California Watercolor: A Changing Scene, 1930–1980 explores the dynamic evolution of watercolor painting as California transformed throughout the 20th century. As the state urbanized and artistic perspectives shifted, a new generation of painters embraced watercolor for its immediacy, portability, and ability to capture the vivid light and rapidly changing environments around them.
Building on the idealized, pastoral landscapes of the Plein Air painters featured in California Bounty: Image and Identity, 1850-1930, California Scene artists turned their attention to capturing the everyday realities of cities, industry, pleasure activities, and other facets of modern life. Some artists blended representational and abstract approaches, while others pursued increasingly non-objective styles.
This exhibition features 14 paintings from Bowers Museum’s permanent collection, showcasing celebrated California Scene artists including Emil Kosa Jr., Milford Zornes, Rex Brandt, and Millard Sheets. Together, these works illuminate the cultural, artistic, and societal shifts that shaped California from the 1930s to the 1980s—capturing a region in transition and revealing how watercolor became a powerful medium for documenting the changing face of the American West.
