About the Artist
Kirsten Anderson
"Kirsten paints her subjects with a wonderful approach to natural light and her paintings seem to come to life." - Jean Stern, Executive Director Irvine Museum
Ceaselessly Reaching....paintings and sculptures that touch the soul...whimsy, charm, beauty and joy.
Kirsten is an award winning plein air artist from Sheridan, WY. She believes in the basic principles of representational art as a base for the spontaneity of plein air painting. Kirsten says that her plein-air work is about developing her skills and catching the light in that three-hour window before it changes. She endeavors to create beautiful paintings that elicit an emotional response from the viewer.
Anderson attended Occidental College for her BA in Psychobiology with minors in Art and History and Cal State Long Beach for a BS in Health Care and her training in illustration and art. She has traveled with her palette and sketchbook on 6 continents and her paintings are a personal diary of her travels.
"Painting is an endless pursuit that touches my soul. My paintings are done primarily on location in the traditional style of California Impressionism. My sculptures are a foray into capturing an essence of my subject with energy and life. I have a wanderlust spirit that fits perfectly with an outdoor painter. I feel inspired to capture the essence of the day through the illusion of brushstrokes and paint."
Raised in California, Kirsten Anderson says her favorite subjects are found along the coast, on the water, or in the water. “Sunlit figures, the ocean, the beach. I love the sun hitting bodies—it’s like painting nudes, but with bikinis. And I like to paint boats.”
Anderson’s plein-air landscape and figurative work is an extension of her commercial-art background—she supplied California Pizza Kitchen with literally thousands of original paintings on 10-inch pizza boxes, featuring ingredients used in its restaurants. Working fast to keep up with these orders developed her skill and technique, and it’s the kind of painting she still prefers today. My artwork is placed in Acapulco Restaurants, California Pizza Kitchen and Marie Callendar's locations throughout the United States, Singapore, Malaysia and the Phillipines. Art, in any capacity is a wonderful and enriching experience for me, shared by my family and supported by my friends. In her other life as a radiation therapist, she feels her work complements her art and vice versa, by making her solve problems and think in three dimensions when working in two.
My work is described by Ann Japenga in "The New Naturalists" http://www.californiadesertart.com/?p=1588. as "brainy, ceaselessly reaching paintings incorporating her wide interests in history, mythology, environment, science and nature."
I enjoy outdoor activity and anything to do with the water. I have kayaked down every river in Utah and clambered in the slickrock. I still swim competitively, and am addicted to outrigger paddling and have paddled and raced to Catalina Island 5 times from Newport Beach. I love bird watching, hiking, camping, water sports, (although the surfboard's dusty), gardening, cooking and reading.
I constantly strive to balance two seemingly opposing careers but find my interest in natural sciences complements my understanding of the world I paint on canvas. I strive to
Awards/Juried Shows/Exhibitions
2025. Telluride Plein Air 2nd Place Award
2024 Telluride Plein Air 5th top seller
Hunting Beach Art Center "Surf City"
2023 Museum Purchase Award--En Plein Air Texas
Best of Plein Air
Less is More 2023
Balboa Art Walk 2023
Telluride Plein Air 2023
2022 PEOPLE'S CHOICE--FACEBOOK FAVORITE - LPAPA Best of Plein Air
Telluride Plein Air Invitational
2021 LPAPA 8x8 show
LPAPA Less is More
Telluride Plein Air Invitational
2020 Long Beach Artist Citizen Award - Aquatic Capital of America
Telluride Plein Air Invitational
2019 QUICK DRAW 1ST PLACE - Telluride Plein Air
Just Plein Fun- Higbee Gallery Award
OC PARKS AWARD
Newport Bay Conservancy Award, Robinson Award
Honorable Mention - SoCalpapa Back Bay Show
Long Beach Museum of Art Auction--Ceramic Rabbits
Crystal Cove Spring Show
Hilbert Museum "Old Towne Orange"
Best of Plein Air
2018 GRAND PRIZE 1ST PLACE -Just Plein Fun
Telluride Plein Air Invitational
2017 Less is More LPAPA.
Telluride Plein Air Invitational
2016 Long Beach Open Studios
Randy Higbee 6x6 show
Crystal Cove Alliance “Follow the Sun”
Crystal Cove Alliance Art Auction
Pathways to Independence Auction
Balboa Artwalk HIGBEE GALLERY AWARD
Solo Show Tumbleweed Gallery “Prey and Predator” a desert study in ceramics
Crystal Cove Alliance “Reflections”
2015 Huntington Beach Art Center “CALIFORNIA IMPRESSIONS” Plein Air Painting, Past & Present
Telluride Plein Air Invitational
Crystal Cove "Fun in the Sun"
Crystal Cove Alliance Art Auction
Pathways to Independence Auction
LPAPA "Best of Plein Air" HONORABLE MENTION
Long Beach Museum of Art Auction XVI
Crystal Cove "In Bloom" Art Show
2014 Telluride Plein Air Invitational
Borrego Springs Plein Air Invitational
Huse Gallery "Just Plein Fun" HIGBEE GALLERY AWARD
2013 Telluride Plein Air Invitational-3rd top Revenue
LB Museum of Art Auction XV
Crystal Cove "Springtime Magic"
Crystal Cove October Artist in Residence
Huse Gallery "Just Plein Fun" Invitational
2012 Randy Higbee 6x6 show
Crystal Cove "On the Wild Side"
Huse Gallery "Just Plein Fun" Invitational
Telluride Plein Air Invitational
Borrego Springs Plein Air Invitational
"Less is More" LPAPA
2011 Huse Gallery "Just Plein Fun" Invitational
Aspen Plein Air Invitational
Telluride Plein Air Invitational
LB Museum of Art Auction XIV
LPAPA "Less is More" -- HONORABLE MENTION-- Jean Stern Juror
Borrego Springs Plein Air Invitational -- PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD--the people
Daily Painters Project -- Gallery on the Go!--monthly show
2010 Newport Nautical Museum "Impressionist Show"-- FIRST PLACE--Jean Stern
Huntington Beach Plein Air Invitational 2010
Huse Gallery "Just Plein Fun"-- FIRST PLACE QUICK DRAW--Jean Stern
Crystal Cove Alliance "Miniature Show"
San Clemente Plein Air---HONORABLE MENTION --QUICK DRAW--Saim Cagalayan
Telluride Plein Air Invitational -- TOP TEN REVENUE --
Newport Nautical Museum "Islands" show
Borrego Springs Plein Air Invitational – FIRST PLACE--Eric Bowen
Crystal Cove Alliance “Garage Sale” Show
Newport Nautical Museum "Winners" Show
2009 Painting the California Landscape - HONORABLE MENTION
Crystal Cove Alliance Holiday Show--HONORABLE MENTION
Crystal Cove Alliance Miniature Show
Huntington Beach Plein Air Invitational
2008 Crystal Cove Alliance Holiday Show - HONORABLE MENTION
Newport Nautical Museum Juried Plein Air - FIRST PLACE Quick Draw-Mike Obermeyer juror
Solo Gallery Show – ‘An Endless Pursuit’, Long Beach, CA
Crystal Cove Alliance Miniature Show
Huntington Beach Plein Air Invitational
Mission SJC - Painting the California Landscape
Newport Back Bay Paintout – Southern California Plein Air Painters
Laguna Plein Air Painters - Less is More
2007 Two Woman Show—Marjorie Taylor Studio – San Diego, CA
California Art Club – “Wild Things” –Pasadena Womens Club, CA
Mission SJC- “Painting the California Landscape”
Broome Gallery, --“Brushes with Italy - New York City
LPAPA – “Less is More”
2006 Newport Back Bay Paintout - BEST OF SHOW
Mission SJC - “Painting the California Landscape”
LPAPA Artist Juried Exhibition—Laguna Beach, CA
LPAPA - “Less is More”
2005 Solo Gallery Show, Ridenour Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA
Bowers Museum Plein Air Invitation, Santa Ana, CA
Rancho Los Alamitos, “Strokes of Local Color”
LPAPA Artist Juried Exhibition
LPAPA “Less is More”
Education
BA, Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA; Psycho-biology--History Minor, Studio Art Minor
BS, CSULB, Radiation Therapy
Commercial Clients Selection
California Pizza Kitchen, Inc.; Acapulco Restaurants, Inc.; El Torito Restaurants; Balboa Yacht Club
Art Affiliations
Founding Member-- Southern California Plein Air Painters--SOCALPAPA
Laguna Plein Air Painters Association, --LPAPA--California Art Club --CAC
