PLEIN AIR HERITAGE
Sometimes artists redefine themselves and reach a more enthusiastic group of collectors simply by painting a new range of landscape subjects. That’s what happened to Thomas Hill (1829-1908) when he stopped trying to paint like other East Coast artists associated with the Hudson River School, moved his family to California, and created dramatic representations of the West Coast landscape. Born in England and trained at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Hill struggled to support his large family by painting Hudson River-style landscapes as well as decorations on furniture and carriages. In 1865, he made a trip to Yosemite Valley in California and discovered what became his signature landscape subject. For the remainder of his career, Hill made yearly painting trips to Yosemite and Mount Shasta in California and back to…