About California & Its Artists

The natural beauty of California is undeniable. Where else in the world can one find sandy beaches, harsh deserts and majestic mountains all within a couple hundred miles.

As the 3rd largest state in the country and almost 800 miles from north to south, it's not surprising that it offers a contrasting landscape. From the Yosemite Valley in the Sierra Nevada, Death Valley near the Nevada border, to the Pacific Coast Highway with some of the most beautiful coastlines in the world, California is one of THE tourist destination.

However, California is more than just a stunning place to visit! According to the California Arts Council, "California can claim more arts-related businesses and more people employed in the creative industries than any other state...", so it makes sense that many of the best artists in the country come from California!

Use our Search Page to find photography, pastels, watercolors, oil paintings, sculpture, hand-crafted jewelry, carvings, blown glass, and much more from the finest of California artists!

While you're here!

The Getty Museum

The Scene - Perched high atop the Santa Monica Mountains overlooking the 405 freeway, the Getty Center is a sprawling, stone-and-glass complex dedicated to the display and preservation of the J. Paul Getty Trust's collection of mostly European art. Designed by architect Richard Maier, the 24-acre site offers a sweeping east-to-west panorama of everything from Hollywood to the Pacific Ocean - views worth a visit all by themselves.

The Collection - The J. Paul Getty Museum's collection was begun by businessman, collector, and philanthropist J. Paul Getty (1892-1976), who viewed art as an enlightening influence. Mr. Getty assembled a modest group of European paintings, a distinguished holding of Greek and Roman antiquities, and a significant collection of 18th-century French decorative arts. Housed primarily in four modestly sized pavilions, the collection includes the works of influential painters (including Renoir, Monet and Van Gogh), classic Greek and Roman sculpture, beautifully illustrated religious manuscripts and delicate room furnishings from 18th-century France and Germany. The permanent collection is supplemented by temporary exhibits that change about every 10 weeks. Don't miss Robert Irwin's Central Garden, a mazelike creation of water and landscaping that changes seasonally.

Main Event!

River Arts Festival

San Lorenzo Park, Santa Cruz - Santa Cruz Chamber of Commerce presents the River Arts Festival, an exciting annual festival celebrating Santa Cruz's rich cultural and natural resources. It will take place on Saturday and Sunday, May 16th and 17th, 2009 in the heart of Santa Cruz in the San Lorenzo Park. The park's bench lands will be transformed into the "Piazza di San Lorenzo", an aesthetic contemporary arts and crafts marketplace.

80 of the West Coast's best artists exhibit and sell their original contemporary fine art and crafts. Live demonstrations of artists working in different mediums give insight into various artistic processes: Glass Blowing, Metal Working, Painting, Ceramics and much more!

Hosted by the Santa Cruz Chamber of Commerce, the Santa Cruz River Arts Festival brings together the community for a fundraiser to celebrate and support art in our local public schools. A theme of the San Lorenzo River highlights the constancy of the river in our lives, our local history and our art. Schools and environmental groups are represented at information booths.

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