Be sure to watch this video produced by Corvallis artist, Jennifer Lommers. It showcases the inspiration, processes and works of a talented group of eleven Northwest artists. And it's exciting to be included in this lineup!

And be sure to visit  the sites of all the featured artists by clicking here

AND LOVING IT! With this whole crazy virus thing going on its been a great opportunity to spend time just playing around in the studio. I have always wanted to explore abstraction more deeply. It seems like everytime I visit a gallery or an exhibit that is the art I am drawn to. So this has been a great time to try using acrylics as my primary medium rather than as an underpainting for my traditional landscape work in pastel.

I was initially drawn to pastels because of the tactile feel of a pastel stick in my hand and the variety of marks I could make with it. So it's only natural that I start off with an emphasis on mark making as I begin to work with acrylics. I'm using brayers, sticks, bowl scrapers, BBQ skewers along with pencils, ink and graphite. I've also am playing around with some stencils and lettering, just because. 

​Right now I'm getting familiar with the medium and working on color schemes. No pressure, just fun!

Some of my mark making tools. No telling what's in the kitchen drawer I could use!

I have been so honored to be part of this amazing exhibit. Fourteen Northwest landscape artists were invited to taunt the public with glimpses of winter and promises of spring.  This last week of February has a hard grasp on winter here in the Willamette Valley. But your spirits will be uplifted when you step into the Giustina Gallery located in the LaSells Stewart Center at Oregon State University and see the current show.

Other invited artists are:
Mark Allison
Laurel Buchanan
Bets Cole
Eric Jacobsen
Kate McGee
Kris Mitchell
Mike Rangner
James Sampsel
Bill Shumway
Yer Za Vue
Joel Zak
Paul Zegers

Oct 20-21, and 27-28  Noon to 5PM
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'I live on a rural road named "Dawnwood." And yesterday I posted a photo of what is a common occurrence early in the morning as I reach for that first cup of coffee and look out the window. So this afternoon in getting ready for the Philomath Open Studio Tour, I painted a small 7x7 memory of yesterday's sunrise. Makes me smile, and hope you are smiling, as well. Isn't nature amazing?

This time of year I tend to go into a tailspin as I watch the days fly by and the calendar between now and Philomath Open Studio Tour shortens. I have started a to do list which seems to be never ending.

• Inventory new work.
• Inventory available frames on hand.
• Paint what I call my little gems, 6 x 8 studies that everyone seems to love. They fly out the door  during the Tour. And this year my stash is pretty low. Probably need to be more specific and paint a dozen of them. I do these small originals instead of making prints of popular paintings. I guess since I'm not a big fan of prints myself, I only own one (thats a signed Dali print!!!) I'd rather walk away with a unique original and the story behind its inspiration.
• Do publicity ads for the Tour. Every artist on the Tour has some sort of assignment and this is the last of my part. Theater ad, local print media and and then this:
• Every artist was tasked with creating a short, 30 sec video for Facebook and Instagram. Just finished mine, so I guess I can check this off my list. You can view it here:

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It is amazing the behind the scenes work that each participating artist accomplishes not only in prep for their opening their studio, but assuring that each studio on the Tour is a unique experience for visitors.

Each year I have a guest artist and this year, Jennifer Lommers, will be here to share her work, her process and the story behind her amazing mixed media work.
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Over 40 artists are participating in the 2018 Tour and you can get a preview of what you'll see along the backroads in and around Philomath, OR. Jennifer and I invite you to visit the Philomath Open Studio website. 
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​Hope to see you on the Tour!

After a winter of a jammed back, cluttered studio, I spent the weekend getting things in order so I could actually get back to work. AND THEN....just as I started this piece, my easel literally exploded. Springs went flying, top rail which holds my surface landed in pieces. So after rigging things back together, I painted this quick floral. Started with acrylic, applied pastel ground and then finished with pastel.

Today's efforts in the studio. Again started with Rives BFK paper. Toned it with crumbled saran wrap and fluid acrylics: turquoise, Transparent Yellow Iron Oxide, Quin Burnt Orange and Pyrolle Red. Used some compressed charcoal and a stick of Creatacolor 49500, which I have no idea what it is! Set this all with rubbing alcohol and started to apply hard and soft pastels. Excited about the possibilities.

THE WILD ONES!
Started with a small piece of BFK RIVES. Using fluid acrylics and scrunched up saran warp I toned the surface. I hate having to clean brushes and worry about managing acrylic residue in my septic system. So the saran wrap got the paint on the surface along with brushlike strokes. I started thinking sunflowers! Used Burnt Sienna, Quin Nickel Anzo Gold and Turquoise Phthalo.

Used some compressed charcoal to get more darks and create some lines. Brushed over with alcohol and like how it neutralized some of the color. The I added a layer of Golden Pastel gGround. Selected just a few pastels that varied in hardness and value, but kept the initial color scheme in mind. Later on added in some hints of yellow green and purple to spice things up!

Happy with the results! And the only brush I had to clean was the one I used to apply the pastel ground.