Rick Delanty, a professional artist from San Clemente, along with 22 other painters, was recently invited by the Friends of Hearst Castle to paint for two days on the grounds of the museum and state park in an event titled “A Brush With History.” Although this year’s event is the second plein air event at the Castle, it marks the first time that artists have been able to paint on the grounds of the Castle itself.

California plein air painters, who work outdoors, were invited to participate based on a selection criteria focused on artists with regional or national recognition, gallery representation, juried membership in art societies, and exposure in national and regional media. Participating artists have studios located in Northern, Central, and Southern California. Noted Central California artist, Libby Tolley, was present, as well as award-winning Laguna artists, Lynn Gertenbach, Michael Obermeyer and Michael Situ. David Gallup, vice-president of the long-lived California Art Club, also painted.

“Hearst Castle is a plein air paradise,” Delanty said. “And there was a wealth of subject matter to paint—it was almost overwhelming, at first.” Located near San Simeon on the central California coast, Hearst Castle was the former home of William Randolph Hearst, publishing magnate, whose life inspired the film, “Citizen Kane.” The home and grounds were donated by the Hearst Corporation to the state of California in 1951, and is now a State Historical Monument and a National Historic Landmark. “La Casa Encantada” (The Enchanted Slope) was familiarly known to the Hearst family as “the ranch,” and appeared in the 1960 film, “Spartacus.”

The buildings themselves sit atop a tree-studded ridge where tour guides treat visitors to breathtaking coastal views and mountainous vistas, and reveal the treasures of the past that abound in the Hearst collection of arts, artifacts, and antiquities. Artists were directed to one of two designated painting areas, either the North or South Terraces, adjacent to the main buildings. Drop-cloths were required to protect the tiles of the terrace from paint spatter.

The 23 artists painted the architecture, surrounding vistas, and each other over a two-day period from May 12-13, with the goal of creating three paintings that were available for sale at the “Twilight on the Terrace” event hosted by the Castle on June 5. Approximately 300 guests were in attendance at the Castle to view and purchase the paintings, and sample gourmet foods and wine at sunset.

Weekday tours were also being conducted without interruption during that time, so artists were often surrounded by tourists pointing, commenting and taking pictures of a sight never before seen by tours. The South Terrace receives little shade during the day, so many artists worked under their painting umbrellas. Temperatures on the mountain can vary dramatically, as the Castle is 1600 feet above sea level, at the end of a steep-inclined road that takes the visitor a half-mile away from the coast.

More of Delanty’s work may be viewed at www.delantyfineart.com, or at his upcoming home studio and gallery show June 11-13, at 2510 via Durazno. Call the studio at 949.492.8995 for more information.