Mirror Pond RiverFeast Art

Mirror Pond Afternoon

24 x 12 soft pastel

I recently finished this painting for the Deschutes River Conservancy RiverFeast event this August 14. This was painted from the riverfront property where RiverFeast will happen. Since it's a summer event DRC likes the art to look summery, but I was starting the art when the trees had not even leafed out. We had a late spring this year, so the colors were still quite wintery. The view looking SW has the iconic Mirror Pond footbridge in it and initially I tried to paint most of the span of the bridge, but it was feeling static and overly "done". I had a couple of false starts, until I landed on this view, where the reflections are the main part of the composition with the bridge very loosely rendered just barely in the frame. Rooftops peaking out of the foliage give it some interest too. The birch and willow trees have an ethereal look. Painted on a dark terracota pastel paper and letting lots of that color stay contrasts and is complementary to the greens.

Lower Deschutes River

"Canyon Cathedral"

40 x 30 Framed

Soft Pastel

The lower Deschutes River threads through a long canyon from Warm Springs through Maupin and beyond on it's final run to the Columbia River. It's a desert river surrounded by high rocks topped by rattlesnack rock. The color and formations of the rock change around every turn throughout the day and is always awe inspiring.

Pine Tree With Flicker

"Life in the Pines"

30 x 24

Acrylic on Canvas w/ 2.5" wrapped and painted sides

This pine tree is right outside the window where I sit and have coffee in the morning. It changes all day long, in every season, as the light angles move. I'm thinking of painting it at different times of the day like Monet's haystacks.

The flickers come back in the spring and can actually be quite a nuisance. Once they start pecking on your house to try to make a hole for a nest, they're almost impossible to divert elsewhere. When they peck on our chimney it echoes through the house! But, they're beautiful when they fly and have distinctive markings. And they love digging for insects on the pine trees.

This painting is in my show at Tumalo Art Co. starting June 4!

Osprey Catching Fish

"Lunch"

12 x 24 acrylic on canvas

My nephew, David James Higdon, took these amazing photos of osprey last year while visiting us in Bend. He went down on the river trail near our home and positioned himself to where he could see the nest and capture the osprey coming and going, feeding it's young.

I wanted to keep the details of the osprey very loose and focus on the power and grace of the wings. I have a long way to go painting these dramatic, fierce birds.

Cranes in the Marsh

"Soul Mates"

Soft Pastel

22 x 26 image

Sandhill cranes are so beautiful. Their white feathers show up so gracefully against the colors of the marshlands they're found in. These two remind me of a comfortable married couple, just going about their day.

This painting will be in my show "Walk Softly" with sculptor Kim Chavez opening June 4 at Tumalo Art Co. in Bend. Kim is premiering a larger than life sculpture of two intertwined herons, so this will be a nice compliment.

Fly Fishing in Eastern Oregon

"Spring at

Lake At The Dunes"

28 x 12 image

Soft Pastel

Every year my husband goes to "Lake At The Dunes" in eastern Oregon to fish for the large trout that have been planted in the series of small lakes. I was struck by the line of trees reflected in the still water, whose bare branches give the stunning color to this painting. The barren hills have the first blush of green grass, soon to turn brown, and a lone fisherman disturbs the reflections with his cast.

This painting feels softer than usual to me, probably because the art spectrum paper I'm using has a light tint. I usually use the darker tints because I like the background color peaking through giving the color a bit of something to bounce off. But, for this piece,with it's delicate yellows and peaches, it feels like the right choice.

McKenzie River Trust Living River Exhibit

"Rainbow Magic" will be in the Mckenzie River Trust Exhibit—"The Living River" at Jacobs Gallery in Eugene, OR opening April 2-May 1, 2010. I was excited to see that they used the image on the show postcard!