“Corner, Morro Bay” by Jessie Arms Botke, no date, block print,10” x 9”,Collection of Jyl and Allan Atmore.

SANTA PAULA, CA – From her home and studio in Santa Paula, Jessie Arms Botke (1883-1971) became one of the most extraordinary oil painters of the twentieth century. Now, the Santa Paula Art Museum invites you to view her rare and elegant watercolors and woodblocks in an unprecedented exhibition. The exhibit will premiere on Saturday, February 15, 2014 with an opening reception from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. Admission is $10.00 for museum members and $15.00 for the general public.

Jessie Arms Botke was born in Chicago in 1883 and enrolled in the Art Institute of Chicago in 1902. In 1911, Botke went to work for Herter Looms in New York City where she was first inspired toward the bold, decorative painting of birds that she became so famous for later in her career. It was in 1929 that Jessie and her husband Cornelis, whom she had married in 1915, made their home in Santa Paula.

While the couple vowed never to move from their peaceful ranch in Wheeler Canyon, they made annual sketching trips across the country. It was on these trips that Botke began to experiment with watercolor painting as a means of recording her travels, and to create studies for future paintings. It was a medium with which she quickly fell in love.By the 1950s, her watercolors were being exhibited and celebrated from California to New York.

“What is wonderful about Jessie’s watercolors is that she created them rather impulsively and spontaneously. They capture pure and honest moments and memories in her life. You really feel a sense of connection to what her mood was in those moments,” says Executive Director Jennifer Heighton. Over 50 of these rare works from private collections will be on display in the show, which in addition to watercolors includes works in gouache and block prints. This special exhibit runs through June 22, 2014.

The Santa Paula Art Museum is located at 117 North 10th Street in downtown Santa Paula. The Museum’s regular hours are Wednesday through Saturday from 10:00a.m. to 4:00p.m., and Sundays from 12:00 to 4:00p.m.Admission is $4.00 for adults, $3.00 for seniors and is free for museum members and students. For more information, please contact the Museum at (805) 525-5554, or email info@santapaulaartmuseum.org.