Historic Santa Paula artist Cornelis Botke (1887-1954) is best known as an etcher and as a supporting figure in his wife Jessie’s celebrated career, but painting was his first love. This exhibition presents 50 rarely seen oil and watercolor paintings, offering a fresh look at Botke’s remarkable talent and artistic legacy. Join us for the premiere of Cornelis Botke: Painter of the Western Scene on Saturday, March 14, 2026, from 4 PM to 6 PM. Admission to the premiere event is $5 for SPAM members and $10 for non-members.

Cornelis Botke: Painter of the Western Scene will be on view from March 14, 2026, to July 12, 2026.

More About Cornelis:

Cornelis Botke was born in Holland in 1887 and graduated from the Haarlem School of Applied Design at age 18. After immigrating to the U.S. in 1906, Botke found work as an architectural draftsman in Chicago, and took evening classes at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Cornelis met artist Jessie Arms (1883-1971) through mutual friends at the Art Institute of Chicago, and they married in 1915. After time spent in New York, Europe, and Carmel-by-the-Sea, the Botkes made their home in Santa Paula in 1929, where they lived and made art for the rest of their lives.

Cornelis Botke is considered one of the most esteemed etchers of the 20th century. His etchings can be found in many acclaimed collections including the Library of Congress and the Smithsonian Institution.

In addition to painting alongside his wife on large mural commissions, Cornelis exhibited his paintings across the country, including at the Art Institute of Chicago, the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, and the Los Angeles Museum of History, Science, and Art.

EXHIBITION SPONSORED BY

Header image: “Old California” by Cornelis Botke (1887-1954), 1951, Oil on canvas, 24 x 32 inches, Collection of the City of Santa Paula.