I first had the pleasure of talking to Milford Zornes when I interviewed him for a feature in the Winter 2002 issue of the magazine. His love of watercolor, painting, and creative expression in general, were evident in his every word. On January 25, Milford will turn 100. In celebration of this significant milestone, we're featuring the acclaimed artist again in the February 2008 issue of Watercolor Artist.

Along with Phil Dike, Millard Sheets, George Gibson, Emil Kosa Jr., Barse Miller, Lee Blair, Dong Kingman and Hardie Gramatky, Milford was part of California’s premier regional school of art from the 1930s and early ’40s, known as the California Scene painters.

“The California Scene painters were historically very important, not only because they documented the California countryside, but also because of the innovative approach they took to watercolor painting,” says Sandy Hunter, of the California Art Gallery in Laguna Beach, California. “These artists painted boldly and directly, with little or no pencil drawing; they used broad brushstrokes, and preferred a typically brown/ochre dominated palette.” This was in stark contrast to the more traditional, tightly rendered, delicately colored watercolor style American painters had inherited from the English.

To see more of Zornes' work, check out this video made by fellow artist, friend and gallery owner, Bill Anderson.