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Marilyn Simandle | Plein air painter

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Marilyn Simandle has always known that she would become an artist. Learning from her mother, a musician and painter, Marilyn started painting watercolors at age 6. She received her BA Arts Degree from San Jose State Univ. and went on to share her inspiration with the world.
A native Californian, she now resides in the Santa Ynez Valley where she explores all her passions: Painting, gardening and playing the piano. The former stewardess is an avid traveler and photographer that keep her fully stocked with subject matter for painting. Her late husband and acclaimed artist, Ted Goerschner, graduated to be with the Lord in 2012.


She re-married in March of 2015 and is now thoroughly enjoying her new husband and his support in her grand adventure.
In her "Painterly Style", Marilyn tries to convey her own personal beliefs of what art truly is. The artist's role is to make the ordinary extraordinary. She loves to explore the interplay of light and shadow and its effects on the subject matter.
Her painting compositions engage her collectors with uplifting shapes, values, and exciting colors, tonal relations and depth. Marilyn believes it is far better to leave a painting more unfinished rather than with too much detail so the viewer can complete the painting.
It is more free to view a single brush stroke done with energy and confidence than 100 strokes done with drudgery.
Marilyn's mentors are John Singer Sargent🎨 and Joaquin Sorolla🎨.









Marilyn is a master Signature Member of Oil Painters of America (OPAM), a Signature member of the American Watercolor Society, Plein-Air🎨 Painters of America (PAPA) and the California Art Club. She has numerous articles in magazines such as Southwest Art and Art of the West. In 1996, her first book on Watercolor painting was published by North Light and since, a second book is available entitled "Contagious Enthusiasm".
Marilyn has received many awards🎨 in nationally juried shows, among them:
  • The prestigious "High Winds Medal" from the Watercolor Society in 1992 and 1993;
  • In 1997 the Oil Painters of American (OPA) West Coast Regional "First Place";
  • "People Choice Award🎨", OPA National Show, 1998;
  • The Shiryl Smithson OPA Memorial Award🎨 in 1999.
To date, she has exhibited in over 80 one-woman shows throughout the United States. She has become internationally known and collected by both individuals and corporations worldwide.