Claudia Savage’s training as a landscape architect greatly influences how she sees the world and approaches painting. Many of the principles of landscape design, such as composition, balance, movement, and texture, overlap with art, she says.

“At school we were constantly problem-solving and using drawing to communicate ideas. I was especially interested in color theory and playing with color to evoke emotions, challenge perspective, and move a person through a space,” she says. “When I observe a painting subject now, I both consciously and subconsciously problem-solve and apply design principles and color theory.”

Based in Loomis, Savage owns her own landscape architecture company and sells her paintings at local markets, art shows, and by appointment. View her work and learn more at claudiasavageart.com.

How did you get your start as an artist?

I have loved sketching and painting as far back as I can remember. Whenever I gave artwork to my grandmother, she always insisted that I sign it, because ‘that is what artists do,’ and she framed and displayed them all. Growing up in Davis when Wayne Thiebaud, Robert Arneson, and Roy De Forest were in their heyday teaching at UC Davis, great art and inspiration were everywhere. Thiebaud’s landscapes and [paintings of] cakes were favorites of mine, and his use of color still inspires me.

You studied landscape architecture at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. How did that training influence your art?

In the program, I was able to continue developing my creativity and love of design. I had the opportunity to visit New York City’s Central Park in January, under a blanket of snow. It was beautiful, and I felt a need to walk through the park in spring, summer, and fall to see how it changed with the seasons. I found myself imagining the park in all its potential states: how it would feel on an overcast day or a bright morning, in the middle of winter, or at the start of spring—thinking about how elements would shift in different conditions, how colors would fade or intensify, how patterns would change, and how those transformations evoke different feelings. That experience greatly influenced how I see my surroundings and how I paint today.

You work in both watercolor and oil. What appeals to you about these mediums?

Watercolor was my first medium. I love its luminescent quality and how easily it glides across the paper. The possibilities are infinite, capturing movement and variations in tone. There is something captivating about dropping a loaded brush into clear water and watching the pigment spread and minerals separate to create beautiful granulating effects. 

Inspired by Thiebaud, I was drawn to oil painting, but I did not work often with it for many years, as the odor and long drying time were not ideal when painting on the dining room table with young children around. I became passionate about plein air (outdoor) painting last year, which eliminated those constraints and has allowed me to work more with oils. What I especially enjoy is the sculptural quality that can be achieved using brushstrokes and how the texture catches the light and reflective color around it.  

Where do you find your inspiration?

In the iconic picturesque landscapes of California and the Pacific Northwest, as well as in the local colors and patterns in day-to-day life, from the coastline of Point Lobos State Natural Reserve to the chickens that roam my garden. I want my art to show that there is beauty all around us if we take the time to slow down and observe the unique qualities of our surroundings.

Carmel Coast

Your contoured watercolor paintings are especially unique. Please describe your process.

When I approach a new watercolor landscape painting, the first thing I look for is movement—how the rocks rise from the ground, how the trees are twisted from the wind, the speed at which clouds move across the sky, how the water swirls in the ocean. I then visualize how to simplify it and apply masking fluid along those lines of movement. I think of this process as creating contours, as they remind me of modeling 3D landforms while at school. I’m drawn to the structure the masking fluid gives the painting; it forms a contrast to the oftentimes loose flow of watercolor. Once the fluid has dried, it repels water, and I begin adding color. When the paint is dry, I remove the masking fluid with a rubber eraser. I love this step; it only takes a few minutes, but it transforms the painting when the brightness of the paper reemerges.

Nick’s Cove

Chicken

What do you hope viewers experience through your art?

I would like viewers to get lost in my paintings. I hope they’re transported to a memory that brings them joy or meaning or to a place that provides peace and calms their mind. 

by Jennifer Maragon
Photos by Madison Lauren Photography.