Casa Romantica's New Space, The Studio, Connects Resident Artists with the Community

Ashley Ryan
Jun 18
7 min read

Renovations have revitalized this San Clemente cultural center, creating new opportunities for local artists to connect with the Orange County community.

When a landslide tore apart the landscape around Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens more than two years ago, closures allowed staff at the San Clemente landmark to really take a look at the space and what it had to offer the community. One of the biggest changes to come out of the lengthy renovation process, which is still in progress, is the addition of The Studio, an innovative space focused on fostering creativity while also connecting artists with the local community.

“While we had a lot of amazing ideas, we were limited with our budget as we recovered and that made us become really resourceful,” said Kylie Travis, executive director of operations and programming for Casa Romantica. “We wanted to use what we had in art, history and antiques to enhance the guests’ experience and The Studio was added as an additional engagement point for our guests that actively supports our arts community.”

Kylie Travis, executive director of operations and programming, said that The Studio residency program has been well received so far. Photo courtesy of Casa Romantica

Designed to provide space within Casa Romantica for artists to create, showcase their work and interact with the public, the residency-style program began in January with an inaugural exhibition by San Clemente-based landscape artist Rick J. Delanty.

“For our initial launch, we wanted to pilot with an artist that has a strong presence in our art community and a great relationship with Casa Romantica, so it was an obvious choice to pitch the idea to Rick and have him be our inaugural artist,” Travis said. “Moving forward, we are looking for local artists whose work blends seamlessly into the historic nature of the main salon.”

Now, Delanty’s residency has ended and the center is looking ahead with a new exhibition. Through this program, artists are given space not just to create, but also to connect – with the community and with one another. Rather than simply looking ahead, The Studio is helping to shape what’s next in the local arts scene.

A Storied Start

Before the Main Salon reopened in October 2024, the room now known as The Studio was filled with cabinets that held Casa Romantica’s collection of antiques. But, in an effort to put more of its permanent collection on display, many of the heirlooms were relocated to other areas, freeing up space for this new venture.

“We had wanted to add more art spaces throughout the property and it fit in that space very organically. It was like it was meant to be,” Travis said.

Delanty – who has lived in town for the last 50 years and been creating for the same length of time – spent more than three decades teaching drawing and painting classes at San Clemente High School. Now retired, he considers his landscape impressionist works to be a full-time job, making this residency program perfect for his current stage of life.

“When the Casa directors, Jacqui (Groseth, executive director of resource development and administration) and Kylie proposed the concept, I was immediately intrigued by the opportunity to represent my work again at this cultural and artistic center, right here in my hometown and 10 minutes from my own studio,” he said, adding that he instantly began dreaming up landscapes he’d like to explore during his time at Casa Romantica.

From Jan. 24 through June 1, Delanty produced eight original paintings and several drawings, each featuring “some aspect of the Casa, its architecture and gardens,” he said. An opening reception was held at the end of February, with The Studio’s underwriters Mark and Bonnie Larsen in attendance, and Delanty also painted on-site on Fridays, participated in a plein air-themed Family Sunday in May and attended other Casa Romantica events throughout his tenure.

“From the first day in The Studio, I experienced interest and support from everyone I met,” he said. “I had the opportunity to interact with visitors, to discuss the artworks and my process in creating them. As artist-in-residence, I scheduled a once-a-week painting session on the grounds and in the gardens. My experience outdoors at the Casa was similar to plein air painting invitationals in which I have participated, and to teaching – painting while discussing the process.”

In addition to interacting with visitors, Delanty was able to sell artwork during his time in The Studio, displaying pieces he created during his residency as well as before it started. Notably, he sold two large-format paintings, including an award-winning piece from the 2023-2024 PleinAir Salon competition depicting a nearby beach trail and the San Clemente Pier, which sits just below the bluffs where Casa Romantica is perched.

“There was a point where we were selling a few pieces back-to-back, so our artist-in-residence had to keep bringing inventory in, but that is a great challenge for both the artist and the Casa,” Travis said.

Delanty was the ideal choice to get the program up and running, as his position in town has made him a regular visitor and friend of the heritage center over the years. “The Spanish Colonial casa suits perfectly the act of creativity and the art of design,” he said. “I knew from previous shows in the main gallery at the Casa that the cultural center draws visitors from all over the world, and I welcomed the potential cultural, intellectual and artistic interchange.”

PHOTO 1: Landscape artist Rick J. Delanty with an award-winning painting at the opening reception for his inaugural residency at The Studio. PHOTO 2: On Fridays through April and May, Delanty visited Casa Romantica to paint live and interact with visitors. PHOTO 3: A close-up look at some of Delanty’s artwork. PHOTO 4: Delanty with underwriters Mark and Bonnie Larsen during the opening reception. Photos courtesy of Casa Romantica

Passing the Torch

Delanty’s time wrapped up as June began, but Casa Romantica has already been able to see the impact the program is having, not just on the artists but on visitors as well. “It’s been so well received,” Travis said. “Our visitors have shared that they love to have an additional room to take in art and especially like that the artist is working on-site and they can interact with them.”

Residencies are planned to span between two and six months, with no endpoint in sight. The only real stipulation is that the artist puts in time at the center so that guests can meet them and experience their artistic process up close.

Visitors can now undergo a similar journey with Elaine Twiss, a longtime acrylic painter who also lives in town. “The time I have been given at … Casa Romantica hopefully will be used to inspire and bring pleasure to those who view my work, and also to expand my following,” she said, noting that she feels The Studio is the perfect place for her to exhibit her detail-oriented pieces. “The space has character and charm.”

Twiss’ residency kicked off June 10 and will run through Sept. 7, showcasing her ability to present magnified perspectives of everyday objects, from seashells to vintage matchbooks, wine corks, alarm clocks and cherry jars. “The intense detail of objects just seems to jump out at me,” she said. “After discovering realism … I knew that was the path I would pursue.”

Once she has selected her subject, Twiss spends time gathering and arranging the objects before photographing them. It’s from these images that she creates her paintings, incorporating several layers of paint and an extreme attention to detail so as not to make any mistakes. “Using acrylic paint in this way leaves no room for error, as once it is applied it cannot be lifted or removed to make corrections,” Twiss said.

Although she has shown her work at Laguna Beach’s beloved Festival of Arts, as well as several other juried exhibitions and galleries throughout the country, this is her first residency, but she feels just as prepared for the experience as she has for any other. “As a working artist, I feel I must always be prepared to exhibit on short notice because you never know when an opportunity will present itself,” she said. As a self-taught painter, she is honored to help shape the program and hopes to be an influence to those who come after her.

PHOTO 1: Acrylic painter Elaine Twiss is currently showcasing her artwork in The Studio, on display through early September. PHOTO 2: “Cookbooks II,” one of Twiss’ paintings that shows her extreme attention to detail and love for found objects. PHOTO 3: Seashells are commonly found in Twiss’ paintings, as she and her husband collect them on beach walks near their home. PHOTO 4: This is Twiss’ first artistic residency in her 40-year career. Photos courtesy of Casa Romantica

Framing the Future

There’s no doubt that Casa Romantica is in the process of undergoing a transformation, elevating its artistic offerings and overall programming while at the same time enhancing its grounds and interiors. But The Studio serves a unique purpose: helping the community reconnect with art in South Orange County.

While nearby Laguna Beach is filled with galleries and offers world-renowned summer arts festivals, there are few venues where visitors can watch masters at work. The true beauty of this residency lies in its ability to not just highlight artwork and creativity, but to start a conversation and bridge the gap between the artists and the public.

“Our mission is to inspire and educate our community in history, arts and culture and what I love about this new program is that we educate the community by bringing the artist on-site to answer questions and work in front of the public,” Travis said. “So often, artists can be reduced to simply the results of their art and much of their process is not shown. This residency provides our guests with the opportunity to engage … and see the creative process happen in real time and it is … (an) opportunity for our artists to actively be supported by the community.”

Although The Studio is still relatively new, Travis has already identified ways that these connections can be further developed, from master class workshops to additional evening events with the artist in attendance. “Rick Delanty was so great about bringing the community in. (He) planned paint-outs with local artist groups and visited the site so much. It set a great standard for future artists,” Travis said.

At its heart, The Studio’s artist-in-residence program is a reminder that art isn’t just about creation – it’s about connection. By providing ways to cultivate dialogue between the visitors and the artists, it invites the community into the creative process while inspiring community members to embrace emotion or even their own individuality.

“Art is still about sharing: ideas, culture, personalities, appreciation and awe,” Delanty said. “My experience at The Studio underlines my idea that personal expression can impact others .… There is more gratitude out there than we think there is. Beauty is wherever we look for it.”