‘Romance of the Landscape’ at Gallery Los Olivos

Award-winning Central Coast artists Sheryl Knight and Linda Mutti’s joint exhibition, Romance of the Landscape, is on view this month at Gallery Los Olivos. The show features their vibrant paintings of California landscapes, created with oils, pastels, and gouache. Knight and Mutti are longtime friends, and are both very active in the California arts scene. 

Knight has distinguished herself as a plein air artist, and has earned a Merit Award and Signature status from the Outdoor Painters Society. She is showcasing her latest works at the exhibition, including serene beachscapes and mountain forests. Inspired by nature, Knight’s painting “Harmony” (16 x 12” oil on linen), came about after a late afternoon drive up the coast to Cambria.  “I noticed how tall the eucalyptus trees behind the little building had gotten since the last time I painted them. I felt inspired to paint them again in a fresh new way with a palette knife,” she said.

Mutti has also made a name for herself as a plein air artist and specializes in pastels. She has won awards from PleinAir Magazine and is a Signature member of the Pastel Society of America. Regarding “Dinosaur Caves” (12 x 16” pastel on canvas),  Mutti said, “I was driving up the coast one morning and this scene caught my eye. I’ve seen it many times before but this time I just had to stop, the light was so beautiful.” 

Mutti’s other colorful paintings of oceans and twilights are on display at the gallery, as are Knight’s scenic landscapes.

Romance of the Landscapes is on view at Gallery Los Olivos through August 31. The gallery is open Thursday through Monday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. gallerylosolivos.com.

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