Santa Barbara Meadow – Karen Winters California Impressionist Oil Painting

Santa Barbara Meadow (at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden)
12 x 16 oil on canvas

Whenever we visit Santa Barbara, I try to make some time to visit their beautiful botanic garden which features native plants in natural settings. Last week my husband went to a seminar up in Santa Barbara and I tagged along to take pictures, visit the museum and the mission and of course, the botanic garden. It was late afternoon when I arrived there, but close to the solstice the days are long. Although the poppies were gone many other summer perennials were blooming, surrounded by sages and plants of every texture and description. The experience has persuaded me to turn part of our yard into a natives habitat – and then not worry so much about watering!

Granted, Santa Barbara’s coastal climate is most likely moister and more even in temperature than our inland valley, but I saw plants that I think would be at home with us.

This is one of the paintings I’ll likely be bringing to our show at Descanso starting August 23, unless it finds a home before then.