The 7th Annual California Landscape Painters Conference

Press Release Schedule Artists Registration

Artist Biographies

Mike Bagdonas

Mike Bagdonas was born and raised in California with artistic abilities noted early in his life. He spent three years studying art at the California Art Institute following with degrees from LA Valley College and Pepperdine University. Bagdonas primarily paints on location, but sometimes works in his studio in Placerville, California.

Colleagues refer to Bagdonas as a draftsman in that his renderings are very accurate while his style is impressionistic. He finds inspiration from the Sierra Nevada mountain views and spends much of his time painting between Lake Tahoe and Yosemite National Park. He also paints portraits of cowboys, American Indians and wildlife.

"I believe that the key to an outstanding work of art is painting from life. I mean that painting from photographs does not lend itself to true value or color relationships and other proper compositional elements of a great work of art. I pride myself on being able to paint from life quickly and accurately whether the subject is our beautiful western landscapes."

Andrew Dorn

Born and raised in the Finger Lakes Region of upstate New York, Andrew Dorn has been creating art for more than 20 years. Predominately a plein aire Impressionist painter, Dorn has strong influences in Art Nouveau and Abstract Expressionism.

Dorn's artistic training is largely self-guided through art books & monthly publications. He is currently focused on taking painting workshops and painting with other plein aire painters. In 2006 Dorn and his fiancee moved to Davis from New York State to build his artistic career as a painter; in 2008 he made the leap to painting full time.

"I am a plein air painter and my passion lies in creating painterly personal interpretations of the scenes and situations that move me. My goal is to paint my feelings in such a way that the viewer can really feel my paintings. I love the workability, richness, and permanence of oil colors. I paint impressionist oils en plein aire and then finish them later in my studio with a completely fresh perspective. Painting daily allows me to work by instinct, which helps keep my work more direct and spontaneous. I fell in love with northern California and my current work is a journal of my exploration of this magnificent landscape."

Leslie Toms (b. 1951)

Leslie Toms is a contemporary American painter focused on landscapes, cityscapes & still life. These paintings are filled with rich colors and dramatic brushstrokes. Her work often recalls influence from Impressionistic and Fauvist traditions as well as those of her native Sacramento area. In Tom's ongoing pursuit of color and light, her subjects become more symbolic than real.

Ray Roberts

Ray Roberts is a plein air painter, best known for his seascapes, figurative work, and majestic views of California and the Southwest. His vibrant use of color, bold textures, and shifting patterns of light are signature elements throughout his work.

"When I go out to paint, whether it's on the coast, the mountains or the desert, I look for something that speaks to me emotionally, and try to get that communication across. I hope that people can share my vision through the canvas. My paintings are my footprints."