THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- A fine art exhibit featuring painter Harvey Cusworth, a plein air specialist reminiscent of impressionism, runs through April 30 at the National Park Service Visitor Center in Thousand Oaks. Titled "Santa Monica Mountains: Color and Light," the exhibit is the last art show before the Visitor Center relocates to King Gillette Ranch in Calabasas on June 9.
Visitors familiar with the Santa Monica Mountains will recognize many local venues depicted in Cusworth's paintings. The canvasses and prints, ranging from watercolors to oils, have simple and familiar titles such as "Mulholland Road," "Trail to Turtle Rock," "Malibu Creek," "Trees at King Gillette Ranch" and other subjects such as "Bethany on a Hike" and "Afternoon Lifeguard," plus one plant subject, "Hairy Leaf Ceanothus," a 10x12 watercolor on paper.
A resident of Thousand Oaks, the award-winning Cusworth paints in oil as his primary medium with the goal of capturing colors revealed through California's unique light. He obtained a BA degree in illustration and graphic design from Brigham Young University before securing a MFA degree with emphasis on painting and drawing from Cal State University, Long Beach.
In his artist's statement, he writes: "As an artist working in the Southern California area, the influence of light and color has been important to me in the development of my work. The way light interacts with the subject matter has become my primary focus."
The paintings on exhibit range in size from 7x8 inches to 17x17 inches. They are available for sale through his website, www.harveycusworth.com.
The free art exhibit is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the center, 401 W. Hillcrest Drive, Thousand Oaks. For more information, call 805-370-2301.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
