Pastoral Reverie IV

Pastoral Reverie IV - 6x6 - Oil on Panel

Sold

The poplars stand tall against the silhouetted landscape. I loved the simplicity of this scene, and the calm tones the smoke gave everything.

Pastoral Reverie III

Pastoral Reverie III - 5x7 - Oil on Linen Panel

Sold

My favorite part of this series has been the many various shapes the trees create. The hazy smoke simplified them to basic outlines, and the groupings created very interesting patterns.

Pastoral Reverie II

Pastoral Reverie II - 6x6 - Oil on Panel

Sold

A peaceful summer day leans toward dusk, with the thick smell of smoke from distant fires coloring the sky.

This series has me missing summer. Here in the Tri-Cities we've had about 3-4 inches of snow today, which makes for a wonderful white Christmas and all, but I could do without the cold!

Pastoral Reverie I

Pastoral Reverie I - 6x6 - Oil on Panel

Sold

Smoke rolls into the Columbia Basin from fires in the mountains, blanketing the farm lands in a thick, warm haze. The landscape becomes more intimate, more simplified, and allows one to slip into a reverie.

Over the summer here in Washington State we had several major forest fires burning at once. All that smoke sank down into my home, the Columbia Basin. Even though it's been two years since I fought wildfires, the smell of smoke still gave me an adrenaline rush and dreams of the paycheck  a 120 hour work week brings in. 

But this summer I had to content myself with taking pictures, and enjoying the unique atmosphere the smoke gives to the acres of farmland around the Tri-Cities. Less adrenaline, but still quite a bit of enjoyment. I love the way smoke simplifies the shapes of everything, and gives such a peaceful and warm cast over the land.

Winter Calm

Winter Calm - Oil on Panel - 6x6

Sold

A cold winter fog was cast over Bateman Island while I was taking a walk. I kept looking and looking for something that spoke to me, and then I turned around and saw this bend in the trail and the beautiful colors in the trees. Who knows what I would have painted had I not turned  around, but I'm glad I did!

Peace in the Foothills

Peace in the Foothills - 6x6 - Oil on Panel

Sold

I've been sorting through the thousands of photos I've taken over the year, looking for the ones that bring out the same feeling of the day they were taken. The cut wheat fields and foothills to the Blue Mountains are hallmarks of the Walla Walla, WA area. When I visited the air was thick with smoke from distant wildfires, making the distant trees bluer than they normally would be.

Down the Gorge IV

Down the Gorge IV - 6x6 - Oil on panel

Sold

The view from the top of the Rowena Crest along old Hwy 30 provides the final scene for my Columbia River Gorge series. The Columbia River rolls 800 feet below.

Down the Gorge III

Down the Gorge III - 6x6 - Oil on Panel

Sold

As I drove down the Columbia River Gorge the corridor turns from wooded hills to cheat grass covered desert. The weather system of fog and light snow followed behind me, casting a beautiful atmosphere over the landscape!

Down the Gorge II - Columbia River Painting

Down the Gorge II - Oil - Landscape - 6x6

Sold

No amount of expressive brushwork seems to be able to capture the chilling wind I felt at the top of the Rowena Crest when I drove along US 30, the Historic Columbia River Highway. But I tried anyway!

Down the Gorge I - Northwest Landscape

Down the Gorge I - Oil on Panel - 6x6 - Landscape

Sold

I am so excited about  this series! Last week I drove through the scenic Columbia River Gorge to take a class by the amazing Cathleen Rehfeld, and along the way I took as many pictures of the dramatic patterns of sky, earth and light as I could. This one is looking across the Columbia River and deeper west into the Gorge. So no matter how many virtual road trips I take through Alaska, I still love my home state!

Along the Parks Highway - Another Alaskan Google Maps Painting

Along the Parks Highway - 6x6 - Oil on Panel - Landscape

Sold

Yes. I do love "driving" around Alaska in Google Maps. Yes, I entertained the thought of living there for about 20 minutes, until my husband reminded me about that whole snow thing they have. I can barely take the occasional flurry we get here in the Tri-Cities, so maybe it's better I enjoy the 49th State from afar!

Roadside Creek, Alaska II - Google Maps Painting

Roadside Creek, Alaska II - 6x6 - Oil on Panel - Landscape

Sold

This braided creek was flowing down from a mountain valley along a highway in Alaska. The composition I found in Google Maps really caught me! I love the flowing pattern in the stream, it looked very untamed.

Roadside Creek, Alaska - Daily Oil Painting

Roadside Creek, Alaska - 6x6 - Oil on Panel 

Sold

A view I found on Google Maps! I was surprised at how big a "creek" could be, I'd be virtually driving along and think "What a cool river!" then checking it's name realize it's a creek. Maybe I'm just easily impressed!

White Bluffs Winter - Columbia River Basin Painting

White Bluffs Winter - Landscape - 6x6 - Oil on Panel

Click to purchase

I had a great time this week painting out at my favorite hike in the Tri-Cities area, the White Bluffs. The study didn't turn out so well, but it informed this little piece I did later in the studio!

Today I took a little road trip to Hood River, OR, to drop in on Cathleen Rehfeld's still life class. This was my very first time working in still life, and it turns out to be much harder than the pros make it look! But Cathleen is a great instructor, and a lot of the observational skills are very transferable to landscapes.

At the Foot - Wallowa Valley Oil Painting

At the Foot - 6x6 - Landscape

Sold

Another scene brought to you by Google Maps! No, I'll never get tired of virtually driving around the beautiful Wallowa Valley of eastern Oregon. Since the Columbia River Gorge is in HD now as well, you may see some paintings from that area soon too!