Camp 18 Water Wheel

 

"Camp 18 Water Wheel"

Oil on Canvas Board

16" x 18"

I've been away 5 weeks from the end of April through the end of May and I get home and catch strep and the medicine is supposed to last until the end of June and it makes me not feel so great and the 29th of June I start jury duty and, and, and,....I haven't had a chance to get out and paint so I dug up this one I started to do last year at Camp 18 and finished it while the rest of my painting friends were actually getting to go there. I used photos my husband took to complete the painting from and I see on the Portland Plein Air & Studio Painters behind the scene blog a photo so identical to Ron's that I had to compare them to make sure it wasn't his photo already on the blog. :-)  Great minds run in the same track.

Christmas Pinhole Leaf

This is my Christmas Pinhole Leaf. I used to make this sort of thing with my Grandmother.  The Maple leaf was still fresh and it was pinned to a piece of cardboard. Then a stencil was placed over it and I simply poked a bajillion little holes in the open areas of the pattern. It was great fun and I am sure kept me busy for a long time.

I recently went to the Audubon Wildlife Festival at Montgomery Park and I spied this great display of leaves. Some of them were natural, some vivid almost neon colors, some simple black and white.  They were all gorgeous! And they reminded me of these leaves I had made with my Grandmother years and years ago. I'm not saying how many years but quite a few. You may want to see some of his so I am posting his website as a link. www.phantomleaves.com  To see some you must go in through the order on line box to see what is in his catalog such as  http://www.phantomleaves.com/catalog/item/7229583/7447194.htm

You really must try to see them in person as the pictures really don't do them justice.

I hope you all have wonderful memories during this Christmas season.

Subject to Intrepreations 1

Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge
Oil on canvas
9" x 12"






The first of a series of paintings done from photos posted by Katherine van Schoonhoven to a blog from the Portland Plein Air & Studio Painters. Twice a month she will post something throughout the winter for all of us in the group to "Interpret" and email back to her for the blog. I have added a link at the side to "Subject to Interpretation" if you would like to see the others.

Sauvie Island Reflection

"Sauvie Island Reflection"
Oil on Canvas
16" x 20"






What great fun. I just found another artist's painting from almost the same location. Jef Gunn and I must have similar taste in plein air.

His can be viewed at http://portlandpleinairandstudiopainters.blogspot.com/ just above the August 19th entry.

The Spot Cafe'

"The Spot Cafe'"
Oil on canvas board
14" x 18"
Sold





The Spot Cafe' is located at 446 Main Street, Hillsboro, Oregon. They have a to die for smoked pulled pork BBQ sauced sandwich cover with cool creamy coleslaw. I stood outside painting four a little over four hours with the smoke occasionally drifting all over me before I finished this painting and could go in to eat. It was well worth the wait.

Blue Heron Herb Garden

Blue Heron Herb Garden
Sauvie Island, Oregon
Oil on Canvas









Yes I know it isn't blue. He is metal and he rusted. They had several other herons throughout the gardens and I never did find a blue one.

House at Schriener's Iris Gardens

House at Schriener's Iris Gardens
Oil on Canvas
14" x 11"









I never did find out what the ladies went down the path towards the house to look at.

New NW Coast Native American Design

"Raven Guides Salmon People"
Acrylic on Canvas
12" x 24"
(Gallery Value $435)
Being Donated for Auction


Raven Guides Salmon People

We are Chinook.
Oh mighty Raven, Transformer, Trickster, Guide,
Mover of tides and rivers,
You have come to show us our way home after the long journey.
We used to be many but now are few.
Is this because of the greed of man or a trick on us from you?


The Columbia Learning Center is excited to announce that the "Black Tie and Blue Jeans Summer Social, Dinner and Benefit Auction" is scheduled for August 1st, from 4:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. at the beautiful setting of the Deer Island Stock Ranch. Once again their activities will include a delicious catered dinner, silent auction, oral auction and raffle. A live band and dancing will follow the auction so plan to stay for the entire evening and take advantage of all the fun the evening will bestow upon you.

Your support and participation in this event will help them pay for their "Chance to Become" college scholarship program, public computer lab. computer education, community meeting rooms, and development of new programs. The Columbia Learning Center mission promotes life-long learning and community building. They were formed by the community, for the community. Thank you for your generous support. They are a 501c3, tax deductible non-profit organization.

http://www.colcenter.org/clc/

More of my NW Coast Designs may be purchased in Ashland, Oregon at American Trails Gallery

New Artist Statement

Artist Statement

I flatter myself to be considered, in any other persons head, as a artist. “Everyone knows how laborious the usual method is of attaining to the title; whereas by his contrivance, the most ignorant person at a reasonable charge, and with a little bodily labour, may produce art, without the least assistance from genius or study”, after the fashion of the professor, Mr. Lemuel Gulliver met during his voyage to Balnibarbi, used to write his books. The professor through random trial, when three or four words worked together, made note of them to be used in later endeavors. Thus we also make art, if it works together, do it.

Adapted from:

Gullivers Travels/Jonathan Swift

Voyage to Balnibarbi

What do you think?

I'm tired of my old boring artist statement. Has my pendulum swung to far?

"Hummbug Creek" Camp 18
8" x 12"
Oil on Canvas





Went painting with other members of Pacific Plein Air Painters from around Hillsboro, OR today. It rained and then the sun came out and then it rained and then the sun came out and then it rained.....well you get the idea. Good old Oregon weather.

Winter Vase Project

"Another Vase?"
20" x 16"
Oil on canvas










A few of us from the Portland Plein Air & Studio Painters decided to purchase the same vase and include it in a painting of our choice. That vase is the clear square one in the foreground of my painting. I tried and tried to find something to put in the vase that would inspire me and came up with nothing. I then "tossed" it in to a big plastic tub I have my other vases in and asked myself did I really need another vase? I liked the way the vases looked all together in the tub but they didn't seem just right no matter how I turned it so I took some of them out and sat them on the table. Ta Dah....

New NW Coast Native American Designs

"Hummingbird"
12" x 9"
Acrylic on Canvas

Wiley 'Brer' Hummingbird has the heart of an Eagle
An eager warrior and a defender of home
Yet is known as a symbol of peace
and a return to vigor and life in the Spring.
May our soldiers all be Hummingbirds.


"Frog"
12" x 9"
Acrylic on canvas

I'm loosing my place on this earth.
Animals step on me.
Birds eat me.
Man drains my ponds.
I have no home.
When I leave,
everything will be changed...forever.

These paintings and others of my NW Coast Native American designs may be purchased at:
American Trails
27 N Main Street
Ashland, Oregon 97520
541-488-2731

I'm Famous

On the cover:
Original oil painting and haiku by Maeona L. Urban, Scappoose, Ore.

Sunrise and sunset
From the first day to the last
Time everlasting

Have you ever looked at a piece of art and felt transported to a different state of being?
Stop by the Downtown Broderick Gallery to do just that:
get lost in the Art of Yoga.

Join us for an hour of yoga and let masterful paintings of Portland artists
inspire your creativity and potential as you start your day.
It can't get better than this!

Artful Yoga - YOGA IN THE GALLERY
February 24th & 26th / 8-9am
$12 donation

Call to register, or just drop in.
Yoga experience and attire not necessary.

*Donations and art sales benefit Street Yoga, a local non-profit
teaching yoga and wellness to homeless and at risk youth.

Downtown Broderick Gallery - 814 SW 1st Ave
503.222.1201 - jmombell@gmail.com

Portrait of Kathy Allegri

"Paper Cut Out Kathy"
8" x 6"


"Kathy"
Oil on Canvas
14" x 11"





This is my finished portrait of Kathy Allegri. The Portland Plein Air & Studio Painters teamed up two by two for a project. We each were to do a self portrait which I painted first for practicing my people skills and which I posted earlier. Then we were to do a portrait of our partner. Kathy has such beautiful skin color in real life and I must admit that I had to attempt many variations and I'm still not certain about what I have on canvas. I did the paper cut out from a few scraps I had in my studio so the values of the hair and skin tones are too close but it helped me to get an idea where the basics were. Kathy has such an engaging smile both in person and in the photos she sent me that I made both portraits, the one of myself and the one of her smiling, but I found teeth a challenge and have vowed that my next portrait subject will have to be happy with their mouth closed if I get to choose.
Kathy I enjoyed painting you and I learned some very nice things in our correspondence. See you in person soon I hope.

Accepted at Broderick Gallery

"Saturday Market"
Oil on Canvas
11" x 14"








"Bistro"
Oil on Board
10" x 8"








Accepted in the Broderick Gallery downtown Portland.
"Unexpected Beauty, Street Views"
Frist Thursday Reception, February 5, 2009 6-9pm
814 SW First Avenue, Portland, Or 97204 (503) 684-5511 broderickgallery.com
Overall exhibit dates February 5-March 7, 2009
Proceeds benefit Street Yoga (a Portland non-profit organization)

Portrait Project

Self Portrait
Oil on Canvas
14" x 11"

This is my first attempt at a self portrait. I am doing it in conjunction with a project with the Portland Plein Air & Studio Painters. About 20 of us have paired up. Each person is to do a self portrait and a portrait of their painting partner. I have done portraits of people before but have always shied away from doing one of myself. Now I wish I had done it when I was younger and less "character lines". It is really difficult to be objective. I'm open for constructive critiques.

Cafe in the Heat of the Day

Cafe in the Heat of the Day
16" x 20"
Oil on Canvas
Sold






Expressionist Plein Air project assignment number three. Do studio expressionist piece from sketch, plein air, photo or imagination/memory.

My previous entry shows a study I did of a VanGogh cafe. This is our local cafe only instead of night mine is in the afternoon. I wasn't able to get the texture I wanted when I did the Van Gogh study so I used a palette knife to do most of this one. I'm trying to learn something new after painting in a closet for so many years. This has been a fun assignment.

Maeona Van Gogh

Maeona Van Gogh
A Study of
A Sidewalk Cafe at Night
by Vincent Van Gogh
18" x 14"
Oil on Canvas Board





Expressionist Plein Air Project

Assignment two was to do a painting from any painter who you feel has achieved expressionist landscape painting. So here is my feeble effort.

Seated Plein Air Painter

Seated Plein Air Painter
Oil on Canvas Board
14" x 18"






As a member of the Portland Plein Air Painters I have been working on a project called "Expressionist Plein Air". Since I have been trapped in studio painting for years this is a challenge for me. The first assignment was to do minimalist paintings in Plein Air. I first had to study some minimalist artwork to even get some idea. Well here is my effort. My friend Nancy and I went out painting on Sand Island, St. Helens Oregon. The green is the receding tree line heading down the beach. The tan is the beach. The blue sky. The red is her blouse. She was wearing white shorts and leaning toward her painting surface, which was pastel paper. The black under her is the shadow area cast by how she was seated.