Artist Statement

Liz Abeyta (b. 1969)

liz(at)lizabeyta.com

Liz Abeyta - artist


Living in Southern California, I see “potential” paintings everywhere. Easily spotted are the beautiful coastal vistas. However, I'm also drawn to the more intimate everyday subjects. These are scenes that are passed on a daily basis, but on certain occasions the light or mood is compelling. These are the moments I hope to capture on canvas. 

I love the constant challenges of painting on location as it forces me to pare down grand vistas or detailed scenes to the bare essentials. It is a delicate balance to provide just enough so that the painting is understood by the viewer, while leaving suggested features to the imagination. I strive to be efficient with brushstrokes yet still capture my feelings about the location.

We’ve all heard “Variety is the spice of life.” Variety also adds spice to a painting: light played against shadow, hard crisp edges versus soft lost ones, thick paint confidently laid against a thin wash, and warm yellows and reds alongside cool blues and greens. These contrasts can really make a painting sing.

Select Exhibitions

American Impressionist Society (AIS) 26th Annual National Juried Exhibition, 2025

Laguna Plein Air Painters Association (LPAPA) 19th Annual Less is More, 2025

Bonita Museum & Cultural Center "California Grown" 2025, 1st Place

American Impressionist Society (AIS) 9th Annual AIS Impressions: Small Works Showcase, 2025

Paint San Clemente, 2024, HM | Quick Draw 3rd place

Oceanside Museum of Art, 2023 Plein Air Festival Juried Exhibition

American Impressionist Society (AIS) 23rd National Juried Exhibition, 2022

Laguna Plein Air Painters Association (LPAPA) City Hall Cultural Exhibition - “From Dusk to Dawn”, 2019

LPAPA “Town & Country”, 2019

Plein Air Salon, Oct/Nov 2017

Oil Painters of America's 21st Annual National Juried Exhibition Of Traditional Oils, OPA, 2012

Oil Painters of America 2011 Western Regional Juried Exhibition, OPA, 2011

California Art Club (CAC), 'Surf's Up: Artists Capture the California Coast A Centennial Exhibition of the California Art Club' at The Historic Blinn House

Oil Painters of America's 19th Annual National Juried Exhibition Of Traditional Oils, OPA, 2010

Mission Federal ArtWalk Featured Artist, 2008

Press

Women in Art, Southwest Art Magazine, September 2020

Coastal Creations, Southwest Art Magazine, May 2018