SOME QUESTIONS FOR WEST COAST LANDSCAPE PAINTER MARIA LANGGLE
“Avenida Del Mar” by Maria Langgle.
“Travel is its own reward” is a maxim I live by. Just over a decade ago, I was fortunate to visit San Diego, Long Beach, and Palm Springs and soak in some—but not enough—of that fabled Pacific Coast vibe. Whether it was the sound of the ocean and the saltwater air of San Diego and Long Beach, or the laid-back desert resort feel of Palm Springs, I understood firsthand why SoCal lured dreamers in search of fortune, fame, a future, and a never-ending supply of sunshine.
Maria Langgle knows this environment well. A first-generation European immigrant and Orange County, Calif., resident, Langgle paints her West Coast landscape subjects—beaches, piers, landmarks—with acute specificity and a relaxed, breezy style. There’s also a quietude: the occasional drifting cloud, frequent but spare palm trees, and few or no people populating the scene. Oh, and lots of sky and ocean blue.
My conversation with Langgle was as nice and easy as a cold margarita at the beach on a sweltering summer day. Picture yourself in that mode … Enjoy.
West Coast watercolor-and-ink artist Maria Langgle.
Your love for the West Coast is evident from the start. As a first-generation immigrant, what drew you to the region as your primary subject matter?
When I first moved to California, it was like visiting another planet—everything was vastly different from what I was used to in Europe. The people, the landscape, the weather—everything. So, I had a hard time adjusting in the beginning. What really captivated me was actually the palm trees—they are so unique and different from the trees I’ve grown up with, and I am very much drawn to nature, trees, and birds in particular. So really it started with an interest in the palm tree-lined streets in L.A. and then translated to painting more beach scenes and local landscapes and I always try to sneak in a palm tree even if it is not there in real life.
You write in your artist bio, “My art is inspired by my love for travel, coastal landscapes, and the beauty of nature.” What other inspirations arise in the moment while you’re painting?
I love simplicity and the idea of capturing a subject with minimal linework and color. Simple doesn’t mean easy, so sometimes I have to repaint a subject several times before landing on the right mix of clean design, emotional tone, and color harmony. I am very much influenced and inspired by the Japanese woodcut masters and their use of lines and color.
"Harpoon Henry's" by Maria Langgle.
Watercolor and ink is your primary medium. What excites you about it compared with acrylic or other painting styles?
As much as I appreciate simplicity, I also enjoy a fast pace of work—watercolors enable me to work very fast, which means there is no time for the inner critic to show up. The ink pen is my absolute favorite tool—I like the fluidity of a confident ink line. It also means I can’t erase anything—I think it is another way to bypass the inner perfectionist because a clear, confident line is way better than a perfect one, in my view.
“I like to ask the subject to direct my brush...”
When you paint, what’s happening in your headspace—does it go quiet, are there songs playing, memories surfacing, daydreams drifting in—or something else entirely?
My mind never stops and that is the case when I paint—I think about all sorts of things. Philosophical musings, the latest article I read, business ideas, what I’m going to cook later…
I like to listen to music to get into a flow state—I love electronic, dubstep-style music with no lyrics and that helps my mind settle down and I can actually think about the subject I’m painting. I like to ask the subject to direct my brush, I ask it what is important and how I can bring its energy forth in the painting. It works very well if I can stop the constant thoughts from interrupting my flow and music helps me do that.
What’s your process for choosing and securing a location to paint?
I am on a mission to paint the entire West Coast so choosing a location is not difficult—I have a huge folder of photos I’ve taken on my visits to those places. Right now, I’m working on Newport Beach, so I open up my inspiration folder and choose an image that I’m excited about. Usually, I get excited about either a particular color contrast or some details that would be fun to draw with an ink pen.
Your paintings mostly feature clear, sunny scenes. Have you ever painted at nighttime or in bad weather? What was that experience like?
Yes, actually I love to paint nighttime scenes and have done a couple. However, I do prefer the sunny scenes because my art is about being positive, whimsical and maybe a touch nostalgic. I want people to be uplifted and happy when they see my work, maybe put a smile on their face. Life is very hard, and I feel the more positive moments we can create, the better it is for us and everyone around us. So, my focus is always to be positive, whimsical and maybe a little funny.
I started painting during the worst time of my life— a very serious autoimmune illness, which I am still dealing with today. Art was my outlet and the one thing that I was able to do when I had to quit my job and be home for years before starting to recover. I could paint my pain and frustration, but I don’t want to do that, I want to show that beautiful things can be made even in the midst of a horrible situation.
How do you handle interruptions while you’re painting in public—especially well-meaning ones, like when someone wants to strike up a conversation?
I usually only do preliminary sketches in public and in secluded areas where I am not interrupted for the most part. I need 100 percent focus when I paint so I would have to choose—interact with someone or paint.
“I love the color contrast, and they are all done with a Japanese fude brush pen.”
Tell me about your favorite piece you’ve created just for yourself, for your private collection.
I love my “Landscapes with Wildlife: A Study in Deep Green and Red” series—there is a lot of contrast, nature and birds. I love the color contrast, and they are all done with a Japanese fude brush pen. For my beach landscapes, I use a much finer-tipped pen; in contrast, the fude brush is a lot more expressive and I love that.
“The Ritz Carlton, Salt Creek Beach” by Maria Langgle.
When you're painting, what’s your beverage of choice?
Unfortunately, I can’t drink alcohol due to my illness (major sad face). So, my mind-altering process is listening to music with my noise-canceling headphones.
Last one: What’s one place in the world you haven’t painted yet but would love to—and why?
Hawaii. One, they have lots of palm trees. Two, there is something special about that island—I want to go and experience it.
Visit Maria Langgle Art to view or purchase her work.
This interview has been edited for clarity and fully approved by Maria Langgle.
