Toni Williams - Artist, Plein Air Painter, Art Instructor, Rancho Santa Fe Art Guild Member
“Don’t buy cheap paints.” This is just one piece of advice from artist and teacher Toni Williams. But there is so much more than paint when it comes to Toni Williams and her paintings.
I first met Toni in 2019 at the RSF Art Guild Exhibit held in the La Jolla library. Actually we didn’t really meet that day – I only became aware of Toni’s work that day. As I walked into the art exhibit my eyes came upon Toni’s painting labeled “La Jolla’s Edge", (see image below). I saw the painting and that’s the only painting I saw there. Oh yes, there were 30 other fabulous paintings on exhibit: landscapes, still life and more. But Toni’s “La Jolla’s Edge” invited me in. I walked up to the edge of the frame, I stepped in, I looked around, I took a step and heard the crunch of eucalyptus leaves under my feet. I smelled the sharp pungent scent from the trees as I twirled around on the path. I was hooked! Who is this painter of the eucalyptus trees and forests? How can I paint like that? It’s so unique, so real and with such a style that it hooked me into “La Jolla’s Edge”!
Determined to learn more I joined the RSF Art Guild and since that day, two plus years ago, I have attended all of Toni’s demonstrations and workshops and even convinced her to conduct two workshops in my own backyard. And yes, “don’t buy cheap paints,” is an indulgence I have learned from Toni and one she definitely grants herself. You’ll know this when you pick up one of Toni’s finished panels. It’s got a lot of paint on it and you can feel the weight of it. Toni paints mainly on panels, probably because as a plein air artist, Toni hikes deep into spaces to find her subjects. “Get mobile,” she says, “that’s how to see the light.” Toni carries her supplies in her backpack and a pochade box. The pack is filled with paints, brushes and medium. Equipment can be cumbersome and she prefers panels, as they are less bulky
When talking about how she paints, Toni explains the importance of the painting’s beginning as the critical moment, especially when painting in plein air. That initial moment of beauty that captivates you is what she says you must capture. To capture that moment and keep up with the changing light and weather, Toni takes a couple photos of her subject before she begins to draw her composition. She finds the focal point and then the light to shape the design. “Squint, squint, squint” she says to find the values and then she works the darkest darks to the lightest lights. The hook, well that all depends, that’s where experience, knowledge of composition, value, color and tone come into play. Toni’s paintings are said to be like Franz Bischoff’s. Bischoff was the leading plein air artist in the early 1900’s Franz Bischoff. Toni says that her work isn’t telling a cultural or political tale but is an expression of an emotion brought on by the beauty, harmony and love of the subject. She adds that she views some locations as historical records of present day versus how these same locations appeared to the Southern California impressionists at the turn of the century.
This past April Toni competed in the juried 2021 Borrego Springs Invitational – and she loved it. Competition keeps her on her toes. The competition is fierce with only 13-15 invited artists competing and given only 5-6 days to complete 8-9 paintings. Each panel is stamped on the back and only these verified panels are allowed into the competition. Artists must have all supplies including frames with them at entry. All paintings must be completed in Borrego in plein air. There is pressure, excitement and camaraderie at these competitions and this is where Toni shines. 
Originally from New York, Toni transferred from the east coast to California’s UCSD as a young art student. She and her husband Scott made a home for themselves in Solana Beach. Toni worked as a bookkeeper for 25 years until she ventured into work as a muralist. She painted interior and exterior murals in kitchens, entryways and homes all over southern California. Toni worked for a mural company here in San Diego, Iconica. After a few years, she started her own company with a partner, Walters & Williams Interiors
They rode the wave of the trompe l’oeil trend in home décor for many years until 2010. Then Toni began to concentrate on her own art and her teaching. Today Toni and Scott do what they love: Scott surfing and Toni painting. Toni grew to trust her art by interacting with other artists. She found like-minded people, artists like herself, in art guilds and artist associations around California. As a member of the RSF Art Guild and a demonstration artist for the Guild, Toni’s artistic gifts and her generosity is a boon for all of us yearning to paint with a hook.
View more of Toni’s work at:
http://www.toniwilliamsart.com/
and
https://www.ranchosantafeartguild.org/collections/160863
Join me at the RSF Art Guild for demonstrations by Plein Air artist Toni Williams October 20th!
*Name this Artist
This month’s Newsletter “Name the Artist” painting is by Franz Bischoff. The oil painting titled "A Bouquet of Roses". More info here
