California Impressionism, or California Plein Air painting (roughly 1890s–1930s), was a regional movement focused on capturing the state's brilliant light and unique landscapes using loose brushwork and bright colors. Strongly influenced by French Impressionism, artists such as Guy Rose, William Wendt, and Edgar Payne depicted sun-drenched coastal scenes, deserts, and meadows. 

Key Characteristics and Context:

• Plein Air Method: Artists painted outdoors (plein air) to capture fleeting light, using portable easels and equipment.

• Regional Focus: Popularized in Southern California (Laguna Beach, Pasadena) and the San Francisco Bay Area, focusing on the idealized, "sun-splashed arcadia" of the West.

• Style: Characterized by thick, broken brushstrokes and a vibrant, warm color palette aimed at capturing dramatic, intense sunlight. 

Notable California Impressionists:

• Guy Rose (1867-1925): Widely considered one of the most prominent California Impressionists, who brought a refined French technique back to his native California.

• William Wendt (1865-1946): Known as the "dean" of California landscape painters, known for his rustic, green-toned depictions of the coast and rolling hills.

• Granville Redmond (1871-1935): Famous for his scenes of California poppies and rolling hills.

• Edgar Alwin Payne (1883-1947): Famed for his dramatic scenes of the Sierra Nevada mountains, coastal fishing boats, and desert scenes.

• Franz A. Bischoff (1864-1929): Originally a china painter who turned to bold impressionistic scenes.

• Jean Mannheim (1863-1945): A Pasadena-based painter, noted for his bright, candid portraits and landscapes.

• Marion Kavanagh Wachtel (1870-1954): Known for her watercolor and oil paintings of California landscapes.

• Anna Hills (1882-1930): A key figure in the Laguna Beach Art Association.