Views of Orange County at ‘Omnivision’ art exhibit in Santa Ana

There isn’t one way to view all the beautiful scenery Southern California has to offer, but multiple points of view are gathered in one place for “Omnivision: Art Across Boundaries.”

The art exhibit on display at the Old Orange County Courthouse in Santa Ana now through March 13 is hosted by OC Parks and the Southern California Plein Air Painters Assn., with more than 180 original paintings featured. Scenes of nature, cityscapes and florals in the Golden State all painted by local Orange County artists make up the diverse show.

“Orange County is home to so many talented individuals,” Orange County Board of Supervisor, Vicente Sarmiento said in a statement.

Sarmiento attended a ribbon-cutting for the show on Jan. 30, ahead of its opening reception on Feb.1. He has worked with OC Parks to bring art exhibits to the Old Orange County Courthouse in the past, like a Chicano art exhibit from the private collection of Cheech Marin last summer.

Sarmiento was accompanied by Steve Sandborg and Dawn Buckingham, president and vice president respectively of the Southern California Plein Air Painters Assn.

“Omnivision: Art Across Boundaries” features the work of local artists inspired by life in Southern California.

(Courtesy of OC Parks)

Plein air, the French term for “in the open air,” is the practice of painting outside, which allows an artist to capture its subject in natural light. The practice was popularized in the 1870s with the invention of tube paint. As painting materials became more portable, a proper studio became less of a requirement for painting. The work in “Omnivision” continues the tradition of plein air painting, while offering individual perspectives of quintessential scenes of California life, like Orange County beaches.

Founded in 2001 by Margaret “Maggie” Jamison as a small gathering of artists from a painting class at Irvine Valley College taught by Jack Horn, the Southern California Plein Air Painters Assn. has since grown into a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to bring artists of all skill levels together.

“Attention aspiring artists! Are you hesitant to join our plein air painting club because you lack experience?” a statement on the Southern California Plein Air Painters Assn.‘s website reads. “Fear not! Our group is all about learning and growing together.”

“Omnivision: Art Across Boundaries” is on view at the Old Orange County Courthouse gallery in Santa Ana.

(Courtesy of OC Parks)

Members can enjoy weekly in-person paint-outs and inspiring Zoom meetings along with other community engagement. Besides building camaraderie among local plein air artists, the association is dedicated to supporting local conservation efforts to protect O.C.’s natural landscape. Members’ paintings can be found on view year round at OC Parks’ Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve in the Peter and Mary Muth Interpretive Center.

Additionally, the association works to promote arts education, and “Omnivision” includes artwork by students from the Orange County School of Arts in Santa Ana.

“It is wonderful to have a place in the heart of the county, at the historic Old Orange County Courthouse, to display the work of local artists where others can be inspired and introduced to a new art medium,” Sarmiento said.

The artwork in the gallery is for sale, with all proceeds going directly to the artist. The exhibit is free and open to view at the Old Orange County Courthouse gallery Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through March 13.