Artist Bios

DRAWING

Mary Aiwohi

My art is an attempt to visually share the joy I find in the outdoors and in moments I share with family, friends, and animals.

Ryan Finlayson

Growing up in the Seattle area and visiting, then later settling here in Wallowa county has been great for my artistic creativity. I grew up loving comic books and drew countless pictures of superheroes, especially Spiderman, my personal favorite.

I find watercolor to be expressive and I feel a chaotic connection with it. I’m continuing to learn to let the watercolor guide me on my journey to the end of the piece that I’m working on. My main passion is drawing, and I do so from my imagination, I don’t work very often from live subjects, I prefer to let my brain do the work.

Bonnie Griffith

Bonnie Griffith is a contemporary and impressionistic landscape artist and educator living in southwestern Idaho. She is an established and award winning plein air painter who participates in plein air events throughout the western US creating paintings of the land.

Griffith has a kinship with the land, growing up in north central Montana on a cattle ranch; often appreciating (and sometimes not!) the vast openness of the landscape from the back of a horse. Griffith works in oils and pastels mostly but enjoys other mediums of gouache and encaustic. Her work is shown in galleries in Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and Utah and has works in permanent museum collections. Griffith teaches workshops in Plein Air Painting and Pastels.

Jill Storey

A great portrait is more than just an accurate rendering of physical features, it’s a reflection of mood and emotion and a fleeting moment in time. To me, the shadow of a cloud moving across the foothills is the same as an expression flashing across a face, and in any urban scene, the lines and planes of architecture are as fundamental as muscle and bone. I consider the act of translating what I see from life to paper to be portraiture, no matter what I choose to paint.

Jeanne Cardana

Jeanne Cardana, grew up in California, riding her horse in the Castro Valley foothills, and lived much of her life in the Midwest, and more recently settled in the Northwest. Jeanne has a Bachelors in Biological/Wildlife Illustration and much of her earlier illustration career was centered in the medical and scientific realms. Jeanne worked as a private contractor illustrating for the USDA, national magazines (Mother Earth News, Fins and Feathers, National Wildlife), and for various scientific, medical, university, and commercial communities. Since moving to the Northwest in 2000, Jeanne worked as a registered nurse in Oncology and Palliative Care.

Jeanne’s training as a biological/medical illustrator, attention to detail, strong connection with the natural world, and love of and lifetime experience with horses translate into her work as an artist. She strives to capture the essence and personality of the animals she portrays and to ‘tell their story’ visually. Horses are likely,”

Jennifer Hawkins

Jennifer is a local artist and arts educator who grew up on a working ranch in the Northern part of Wallowa County. Nature’s Spirit has always played a large part in her life and art. She has earned multiple degrees in the Arts and Education, BS, MS & MFA. She enjoys being in nature, creating and teaching, especially the next generation.

Walking Quietly
Observing
Sensing
Absorbing
Interpreting

Debbie Hughbanks

Debbie Hughbanks is a professional artist specializing in wildlife, equine & domestic animal paintings, as well as figurative and western themed pieces. Painting most often in pastel or acrylic she still finds time to explore other avenues including scratchboard and mixed media work. Debbie is an artist that is passionate about the creation of art and finds her inspiration all around her studio located in northeastern Washington State. Fascinated by animals, nature and interesting people she meets along the way there is never a shortage of subject matter to spark her creative flame. The connection she feels for the subjects she paints, as well as the passion and joy she experiences in the actual creation of the work, is evident in each unique completed piece of art.

PAINTING

Sandy Aronson

When asked to describe my work, I would answer it is “eclectic quasi-realism.” I often paint from life for still life set ups, urban or rural landscapes. Then I might swerve to a premise of what we might view from an imaginary cruise ship into deep space. Thus, my series, “A Cruise Through the Cosmos” was born. Occasionally, I flood a paper or canvas with color and let the results suggest the subject. Sometimes thought provoking, sometimes tongue -in-cheek, my works flow from life and my camera- caught images. I work in all media but favor the depth of color achieved only with oil paint. From the micro to the vast, I challenge myself to capture the play of light and convey with paint, the wonder of my world. It’s a continuance of a lifelong journey with some wonderful instructors and mentors along the way.

Teri Capp

Teri grew up spending a lot of time on the coasts and in the mountains of the Pacific Northwest, so painting outdoors is at her core. She earned a BFA in Painting from the University of Washington. She has traveled around the U.S., Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa. Living in and studying art in southern France greatly influenced her love of exploring light and atmosphere in her paintings. Teri has painted in many plein air painting events where she paints within a time frame of a week. She was an invited artist to Plein Air events at Colorado National Monument and the Wallowa Valley in OR. She has painted for several years in the Whidbey Island event and is a board member of Plein Air Washington Artists group. Her work has earned awards and is in many private collections.

Through the eyes and hand of a painter I hope to express beauty, awe, shadows and light of the places and things in our lives. I try to be observant and to have fun as a storyteller and hope the viewer feels that too.

Erin Cassetto

Erin earned a Bachelor of Arts in Art and Art History from Drury University and went on to earn her Master of Fine Arts from Washington State University (WSU). Her work has been recognized in juried shows, publications, and plein air competitions.

Erin loves hiking and fly fishing throughout the Inland Northwest. She’ll often carry both her fishing equipment and painting supplies with her into remote areas. On days when the fishing is slow, having a paintbrush handy is so rewarding. On days when the fishing is red-hot, she’ll remember the scenes and celebrate the day in her studio.”

Mary Corp

Mary K. Corp enjoys expressing her passion for nature and life in her artwork. Her paintings grow out of her insights in the striking beauty she sees in everyday scenes and common objects. Animals – domestic and wild, people, agricultural scenes, and wild places are her common themes. She finds water and reflections in water often captive her interest. Perhaps it is because she knows how integral water is to life and all things living. Her art captures nature and the environment – especially the sunlight, weather and moods so common in the outdoors. Her paintings express the joy and exuberance that she feels about life mixed in with her positive attitudes, caring beliefs, and knowledge of rural lifestyles. Mary lives in the Pacific Northwest, yet her adventuresome spirit leads her around the globe to experience new people and places.

Nicole Freshley

Nicole Freshley is a landscape painter based in Joseph, Oregon, where she and her paints venture into the backcountry often. Using watercolor and gouache, she’s forever attempting to distill a moment down to the handful of elements that make it magical, so she can share that sense of magic through her paintings. Her art honors the beautiful wilderness and the working landscapes of the West.

Cliff Galli

Our family farms in Joseph, Oregon. I have been drawing and painting since 8 years old. I Studied at College of Marin in Marin County, California. I Studied Fine Art at Cal Poly Humboldt in Arcata, California. My studies are with light and color and transparency. I continue to explore.

Mark Kortnik

Mark Kortnik is a photo-realist oil painter in North East Oregon whose primary focus is on the wilderness landscape of Wallowa County. He has been featured in Joseph Oregon’s most established fine art gallery on Main Street for 36 years. Mark’s new series of paintings is about his hike on the north moraine of Wallowa Lake.

Crystal Newton

Crystal (Carr) Newton began drawing at the age of 13. During high school, she exhibited her work for the first time at the Del Mar fair.

During college, Crystal earned a degree in Graphic Design although several of her professors encouraged her to continue developing the fine art portion of her portfolio. Crystal’s artistic abilities enhanced the marketing materials of many businesses.

Moving to beautifully inspirational Wallowa County in Oregon provided Crystal with an opportunity to focus on her fine art. She has enjoyed Plein Air painting as well as teaching watercolor classes.

Kirk Skovlin

Through my paintings I strive to share my excitement about the beauty of the natural world around us and to capture a feeling or create a mood that speaks to the viewer. Each painting is an exercise in studying and capturing how ambient light affects the whole painting.

Living in Wallowa County, where picturesque views are plentiful and the opportunity to experience wildlife so great, there’s no shortage of subject matter to be inspired by.

Leah C. Stockard

Experiencing natures unpredictable display of beauty ignites the final composition of my art. This is where I connect to the subjects’ dynamic intricacies by glazing color, distressing, layering texture, and to create the expression of natures design. My preference is to focus less on capturing a visual snapshot and more on an observation, which involves all my senses. I want my art to surprise me.

Ashley Zacharias Sinner

Ashley Zacharias Sinner grew up in northeast Oregon, where she developed a keen eye for the textures and colors of the landscape and wildlife. She took her first art classes at Eastern Oregon University, earning a BA in Business Administration in 2005. Ashley began painting in 2008 while living in Spokane, WA. After moving to the Wenatchee Valley in 2014, she debuted her art in the 2015 North Central Washington Juried Art Show at the Wenatchee Valley Museum & Cultural Center. Her work has since been featured in shows in Wenatchee and Leavenworth. Ashley resides in East Wenatchee with her two active boys and serves as the director of Visit Wenatchee at the Wenatchee Valley Chamber of Commerce, promoting tourism to the cities of Wenatchee and East Wenatchee.

Scott Tuchel

I have been painting since before memory. My work has always been an expression of the way the visual world effects me emotionally. A painting is my effort to tell a story that captures that emption. I feel like most of these experiences are so ephemeral that maybe, in some way my work might to not only hold on to them but also let me share them with you. This is the essence of my story.

Rusty Watts

Rusty was taught the love of creating art through observing his mother who was an artist and a computer graphic design pioneer. Rusty is mostly self-taught concerning painting techniques. His early life was influenced growing up on a ranch with orchards and various animals along the St. John’s River near Sequoia National Park. This wonderful playground is where Rusty’s connection with nature was formed. He has mostly been a follower of Jesus Christ since childhood, and later in life, Rusty became a Latter-Day Saint. He hopes his art will inspire people to explore their spirituality and reach their fullest potential.

Get prepared to be inspired by Rusty’s carefully selected color combinations and dynamic images that bridge forgotten memories to create a path back to ancient wisdom. These paintings will cause your soul to expand as you engage visually with ancient spiritual teachings and principles that have been preserved for the benefit of all humanity and our planet.

William Webster

The beauty of the natural world is my inspiration. A lifetime of attempting to in my limited way pay homage to the woods, waters and human figure is a work in progress.

Xiaoyan Zhang

I was born in Chinese mainland. Immigrated to the United States in late 2012 and is now a resident of Texas. I’ve always liked painting, and I did traditional Chinese ink painting many years ago. Started painting watercolors two years ago.

Min Zhong

Min is an award-winning artist based in Kirkland, Washington. her passion is the great outdoors and is a member of the prestigious Oil Painters of America (OPA), and PleinAir Washington Artists (PAWA). She exhibited in many juried shows, including OPA National Salon 2024, Maryhill Museum of Art, Hockaday Museum of Art. She was selected as one of the 30 artists across the US and Canada to paint at Glacier National Park in 2023, 2024. Min was the 2023 February top 15% finalists in the international Boldbrush Art Competition, won first place in the Allied Arts Association & PAWA Paint Out in Richland in 2022 and Gold Award at the Camelback Gallery International Online Juried Visual Arts Competition Autumn 2021.

Min studied with the legendary contemporary masters Matt Smith and Kyle Ma. She mainly works from life. She masterfully captures the beauty of nature and strives for impressionistic loose strokes blended with a classical realism that explores the interplay of shapes and light.

Kelly Bailey

Kelly discovered his love of plein air painting at an early age, growing up surrounded by the pristine scenery of the South Island of New Zealand. Following a rewarding, 30-year career in music composition and game design, Kelly returned to traditional fine arts, and now paints full time in the Pacific Northwest. He is drawn to scenes of solitude found in nature, agriculture and in the artificial landscapes of urban industry. He explores subjects of rural life, and the effects of time, weather and disuse upon iconic American locales. He is honored to have recently been awarded the Curator’s Choice top prize for his piece “Water Lines” in Graphite Gallery, Edmonds WA, and to have received Best In Show for his piece “Low Tide, Deception” in the PNWAS Whideby Island paint out.

Victoria Bond

I love the inspiration which scenery of the mountain west provides. I seek to capture patterns, shapes, reflections, backlit clouds and shadows showcasing the images selected. My works have been selected and invited to several juried national and regional exhibits, (Yellowstone Gateway Museum, ERA Sweetpea Winter Art Show, solo show at Zoot, Livingston Center of Art and Culture) in Montana and participated in the International Magic Valley Art and Soul competition in Twin Falls Idaho.

I am a self taught artist and began painting when I was young. I have spent many years adventuring throughout the mountain west beginning as a geologist and mountain climber, followed by skiing and flying in the backcountry of Idaho and Utah.

Tyler Cartier

Tyler Cartier is an artist, originally from Yakima, Washington, now living in Seattle. His work mainly focuses on vintage and everyday items that exhibit a genuine — and often overlooked — design beauty that speaks to the spirit and sensibilities of a particular era; primarily the 1960’s. Since reengaging in art after many years, his works have been exhibited across the Pacific Northwest, Colorado, New York and California.

Sharol Chandler

Sharol Chandler’s paintings have primarily focused on scenes in the Wallowa mountains of northeast Oregon. Living and hiking in this area all her adult life has allowed her to build a kinship with our forests, rivers, creeks, and mountains.

Watching the colors, shadows, reflections, atmosphere, and constantly shifting light fascinates Sharol. She wants to show the grandeur in the natural environment and allow the viewer to feel they are walking right into the landscape. To Sharol, there is no greater compliment than having someone say they know exactly where that scene is because they have been there.

Galleries in Oregon, Idaho, and Washington have displayed her paintings, including the National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center. Currently, Sharol’s paintings are on display at Valley Bronze Gallery in Joseph, Oregon. Her work has received numerous awards. Sharol Chandler’s paintings are collected nationally.

Joan Eckman

Joan’s love of art developed at an early age and that has continued. Life changed drastically at age 22 after a skydiving accident left her partially paralyzed. She continues her love of the outdoors and art through plein air painting with the help and encouragement of her husband and use of crutches. Most of her finished work is done in studio, and most of her inspiration is derived from the wilderness and rural areas of the Pacific Northwest. Joan states, “there is so much beauty around us and life lessons to be learned. Hang onto the beauty.”

Laura Gable

Growing up in a rural mid-western setting, gave birth to Laura’s appreciation for the landscape. She finds inspiration in nature’s vast spaces, as well as close intimate vignettes filled with texture, pattern and transient areas of light and shadow. Her oil paintings hold a spontaniety and color harmony that comes from deep observation and painting en plein air. She is especially fond of Russian Impressionism. She resides in Kennewick, WA.

Leslie Ann Hauer

Leslie Ann Hauer lives and paints on Washington’s dry east side. She is drawn to dramatic contrasts of light and shadow, finding details in the landscape, the mystery of old and abandoned structures, and the fascinating way water swirls and curls and both reflects and transmits light. She has had work accepted by regional and national juried shows, and even–occasionally!–won an award. She loves the joy and frustration of painting en plein air, and hopes that the immediacy of working on-site to capture a moment in time and space also imbues her studio work.

Paul Hoelscher

Life is more inspiring than ever, and it is a greater privilege than ever, to be able to live an Artist’s life here and now. It is a joy to be inspired, and to design, and to create, and to share. Peace and joy to each of you.

Gillian Hunt

Warm yellow light glistens off a subtly violet-hued, jagged rock that pokes through a coastal morning fog. I plein air paint landscapes—a sunrise on Haystack Rock, the skyline of Monument Valley, a seaside view of Old San Juan. Warm magentas and oranges shout a spirited welcome to the viewers of my gouache and mixed-media paintings. Moments of these bold colors sprinkled throughout the collection bring cohesion to a series painted across multiple time zones and environments.

I create my work outside in the elements, with limited supplies. I get a thrill from working quickly, racing the changing light and weather.

Through my plein air paintings, I investigate how natural landscapes can be imbued with visual moments of story and personality. My paintings evoke a feeling of nostalgia. I hope viewers see them and feel like they want to return to a place, even if they’ve never been.

My pieces have exhibited in galleries in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Portland.

Kathy Hur

The paintings are inspired by ordinary places that can become extraordinary; either because of an emotional memory or events surrounding that place. I work with color, form, line and texture towards that end. Acrylic paint works well with my intuitive process because it dries quickly, allowing changes to be made without a lot of downtime. My goal is to produce a visual work that pushes what we “know” about a scene and takes us to a different level of perception. Kathy has lived in the Upper Midwest, West Texas and now the Pacific Northwest. She earned a degree in studio art at Texas Tech University. Art remained on hobby status until several years ago. Workshops and museum trips combined with hours in the studio have brought her to this point. She has participated in numerous regional and national shows and competitions. More of her work can be seen online at kathyhurfineart.com or in person at Red Trillium Gallery in Troutdale, OR.

Kai McGuire

My name is Kai McGuire and I am from the Big Island of Hawaii. I am of Irish, English, Filipino, and Hawaiian ancestry. I was fortunate to live in Salem, OR while attending Willamette University. During my free time, I frequented Pacific City where I would often surf at Cape Kiwanda. In 2019, I moved to Hilo, Hawaii.

My artistic goal is to express natural energies that reminds viewers of natural phenomena that is more often seen in astrophotography, satellite imagery, microscopic images, photographs of fire, lava and oceans, etc. I find painting to be a spiritual and emotional healing activity – particular in the evenings. Selecting colors and pouring out the energy of each day onto canvas allows me to more fully experience the next. I especially enjoy creating pieces as gifts for friends and family.

I am grateful for this potential opportunity to share my artwork with the people of Oregon who were so hospitable and kind to me during my residency in the PNW. Aloha, a hui hou, mah.

Ken Rupel

Retired Architect, volunteering in the National Parks, featuring a Ranger program of Oil Painting demonstrations.

Chuck St. John

My process as a painter of the landscape starts with a close observation of the natural world around me, and then paying attention to shapes, values, and light that might provide a compelling story for the viewer. I try to identify where relationships can be pushed and pulled to provide drama for the viewer. My work is always evolving of course, but over time I have tried to incorporate a looser style, rather than an exact rendering. In this way, the viewer can visually wander and fill in the blanks, based on what they see as interesting and what draws them in . My hope is that these works are enjoyable and meaningful for all.

Melanie Thompson

Trained as a graphic designer but always an artist at heart, I was first motivated to paint the landscape after working three seasons as a wildland firefighter. Never having spent much time outdoors, I worked for weeks at a time with my crew digging fireline, monitoring fire behavior, hiking, and sleeping under the stars. The immense scale and power of nature captured my imagination, and the landscape has been my muse ever since.

I gather inspiration on hikes and road trips, exploring the American West. I paint on location as often as possible, both to capture the beauty of a particular moment and also to deepen my understanding of the effects of light and atmosphere. Whether painting on location or in the studio, I strive to show the beauty of the wild places around all of us.

David Wachs

David Wachs paints exclusively landscapes from adventures in the alpine and deserts he traverses on skis, on foot and by motorcycle in the summer months after the snow has melted. Every painting is a scene found and expressed with the immediacy of discovery and impression. Working from sketches and photographs made in the field at his studio in the historic Jennings Hotel, Joseph has been a very productive environment. His work is in public and private collections from New York to Berlin, up and down the west coast.

PHOTOGRAPHY

Michelle Adams

As a fine art landscape and nightscape photographer, I’m inspired by the beauty and mystery of the natural world and cosmos. My work captures awe-inspiring sights, from sweeping landscapes to the mesmerizing night sky, inviting viewers to experience the wonder and tranquility these scenes evoke. I pursue this form of art to inspire curiosity and exploration.

In my photography, I utilize advanced techniques such as focus stacking, panoramic stitching, and star stacking. These methods allow me to capture intricate details and expansive views, bringing each scene to life with vivid clarity, color, and depth. My preferred medium is digital photography, which provides the flexibility and precision needed to create stunning, detailed images.

My work evokes a sense of wonder, allowing viewers to experience sights they may never see in person. I strive to encourage exploration and advocate for the preservation of our natural resources and dark skies.

Jamie Brewer

A self taught wildlife photographer, who discovered her love for photography while attending collage. Jamie loves capturing images that drive her audience to discover more about the wild world in which we live. Traveling around the west, bringing home images found in her amazing photography that tell an engaging story. Jamie spends her time working full time as a graphic artist for a national sign company, her family, a Golden doodle named Barley, and the eminence high western deserts. Occasionally you will find her faithful husband Bryan and dog Barley tagging along on her epic wild adventures.

Matthew Coppola

Matthew Coppola invites you to explore the profound beauty of our beloved Oregon. Originally from New York City, but captivated by the open road, his work reveals a deep sense of nostalgia and discovery. His images are not just reflections of the road, but explorations of the human spirit and the quest for meaning. Through his lens, he hopes to spark a sense of wonder and introspection, encouraging you to see the extraordinary in the everyday, and to embark on your own journey of self-discovery.

Paul Freidel

I am Paul Freidel, a photographer from Lostine, Oregon. My work aims to capture the essence of this remote, rural corner of Oregon, emphasizing the natural light, dynamic landscapes of mountains and prairies, and the connection between people, animals, and land, all reflecting the area’s rich, diverse rural heritage.

Sylvia Hosie

I am a fine art photographer whose work ranges from nature to equine to the history and legacy of the American West. I have worked in this medium since 1981. The camera is a tool to record what I see and feel about a location or animal. It captures a moment in time, a mood, a gesture; something that resonates with me. All that affects my interpretation of the scene. Today I am completely digital and love the ability to give some of my images a looser, more stylized look. Some others may be composites of multiple photos and textures.

Hall Jameson

Most of my photography centers on capturing the diverse landscapes and incredible wildlife in the Pacific Northwest. I have lived in this region for over 25 years and have photographed extensively in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and southern Vancouver Island. I enjoy researching and traveling to new sites for photography projects. I hold a Bachelor of Fine Art in Art History and love learning about new art trends and pushing the boundaries of my work.

Robert Kemp

Drawing, Painting and Photography have been lifelong passions of mine, while pursuing a long career in graphic design. I have drawn and painted since childhood, including life drawing of models since I was 14, which remains a focus of my work. My photos focus on travel photography, street photography, and architecture, the older the better. I have shot in my Western US and many countries of Western Europe and Asia. I often print my photos in black and white. I am most moved by contrasting light and visual textures of ordinary scenes and details, in both urban and rural areas.

Rick McEwan

We live in a world where we document, through photography, our instances in time. Photographs capture our memories and define our visual world. To hold a photograph is to hold a memory. Photographic memories are experienced through our changing personal beliefs. Thus, we see and understand photographs, as we do the world we photograph, through our personal filters. Photographs are always of the past from the moment the image is created, yet they exist always in the present. This dichotomy creates mystery and complicates perception of photography. Photographs are thus complex concepts conveying meaning, which every person sees and understands differently. Photographic images tell stories of an instance in time. Seen from afar the photographic images, in my work, have the characteristics of an impressionist painting. Seen up close, the collection of images contributes to the story of the depicted scene, which in itself is an interconnected instance in time.

Harold Black

Harold and Linda moved to Wallowa County from the west side in 1994. He has been a member of the Wallowa Valley Photo Club since almost the beginning and has shown in local galleries. He currently lives in Lostine.

David Brunkow

After a 45 year career in Corporate and Event photography, I’m enjoying a working retirement. I continue to be a hands on photographer from the capture of the image to the finished product. From digital, to print and beyond, I am involved with every phase of the finished output. Please visit David Photography in Joseph, OR or davidbrunkowphotography.com.

Eric Demattos

My work in photography explores the dichotomy created between presence and absence. Within my images there is an unraveling narrative. When an image of abandonment is joined with the presence of an observer it fills the space and activates the content portrayed in each piece.

The derelict homes that I feature in my work are ones that once seemed so permanent, they remind me of the temporal nature of our existence. Abandoned homes don’t just represent decay but speak to much bigger issues of life like temporality and the relationship between the earth and our bodies. The places I seek out make me stop and confront ends as ends. There is something significant and bittersweet in endings presented by forgotten places.

Sven Geirnaert

Welcome. I’m Sven Geirnaert, a 42-year-old artist from Belgium. Three years ago, my wife and I made Wallowa County our home. As a new dad, social worker, and man of the outdoors, I find myself constantly inspired by its beauty and vibrant community.

I thoroughly enjoy merging my passion for photography with my love for printmaking and framing.

Thank you for being here and taking in our work.

Sven

Pine Irwin

I grew up a tough farm kid in northern Idaho surrounded by a way of life that was often viewed ‘old fashioned.’ I use my camera to photograph the things that reflect my own experiences, and those of the people around me with a keen eye towards the animals that share our existence in an ever modernizing world. My camera captures the world I know and love through a lens of deep adoration for animals.

David Jensen

I began photographing the landscapes of the western United States fifty years ago, and I am still doing it. In recent decades, I have been concentrating my efforts on northeast Oregon. Loaded with an absurd number of photos, my new website gives a better summation of my efforts than any any written statement. Please visit: davidjensenphotographics.com

David McCrae

The history of photography is replete with examples of image capture without a camera. My series, ‘From a Scanner, Darkly,’ began when I had no time to work with film. Instead, a scanner and a computer became my substitute for photosensitive materials and a darkroom. The subject matter initially came from the pantry and the garden. Food and flowers; simple subjects but not mundane, for they feed the body and the mind.

In 2015, we saw a show of sumi-e paintings at the Frye Art Museum in Seattle and I was inspired. These images are heavily manipulated to turn a color photograph into a sumi-e style image. This series, Sumi-esque, is on Niyodo kozo mulberry paper.

The latest work, ‘From a Scanner, Lightly,’ started when I bought an inexpensive scanner that is powered by the USB port of a laptop. I was excited to go outside to see what would obtain. The scanner provides unique images when operated in bright light, an unintended mode of operation.

Bryan Sabol

Throughout history, people have used stories to entertain, explain, or provide a common point of reference to the human experience. Each culture has tales of heroes undertaking epic journeys, of love and loss, and even of magical creatures or powers hidden in nature.

My work feeds this hunger for stories. By combining landscape photography with fanciful narratives, I encourage viewers to consider deeper meanings by stimulating our most powerful sense: the imagination. The text acts as a creative seed, engaging the viewer in some photographs via first-person (“I”) or second-person (“You”) descriptions; other images’ inanimate subjects gain human-like qualities or supernatural powers.

My process begins with capturing images that transform the natural into something remarkable. I then take inspiration from the tone of each scene to build a narrative that prompts the questions, “How did this come to be? What happens next?” The answer is unique to each person’s interpretation.

PRINTMAKING

René Fleming

Exploring the backcountry and mountains of Eastern Oregon is my passion. While hiking on a trail or driving down a country road I am often thinking about how I can interpret the landscape and its inhabitants into a creative piece of art.

Katherine McDowell

Katherine McDowell is a versatile visual artist currently focusing on monotype printmaking. Prints from the “Lake Monotype” series have been selected for 11 solo exhibitions in Oregon & Washington and accepted into over 50 national juried group exhibitions.

Her work is represented by The Portland Art Museum’s Rental Sales Gallery. Her prints can also be purchased at The Josephy Center for Arts and Culture in Joseph, Oregon.

Katherine is a juried artist member of The Boston Printmakers, Print Arts Northwest, The Monotype Guild of New England, and the Los Angeles Printmaking Society. She teaches printmaking at Wildcraft Studio School in Portland, Oregon and has been an invited Guest Artist at Oregon Society of Artists.

Silje Harlander

Certain places linger in my subconscious. Growing up with half my family an ocean away in Norway, I’ve always held space in my heart for loved ones and language and landscapes thousands of miles away. I saw how miscellaneous and peculiar things – cow-tailed trolls, rose-painted wedding bowls, sailor tattoos on my Morfar’s forearm, felt slippers – contain currents of fondness and nostalgia for this place I love. How my separation feels like a long-distance romance. Visions of midsummer night in bleak winter.

Places can buoy the heart and anchor sorrow. I am fascinated by the intimacy, imagery, and associations we layer onto places that captivate us. My art often starts as an exploration of these layers. I search for fluidity and freedom in subject matter, materials, and process. I draw inspiration from flora, fauna, and fantasy around me, and the lore within landscapes.

Jessie Swimeley

As a print-based mixed media artist, Jessie Swimeley finds great joy in uncovering beauty and significance in the insignificant. Pushing the boundaries of what a photograph can be, she creates images that delve into the patina of life, examining how we are changed by the landscape we inhabit and how we change that landscape in return. Jessie is the 2024 Artist in Residence at City of Rocks National Preserve in Idaho, where she is working on printing native plants for her series Botanical Heritage. She resides in Caldwell, Idaho with her partner Joel and cats Nigel and Zoey. You can follow her on Instagram @jessies6005 to see her latest works and projects.

SCULPTURE

Shayne Watkins

The limited edition bronze sculpture of Bengal Pride is a one-sixth-life model of the 1.5-life-size Bengal Pride bronze monument created by Shayne Watkins for the new Lewiston High School in Lewiston, Idaho. Shayne Watkins is a wildlife and western artist specializing in bronze sculpture and scratchboard. With a love of music, art, and hiking in the great outdoors, he explores the back roads and seldom-seen places in America’s inland northwest as much as possible. Shayne is an Idaho native with a passion for wildlife, explorers and pioneers of the west. He gleans inspiration from nature, outdoor experiences, and his family’s rich history in Idaho for creating his music and artwork. He and his wife, Alane, reside in Deary, Idaho.

OTHER

Janis Carper

Janis Carper is a visual artist, songwriter, and musician living in Enterprise, Oregon for the past twenty-three years. She draws inspiration from nature, dark corners of old buildings, bright blue skies, dusty backroads, and the many shades and shapes of the human heart. She enjoys painting and creating with mixed media; collaging, and most recently, gel plate printing. When not making music or art, Janis is often found wandering and foraging in the Wallowa County forestlands with her big brown dog.

Roberta LaChance

I hand make yarn wrapped (rope core) bowls/baskets, wall hangings and rope sewed baskets. 50 years ago I made one and have now returned to the craft.

Carol McLaughlin

Carol McLaughlin is an award-winning local artist who works in many art disciplines. Carol has been featured in Joseph Oregon’s longest-running fine art gallery, Aspen Grove Gallery, since 1988. Carol was also a highlighted artist on Oregon’s PBS TV show, Artbeat.

Pattie Palmer-Baker

Pattie Palmer-Baker is a Portland, Oregon artist who creates collages of paste paper with calligraphy of the artist’s poetry. Paste paper is an ancient decorated paper technique wherein the artist paints color mixed with artist-made paste on wet paper. Before the paint-paste dries, the artist uses texture-making tools to form designs on the surface. Pattie creates specific shapes and images to illustrate the poem she has in mind. Once dried, Pattie cuts out the images and assembles them in a collage with the poem penned around the edges of the final artwork. Her calligraphic style is based on the 8th century Carolingian letterforms, a clear and manageable script that was established by the educational reforms of Charlemagne in the latter part of the 8th and early 9th centuries.

Susan Pesti-Strobel

After many years of teaching English composition and English Literature at different universities, Susan Pesti-Strobel has returned to a lifelong fascination with making art. Because she enjoys texture, colors, and simply the process of making things, she has been working with fibers, and has exhibited at art shows at the Josephy Center in Joseph, OR.

Michelle L. Purvis

As a mixed-media artists based in Portland Oregon I find endless inspiration in the natural environment. My process often involves layering various materials such as acrylic paint, charcoal, thread, paper, or pastels, creating subtle depth and texture in each piece. The unpredictable nature of mixed-media allows me to push the boundaries of traditional landscape. I hope my work inspires my audience to see the world around them in a new light, to look for the beauty and mystery in the everyday.

Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest I have been a professional artist since 2005. As a self-taught artist for the first half of my career I focused my practice on sustainability. In 2017 I received my Bachelors Degree in Art Practices, Magna Cum Laude from Portland State. My subject matter and muted color palette started focusing on surreal story telling and emotional relationships. Since 2021 I have received 5 awards throughout the Northwest and participate in multiple shows every month.

Tom Clement

Power, order, beauty and harmony are found throughout creation and are often pondered by man. The geologic and biologic spheres are replete with divine artistries which sometimes interface in remarkable ways; for instance, metal and stone, stone and wood, stone and stone.

For the past 30 years Tom has collected an array of beautiful wood, stone and metal from around the world, and has sought to meld these primary elements into artistic expressions that would exhibit something unusual, beautiful and valuable. This seldom is an easy task as the unique, native art potential in each medium must be complemented rather than compromised in the finished work.

He has found therefore, that every part of a multi-media piece must be viewed as a work of art in itself so that the observer sees perhaps different worlds or perspectives, in the finished piece.

Over one of his workstations is the following: “If every part is a work of art, the work completed will be a work apart.”

Pam Little

Pam is always attracted to the light in a landscape as it differs during the seasons. Whether at home or on wildlife watching trips to Yellowstone or the Northern Rockies, animals and birds big and small also provide continual reasons creating artwork.

Sherry Sherman

Sharry Sherman, long-time resident of Eastern Oregon, has been designing jewelry for several years. Sherman has had an eye for pretty rocks and stones all her life and has a deep appreciation for the beauty in her natural surroundings.

Sherman uses mostly semi-precious gemstones in her creations. Sharry especially loves mixing stones and metals together in new combinations. Her excitement of completion of a special piece begins with the idea and continues through the selection of the piece worn by just the perfect person.

In 2022 Sherman was the recipient of the Outstanding Jewelry Award at Art Center East in La Grande. Sharry regularly participates in art shows Josephy Center, Crossroads Carnegie Art Center in Baker City, as well as in La Grande.

Constance Soballe

Like a lot of people everywhere the pandemic changed my life. It opened a new and exciting way for me to see and explore the world around me through ART. In the past year and a half I’ve had the joy of developing my style through watercolor and pyrography (woodburning).

I started burning images on juniper wood rounds. As my skill grew, I added color and different woods. I hike as often as I can on the Butte near my house; there is always something beautiful to see. I can’t do anything that I don’t have that connection to, either the grain of the wood, the shape of the flower or the unexpected colors in nature.

My process is not complicated. If something interests me, it will find it’s way into my art. I’ve discovered that good wood or an interesting plate or branch shouldn’t be wasted. Finding them is as difficult and as important as the image I create.
My art is representative of my journey and I hope others enjoy traveling with me.