Shasta State Historic Park.

This weeks artists focus is on Julian Walbridge Rix (1850-1903). Julian Rix became an important and popular California landscape painter without the benefit of any formal art training. Born in Vermont, Rix taught himself the skills necessary to become an artist. He moved to San Francisco at age 22 and established himself as a sign and decorative painter. By the 1880’s, Rix had achieved notoriety as a landscape painter of the same caliber as established California artis...ts such as Jules Tavernier and Charles Robinson. In 1892, he was made a life member of the local artists’ Bohemian Club. Rix traveled extensively through the West and Colorado searching for the ideal landscape to paint, and in the 1890’s assisted Charles Robinson in painting a huge cyclorama of the Yosemite Valley. This is Rix's painting "Landscape," an oil on canvas. See more

This weeks artists focus is on Alice B. Chittenden (1859-1944). Alice B. Chittenden was born in Brockport, New York and moved with her family to San Francisco as an infant. She received her art training at the California School of Fine Arts. Early in her career, Chittenden established herself as a talented painter of landscapes, portraits and flowers. Recognizing her skill as a portraitist, the California Society of Pioneers commissioned her to do seven portraits of their... members to hang in their halls. Later, working with Alice Eastwood, Curator of Botany at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, Chittenden completed hundreds of paintings depicting western wildflowers in their natural settings. In addition to this project, Chittenden worked for 50 years as a professor at the San Francisco Art Institute. This is Chittenden's painting "Mexican Poppy and Iceland Poppy," an oil on canvas. See more

Thank you to the brave men and women who have served and continue to serve our country today. #CAStateParks is honoring the military community on this #VeteransDay with free admission to 133 state parks with a valid military ID. To learn more, visit www.parks.ca.gov/VeteransDay2020.

This weeks artists focus is on Helen Forbes (1881-1945). Trained in art at the Mark Hopkins Art Institute, Helen Forbes was awarded a scholarship permitting her to study there for life. She received further training while working under Armin Hansen, a renowned Monterey seascape painter. To continue the development of her artistic style, Forbes traveled to Europe for several years. Upon her return, Forbes founded the San Francisco Society of Women Artists, which became an important force in the struggle for recognition of women artists. She is perhaps best known for her frescos and easel paintings of the Californian landscape scene. Helen Forbes received 1st prize with Jimson Flower, in the 1930 exhibition of the San Francisco Society of Women Artists. This is Forbes's painting "Jimson Flower," an oil on canvas.

This weeks artists focus is on Carl Dahlgren (1841-1920). Carl Dahlgren was employed as a draftsman, artist and explorer for the Surveyor General Office in the Utah Territory between 1872 and 1878. During that time he was able to sketch areas of the country which had not yet been explored. Some of these areas are depicted in the paintings Surveyors Making Camp and Surveyors In Operation. Born in Denmark 1841, Dahlgren was trained for his artistic career in Europe befo...re moving to Salt Lake City to pursue his dreams as an artist. After his employment with the surveyors, Dahlgren moved to the San Francisco Bay Area to continue his career. In time, Dahlgren assumed the position of chief illustrator for the Californian magazine. Along with his artist brother Marius, Dahlgren joined the San Francisco Art Association and exhibited often in San Francisco. The left painting is "Mt. Shasta," an oil on composition board. The middle painting is "Surveyors Making Camp," c. 1872-1878, and is an oil on composition board. The right painting is "Surveyors in Operation," c. 1872-1878, and is an oil on composition board. See more