Santa Barbara Maritime Museum Logbook

With light fog hanging in the air, Santa Barbara local artist Ann Sanders sets up her easel by the Devereux Lagoon. For Ann, painting is almost a daily ritual. She paints en plein air, a method in which she is able to capture a moment or impression of the landscape. 

Absorbing the tranquility of the lagoon, she starts her painting session with a quick sketch, outlining the composition to capture the play of light and shadows of her scene. “Some people do more detailed sketches, but I’m usually too excited to get started,” she says with a smile. Her sketch is simple yet precise, helping her to envision her space on the canvas. After finding her focal point, a clump of trees in the distance, she begins layering her colors. Mixing a bit of blue, white, and gray for the shadows, Ann’s eyes are constantly darting between the landscape, her sketch, and her palette. She later adds in dark greens before gradually building in lighter shades. 

Ann prefers to paints outdoors directly in the landscape working quickly to take advantage of light. Especially on sunny days, she only has a few hours to capture her scene before the light shifts too much, and the image she is working on is lost. Fortunately, on this day, the fog creates a soft, diffused light that allows her to paint for a little longer than normal. “My overcast paintings often turn out better because I have no expectations and can be more spontaneous,” says Ann. This careful balance between precision and spontaneity defines her style. 

Ann’s journey to becoming an artist wasn’t straightforward. She started her career as an engineer, a field far removed from the world of art. With her sister’s encouragement, Ann signed up for an art class at Santa Barbara Community College’s Adult Education, sparking a passion for painting she hadn’t known existed. “I never dreamed I’d be doing this,” she says over her easel. Ann finds immense joy in her everyday painting session. Yet, she is quick to attribute her past as an engineer to her success and organization skills, a trait she finds invaluable as an artist. Ann meticulously catalogs each piece in her home studio with titles, numbers, and photos, ensuring she keeps track of her progress and finished works.

As our time comes to an end, Ann takes a step back admiring her work in progress. Even in the afternoon fog, the lagoon’s beauty shines through in her piece. “A place can look uninspiring at first, but once you start, everything begins to look beautiful,” she says as she starts to pack up. 

Ann Sanders’s work is featured in SBMM’s current exhibition, Coastal Moments, which showcases 10 local plein air artists whose works incorporate coastal landscapes and ocean themes. Featured artists also include Ann Shelton Beth, Nancy Davidson, Camille Dellar, Rick Garcia, Derek Harrison, Wyllis Heaton, Ray Hunter, Thomas Van Stein, and Ralph Waterhouse.

Coastal Moments is on view at the museum until August 18, 2024. All artwork from the exhibit is available for purchase either onsite or by visiting https://auctria.events/SBMMCoastalMoments

The exhibition is generously sponsored by George H. and Olive J. Griffiths Charitable Foundation; Mimi Michaelis; The June G. Outhwaite Charitable Trust; and Wood-Claeyssens Foundation.