Kay Carlson

My intention is to see beyond the physical qualities within a landscape. I choose locations which have a certain wildness, where the essence and story are more than contours and lines.

My passion is to see and capture with oil paint how color is changed by the influence of light. I am inspired by many of the same historical sources as the California Colorists, the Society of Six. The French and American Impressionists have also influenced my work.

In Sausalito, on the coast near my longtime waterfront studio, I explore special times of the day when the waves, clouds, and atmosphere create a visual drama. In the fields of the Napa-Sonoma wine country and Tuscany Italy, I work with outdoor easels returning often for entire days to capture the effects of light and shadow. My preferred palette is vibrant with the scarlet of autumn vines, yellow of spring mustard, and a myriad of blues, lavenders and greys that reflect seasonal changes.

I want to create images which light up people’s lives with the abundance and sensuality of the natural world. I share my observations in a dialogue with paint as gifts from the earth.