Vibrant Landscapes of Contra Costa County is a Feast for the Eyes

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Published November 2nd, 2016

Vibrant Landscapes of Contra Costa County is a Feast for the Eyes

By Kara Navolio

"Cattle Under Tree, Mt. Diablo" Photos Kara Navolio

The vibrantly depicted landscapes of the late Lundy Siegriest (1925-1985) are on display at the Lafayette Library and Learning Center through Nov. 20.

Siegriest's father, Louis Bassi Siegriest, was a member of the "Society of Six," a group of Bay Area based plein air painters who joined together in 1917 to form an association combining influences from French Impressionism and the American Post-Impressionist Movement. The association, which lasted 15 years, was a unique modernist style which shocked the establishment at the time.

Lundy Siegriest, who grew up always surrounded by art and attended California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland, joined with colleagues in 1975 to retrace the traditions of the Society of Six, painting in plein air throughout Contra Costa County. The 24 oil paintings in this exhibit are all from this era, and many feature landscapes around Mt. Diablo.

In "Cattle Under Tree, Mt. Diablo" Siegriest uses thick application of paint with luscious greens contrasted with the red-browns of the cows to stimulate the senses. In an untitled piece depicting five cows and a calf, he uses a bold contrast of the thick yellow paint strokes over a blue background indicating a sun-drenched grassy field with the cows shadowed in blue. As William H. Clapp (a member of the original Society of Six) said of the style, "We are not trying to illustrate a thought or write a catalog, but to produce a joy through the use of the eyes." All the paintings in this exhibit use intense color to capture the land and the light.

Siegriest also had a lifelong love of teaching. He taught art in Chicago, Milwaukee, San Francisco, and through Walnut Creek Civic Arts (1961-1985).

This is a rare opportunity to view these works as most of these paintings are from a private collection. The Learning Center is open every Monday from 6 to 9 p.m. and during the many public events in the Community Hall.

"5 cows and a calf"

"Storm clouds"



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