Wendy Li Bertrams
I am a California-based painter working in watercolor and oil.
I grew up in a family of master craftsmen and artists, where creativity was woven into everyday life. Whether through fine woodworking, painting, making beautiful things by hand was a cherished tradition. I learned to appreciate the imagination, harmony, beauty, the care and patience that go into creating something lasting.
That philosophy continues to shape my work as a contemporary painter. Through my paintings, I seek to capture the fleeting moments, their energy and poetry, while exploring the interplay of pattern, rhythm, light and color. I am also drawn to the emotional connection between people and the places. By combining the fluidity and spontaneity of the watercolor medium with the richness and depth of the oil medium, I create paintings that celebrate the joyfulness of life and the enduring spirit of nature
Awards
- First Place, oil, Old Town Art Walk Plein Air Contest in City of Tustin, CA, October 2018
- Second Place, oil, Orange County Fair Plein Air Competition, Costa Mesa, CA, August 2018
- Second Place, oil, Southern California Plein Air Painters Association, Back Bay Quick Draw Competition, CA, July 2018
- Third Place, oil, Fullerton Arboretum “Green Scene” Plein Air Competition & Sale, Fullerton, CA, April 2018
- Honorable Mention, oil, Art Competition, Plein Air Artist of Riverside, CA, May 2018
- Best in theme, watercolor, The Arts Colony, Corona, CA, June 2017
- Best in theme, watercolor, The Arts Colony, Corona, CA, April 2017
- Second place, watercolor, The Arts Colony, Corona, CA, March 2017
- Third Place, oil, The Arts Colony, Corona, CA, March 2017
- Third Place, acrylic, The Arts Colony, Corona CA, August 2017
- Honorable Mention, watercolor, The Arts Colony, CA, August 2017
- Honorable Mention, oil, Plein Air Artist of Riverside, 12th Annual Paint out, Redlands CA, April 2017
- Award of Merit, watercolor, Plein Air Artist of Riverside, Site to Studio; Maloof Foundation, CA, March 2017
- Honorable Mention, watercolor, Arts Colony, Corona, CA, November 2016
- Honorable Mention, Acrylic, The Arts Colony, Corona, CA, November 2016
- Second Place, Orange Art Association monthly competition, Orange, CA, December 2014
- First Place, Orange Art Association monthly competition, Orange, CA, November 2014
- Second Place, Orange Art Association monthly competition, Orange, CA, September 2014
- Second Place, Orange Art Association monthly competition, Orange, CA, April 2014
Exhibitions
2026 Back Bay show, Southern California Plein Air Painters Association with Newport Bay Conservancy and OC Parks presents
July 11 to July 19
2025 Back Bay show, Southern California Plein Air Painters Association with Newport Bay Conservancy and OC Parks presents
July 12 to July 20
2025 Art show as feature artist, City of Corona Music and Art Festival April 19
2025 Art Exhibition of Omnivision: Art Cross Boundaries in Orange County Courthouse,
SOCALPAPA Feb 3 – March 13
2024 LPAPA Square Exhibition, in Laguna Beach CA, Dec 22 – Jan 6
2024 Art Exhibition in San Joaquin, SOCALPAPA with IRWD Dec 14 to Dec 15
2021
- Riverside Art Museum Members’ Exhibition, in Riverside Art Museum, July 3 – Sep 18 2021
- California Art Club, accepted online show: “The Empire and Desert’s Best” , Sep 10 – Oct 8 2021
- Anaheim Art Association 57th Open Juried exhibition in MuzeO Carnegie Gallery, Sep 18- Oct 30 2021
- California Art Club, accepted online show: “Excellence in Traditional Fine Art Competition”, Oct 8 – Dec 10 2021
2019
- California Art Club juried show, Autumn Impressions, Muckenthaler Cultural Center, Fullerton CA. August 17- October 13
- Orange County Fair Plein Air Exhibition, Costa Mesa, CA. July 21 -August 12
- LPAPA juried show, Old Towne Show Case & Sale in Hilbert Museum of California Art. June 2019
- Riverside Art Museum 2019 member show, June 22 to Aug 24, 2019
- LPAPA juried show, Less & More, accepted online show, dailybrushworks.com June to Aug 22, 2019
- LPAPA juried show, From Dusk to Dawn, accepted online show, dailybrushworks.com from June to Aug 20, 2019
2018
- Back Bay show 2018, Southern California Plein Air Painters Association with Newport Bay Conservancy and OC Parks presents Oct 12 to Oct 21
- Celebrating 100th birthday of the founding of the Laguna Beach Art Association in 1918. Exhibition in Forest & Ocean Gallery in Laguna Aug 25-Sep 4
- Orange County Fair Plein Air Competition Exhibition, Costa Mesa, CA, August 2 -August 21
- Quick Draw Exhibit & Sale in Newport Back Bay, Southern California Plein Air Painters Association, July 13-15
- 14th Annual “Best of Plein Air” online Art Show, Laguna Plein Air Painters Association, CA, July 10- 22
- Quick Draw, and exhibit, 17th Annual Paint San Clemente, CA, June 23- August 3
- Quick Draw, and Outdoor Painting Festival exhibition in Art Alliance of Idyllwild, CA, May 26 – June 17
- First plein air exhibition on the Orange County landmarks, Irvine Ranch Conservancy, CA, May
- LPAPA Juried show, Town & Country, presented at Forest & Ocean Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA, January
2017
- The Art Colony, Juried show,Lines, Curves, Patterns, Corona, CA
- The Arts Colony, Juried show, Tom Foolery, Corona, CA
- Riverside Art Museum members exhibition: California Tales: Real or Imagined, Riverside, CA
- LPAPA’s 1st Annual “Waterworks”, Juried show, presented at Forest & Ocean Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA
- PAAR 12th Annual Paint out exhibition,Kimberly Crest-Iconic Mansion of the Inland Empire, CA
- The Arts Colony, Juried show, Ravages of Time, Corona, CA
- Maloof Foundation, Site to Studio, Peir Air Artist of Riverside group show, Alta Loma, CA
- The Arts Colony, Juried show, Conce Art O, Corona, CA
2014 -2016
- PAAR 11th Annual Paint out, group show; Riverside Art Museum, CA
- White, Juried show; The Arts Colony, Corona CA
- Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden Festival Show; Claremont, CA
- DailyBrushwork.com online gallery of fine art, CA
- Animaux; Juried show; The Arts Colony, Corona CA
- PAAR 9th Annual Paint Out and show; riverside Art Museum, CA
- 51st Annual Juried show; Anaheim Art Association, Muezo Carnegie Museum, CA
- Dia De Las Artes Casa Blanca, a collaborative project; Casa Blanca Library, Riverside, CA
Associations
Southern California Plein Air Painters Association (SOCALPAPA)
Laguna Plein Air Painter Association (LPAPA)
California Art Club (CAC)