William Alexander Griffith (1866-1940)

Upon moving from Kansas to the small artist's colony of Laguna Beach in 1920, William Griffith became an integral part of the community and was a founding member of the Laguna Beach Art Association. Inspired by his new surroundings, Griffith shifted his focus from portrait painting to landscapes and began to experiment with pastel, a medium that was more popular with the French and East Coast American Impressionists. "Seeing painting in a broadly spiritual role, as did many artists of his time, [Griffith] felt a painting should be emotionally uplifiting and inspire a sense of order, tranquility and joy. The charm and enduring appeal of his work undoubtedly owes a significant debt to this personal imperative." (R.L. Westphal, Plein Air Painters of California: The Southland, Irvine, California, 1988, p. 140)