Be inspired by Kelly Kane’s spotlight on the up-and-coming plein air painter Xandra Squier, who shares her Aha moment, and much more.
Art education: I started taking art lessons from the age of 9. When I was a young artist in middle and high school, I received an annual Kiwanis scholarship hosted by my hometown of Cave Creek, Arizona, to attend workshops at the Scottsdale Artists’ School. I also took weekly private lessons from Virginia Brooks, who shared the world of impressionism and plein air with me. We painted together for almost seven years before I left for higher education at LCAD.
After learning the fundamentals of traditional figurative art, I decided to pay homage to my roots and chose landscape painting as my senior thesis. With the guidance of my landscape painting teacher, Michael Obermeyer, I spent my senior year traveling the state of California to capture its beauty and grandeur en plein air.
Favorite subjects: Given that I spent almost 10 years in the desert, I’m deeply inspired by mountain ranges. Painting the dimensions and color variations is both fun and a challenge, but the narrative they provide has taken my work to a new level. A sunset painting with the added purples and magentas in a mountain range, for example, adds extra drama that I love.

Aha moment: Halfway through my time at art school, I attended local art shows, including the Festival of the Arts in Laguna, and asked each participating artist what they believed made them successful. Almost every single one said they draw or paint daily. I decided to do the same and paint small plein air pieces every day. I even went so far as to keep my plein air gear in the back of my car so I could paint on the side of the road if I found something that inspired me.
At the end of the year, I looked back at my progress and realized that daily practice allowed me to be more intuitive with my creative process. Each piece moved forward and looked better than the last.
What I would do for a living if I wasn’t an artist: I’ve always had an interest in psychology, and if I hadn’t chosen to study art, I might have become a therapist. I think my curiosity about human emotions comes from my ability as a creative person to feel deeply.
Favorite artists: I admire the works of Impressionist artists such as Claude Monet and William Wendt [1865–1946], and Post-Impressionist Vincent Van Gogh [1853–1890], and I often turn to them to draw inspiration for my own work. I’m also blessed to be surrounded by talented contemporary artists who have been mentors to me, including Rick Delanty and Peter Adams.

The advice I wish I had received earlier in my painting career: Being true to yourself and your personal calling will attract more success than doing what the masses view as successful. Earlier in my career I struggled with finding my personal style. I was fearful of being detached from what was up-and-coming in the art world. It took some soul-searching, but I came to the realization that plein air was what made me happy.
After I jumped in headfirst, so many doors opened to me in my career, simply from aligning with my purpose. Of course, my artistic style is ever-changing, but the message is the same. I’ve found that creating work that is a direct representation of myself and my mission has garnered me more success than choosing what gets the most attention elsewhere.

2017, oil, 9 x 12 in., Private collection, Plein air and studio
What’s next: I want to travel to various countries and paint the local landscapes, architecture, and people. Capturing memories in paint is more sentimental to me than a simple photograph.
Price range: $200-$800
Website: xandrasquier.com
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