The Oak Group, a renowned coalition of landscape painters, is currently captivating audiences at the Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art. Their latest show, "The Grace of the World," takes inspiration from Wendell Berry's quote and showcases their dedication to creating sensitive plein air paintings. These paintings primarily focus on the rich and developing spaces in Santa Barbara County and the Channel Islands, highlighting their long-held passion for nature.

Arturo Tello: A Pioneer of the Oak Group

Arturo Tello, one of the group's founders and distinctive painters, runs the Palm Loft gallery in Carpinteria, which serves as a common source of his painting settings. His statement in the museum reflects the Oak Group's philosophical mandate: "A landscape painting is a celebration of beauty, a prayer of gratitude for open spaces, and the path to intimacy with Nature. I see the role of the landscape painter not as a dreamer, but as an active defender of the land." Tello's "Evening of Communion, Rincon Bluffs" is a prime example of his touch, with a long, willfully horizontal view of idyllic Carpinteria land and sea.

Ray Strong: A Lifelong Devotee of Plein Air Paintings

Another founder of the Oak Group is the late Ray Strong, a guru-like figure who was a lifelong devotee of plein air paintings. His work can be seen in the tableaux scenes at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. "Harvest Fields, Santa Ynez Valley" is a canvas that exemplifies his inspired touch, with undulant waves of golden fields.

Marcia Burtt: Implied Processions in Nature

Marcia Burtt's "Late Sun, Footpath into Los Padres" is a captivating painting that implies a sense of procession. From a shaded leafy terrain, the eye is led down a path to the forest in the distance, with light bathing the scene. This painting showcases Burtt's ability to capture the essence of nature.

Kerri Hedden: The Green and Moisture-Laden Ground

Kerri Hedden leans into the green and moisture-laden ground in "Spring Rain" with her elegant painterly style. Her painting brings a sense of life and vitality to the show.

Whitney Brooks Abbott: The Natural Realm

Whitney Brooks Abbott's "South-Moving Cloud over North Campus" is an impressive canvas that heads more fully into the natural realm. Her loose-brushed, micro-rhythmic approach energizes the painting and showcases her connection to nature.

Hank Pitcher: Compatibility with Manmade Structures

While the Oak Group's paintings often sidestep manmade structures, Hank Pitcher's "Eric's Board at Sands Beach II" is a notable exception. His surfboard portrait looms vertically in an almost figurative way, adding a unique element to the show.

Bill Dewey: Aerial Perspectives on the Landscape

Seasoned aerial photographer Bill Dewey supplies his own particular vantage on the landscape with "Los Padres Front Country Clouds 3-20-2024." The title conveys the importance of the front country as an equal subject to the pillowy clouds.

John Wullbrandt: Capturing Mythic Ranch Properties

John Wullbrandt's "Barn at Sedgwick Reserve" captures a structure on a mythic ranch property in the Santa Ynez Valley with a precise eye and hand. His painting represents a seeking-out agenda that is part of the Oak Group's scope.

Sarah Vedder: Soft-Focus Approach

Sarah Vedder deploys her characteristic soft-focus approach in "Afternoon on Jalama Road," creating a dreamy scene with tractor and barn structures tucked into the rolling hill forms.

Chris Chapman and Larry Iwerks: Diverse Perspectives

Chris Chapman soaks up the precious coastal zone just north of Goleta in "Dos Pueblos Canyon," while Larry Iwerks nuzzles up against an essence of abstraction in "Rolling Hills." Each artist brings their own unique voice to the group, adding to the vitality of the collective.The Oak Groupers are artists with a strong commonality and commitment to conservationist visions. Their show, "The Grace of the World," is on view through December 21 at the Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art. The museum is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on weekdays and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturdays. It is closed on Sundays and college holidays. For more information, please call (805) 565-6162 or see westmont.edu/museum.