pasadena Museum of California Art from April 3 to 24. The event will coincide with the publication of a 264-page deluxe book from Skira Rizzoli, entitled California Light: A Century of Landscapes – Paintings of the California Art Club.

Anyone interested in the California Art Club or their paintings can contact Monika Ramnath, membership and development coordinator, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or Barbara Chung, exhibition coordinator and editorial assistant, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

The Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County is a local nonprofit land trust working to protect and restore local lands for the benefit of people and wildlife.

Since its formation in 1984, The Land Conservancy has led collaborative efforts to permanently protect over 10,000 acres of land in San Luis Obispo County. For more information visit www.LCSLO.org or call (805) 544-9096.