ArtPlantae Today

Mary-Austin Klein is known for her exquisite small-scale paintings of the California desert that capture the light conditions unique to California. In her current exhibition at the Theodore Payne Foundation, she brings attention to human encroachment on native plant environments and desert landscapes.

Mary-Austin Klein is the Theodore Payne Foundation’s fourth Aritst-in-Residence. During her residency, she traveled to locations in Central and Southern California to gather material for a series of oil paintings interpreting the infringement of man on the California landscape. Klein explains what motivates her to bring attention to this topic:

The ability to contain vast and deep landscapes into small, flat paintings makes me feel like a wrangler of space. The power to capture the magic of the California

Chuparosa Anza,© Mary-Austin Klein. All rights reserved.

desert and contain it within a frame is enthralling. It lets me transport the desert to others, sharing the beauty and promoting preservation of these vistas for future generations. Desert flora especially inspires me because of their toughness, resiliency and resourcefulness, when it comes to surviving the extreme conditions they call home.

The native Los Angeles artist has exhibited her work in galleries in Los Angeles, Pasadena, Laguna Beach, Santa Barbara and Joshua Tree. Her artwork and her advocacy efforts have been featured in The Guide to the Wild Mojave, a publication sponsored by the California Wilderness Coalition, as well as in The Desert Trail and LA Architect magazines.

Klein’s current exhibition, The Native Edge: Human Encroachment on Native Plant Environments, will be on view in the gallery at Theodore Payne through December 28, 2013.

Directions to Theodore Payne Foundation