Pacific Shore

Pacific Shore - 5x7 - Oil on Linen Panel

Does it have the big distinctive rocks of Cannon Beach? No. Does it have the sunny warm days of a California beach? No. Are there dead crabs and jellyfish everywhere? Yes. But if there's any stretch of beach that feels like home it would be the Long Beach Peninsula in southwestern Washington. My family has been having annual reunions there for longer than I've been alive; from all corners of the Northwest and beyond we take over the small town of Ocean Park, Washington. My husband and I enjoy the good company AND overcast relief from Eastern Washington summers! I love the challenge of painting the ocean every year, it's such a huge change of subject matter!

Summer Haze

Summer Haze - Oil on Linen Panel - 5x7

It's always nice during a plein air painting session when you know exactly what you love about a scene. I loved the way the backlit cottonwood glowed against the hazy, dusty purple hills. 

Heat of the Day

Heat of the Day - Oil on Linen Panel - 5x7

I had a fantastic day out painting with a couple other painters today, we braved the outdoors despite predictions of temperatures in the 100s. Definitely worth it!

Summer Squall

Summer Squall - Oil on Linen Panel - 5x7

I almost named this one something about spring, but then I realized that it's summer! The weather east of the Cascades has been so mild I'm losing track of what season it is. I painted this at a lovely little park outside of LaGrande, Oregon, looking across the Grand Ronde River valley. What a view!

Florida Shores

Florida Shores - 5x7 - Oil on Linen

I've been practicing waves lately, it's been a nice challenge. Some of my favorite shots to practice from are the photos I took from Palm Beach and Tequesta, Florida, while I was visiting for their plein air festival last February. Lots of great memories!

McNary Summer

McNary Summer - 6x6 - Oil on Gessobord

This was a great little wetland area on the outskirts of town. As I drove out to the spot I wanted to paint on a summer morning I was looking forward to painting the hazy light, but as I started working the haze moved off and left a blinding, hot sun. It was still beautiful!

Moonrise in Wheat Country

Moonrise in Wheat Country - Oil on Linen Panel - 4x6

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If you follow me on Facebook or Instagram you've seen the in progress of this little guy. I love the subtle colors found right after or before sunrise and sunset!

Rural Greys

Rural Greys - Oil on Linen Panel - 4x6

This stately Russian Olive caught my eye while I drove through the countryside on a grey afternoon!

Cottonwoods at Dusk

Cottonwoods at Dusk - 4x6 - Oil on Linen Panel

While passing through the little eastern Oregon town of Pilot Rock I was able to snap a picture of the moon rising near a grove of cottonwoods. I knew I would want to paint the beautiful dusk glow when I got home!

Sauvie Wetlands

Sauvie Wetlands - 8x10 - Oil on Linen Panel

This is another little study I never thought I'd do anything with. I painted it during a workshop last summer, and finally decided it was time to touch it up and put it out there. I can't remember if this was before or after we got hit with rain, but the atmosphere really made the greens sing!

Colorado River Shores

Colorado River Shores - 5x7 - Oil on Linen Panel

This little scene comes to you via Google Streetview! I loved the variety of colors in the big shadow on the rocks, even though it's sandstone it reminded me of the basalt formations we have here in the Inland Northwest.

Summer Skies

Summer Skies - 5x7 - Oil on Linen Panel

This little scene is brought to you by Google Maps. I found it while virtually driving through Wyoming. I couldn't get enough of those clouds!

Country Road

Country Road - 5x7 - Oil on Linen Panel

I love these little country scenes, is there anything more fun than driving back roads with your music playing way too loud?

Wheat and Sky

Wheat and Sky - Oil on Linen Panel - 5x7

Nothing says late summer quite like golden wheat fields and big puffy clouds!

Walla Walla Summer

Walla Walla Summer - 5x7 - Oil on Linen Panel

On a cold winter rainy day nothing quite beats reliving road trips through the Walla Walla countryside!

Quarry Pond

Quarry Pond - Oil on Linen Panel - 5x7

Remember that little sunset I posted the other day? Before it got quite  that dark I snapped this photo of a russian olive on the banks of Quarry Pond. For an invasive species they're very beautiful, especially during the golden hour!

Refuge Sunset

Refuge Sunset - Oil on Gessobord - 6x6

I started this one on location out at McNary Wildlife Refuge, scrubbing in the major color relationships and shapes in about 15 minutes. It was a rough start, but had enough information that I could  polish it up in the studio!

Frenchtown Farmland

Frenchtown Farmland - 5x7 - Oil on Linen Panel

I found this scene in the Walla Walla countryside near the Frenchtown Historic Site. There are lots of picturesque fields nearby with some interesting out buildings that turned out to be very paintable! I wanted to challenge myself to put more structures in a scene than I normally would, and I like the result.

Twins

Twins - Oil on Linen Panel - 5x7

I've been really focused lately on working from my photos of the Wallowa Valley, they seem to have the best little clusters of cottonwoods! I hope I can get back there to paint soon, and replenish my stock of great reference material.

Almost Sunrise

Almost Sunrise - Oil on Linen Panel - 5x7

Trust me, this scene was captured by photo when the sun was rising at much more leisurely hour than it is now, I am no fan of Daylight Savings Time!