Meadow and Hills

William Wendt, above all, loved to explore the unsettled landscape, sometimes leaving for weeks at a time searching for inspiration for his artwork. "Wendt often took to the countryside, particularly seeking remote, untraveled natural settings, loving especially the rolling hills, spreading trees and carpets of grass and flowers to be found in California in the early spring. Here, this deeply religious man found inspiration. In a letter he wrote, 'Here, the heart of man becomes impressionable. Here, away from the soul-destroying hurly-burly of life, it feels that the world is beautiful; that man is his brother; that God is good.' This transcendent state of mind, usually evoked in the midst of some lovely natural setting, was fundamental to Wendt's work. (R. Westphal, Plein Air Painters of California: The Southland, Irvine, California, 1996, p. 172)