that same sense of awe when he first visited The Preserve
light might last 90 minutes, for instance; but very early
ten years ago with other artists who had been encouraged
morning light lasts for no more than 15 minutes. In plein
to explore, seek inspiration, and try to capture the natural
air, time is the essence. Roberts starts with a 12” x 16”
beauty of The Preserve on canvas.
canvas for an on the spot field study, trying to capture the
That visit was a revelation for Roberts. Given full access
color notes of the landscape. He sometimes supplements
to all corners of the property, Roberts was astonished to find
with photos, but acknowledges a photo’s limitations. “Un-
so much untouched land. “It’s in its name,” says Roberts.
like with a photo,” he says, “when you are painting, you
“The Preserve unveils a raw, undisturbed beauty that is
are able to paint those true colors you see. The end result,
striking and unusual. It makes me step back and ask if this
when done correctly, is a luminous, intriguing image for
place is for real. It’s like going back in time to the period of
the viewer to behold.”
the early California impressionists.”
Roberts has painted in all corners of The Preserve, creating dozens of images of the coastal mountains in all
“It’s uncanny how each road on this property leads to these outstanding views,” he says. “I’ve been to many beautiful locations, but The Preserve strikes a particular chord within me.”
their varied, illuminated forms—many of which hang in Preserve homes. He counts the days until he can return to The Preserve images. Like a book read several years after an initial reading, or a movie watched long after the first viewing, an artist sees things anew after the passage of time. “I’m more mature, and see things in different ways as I get older,” says Roberts, who resides with his wife, Peggi, on a 20-acre ranch in historic Angels Camp. “As time passes, I find new meaning with the familiar.”
Roberts counts as inspirations California impression-
Artists tend to acknowledge true artistry, and Roberts
ists Maynard Dixon, Hanson Puthuff, William Wendt, and
sees artistry in the aesthetic vision and skill of those who
William Ritschel. These masters share a reverence for the
conceived and planned Santa Lucia Preserve. “It’s uncanny
land and a marked spirituality in their work. But over the
how each road on this property leads to these outstanding
years, constantly searching and evolving, Roberts has be-
views,” he says. “I’ve been to many beautiful locations, but
come his own artist. “When I go out to paint, whether it’s
The Preserve strikes a particular chord within me.”
on the coast, in the mountains, or in the desert, I look for
When pressed to name a particular favorite location
something that speaks to me emotionally, and I try to com-
within The Preserve, Roberts claims every hill, tree and ra-
municate that in my work,” says Roberts. “The Preserve
vine: “The beauty here is unlimited. It simply doesn’t end.”
speaks to me in a very primal way. The land reveals nature’s
Ray Roberts paintings will be on display and available
design; the north facing hillsides covered with scrub oak
at the California Vaquero Gallery at The Fandango.
and oak trees, and the drainage from the hillside make for dynamic graphic compositions. The Coast Range is unique, and to find an area so untouched is nearly miraculous. The winds organize the oak trees in these ravines, revealing a rhythm of the land that is compelling.” Like most plein air painters, Roberts seeks to capture a particular image at a specific, elusive moment. Morning
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