Friday, June 19, 2015

Oswego Creek[s]

                                            Shade and Sunlight oil on canvas 20x20

 It had been months since I had entered the small dense canyon Oswego Creek flows through. When I was plein air painting there a couple of weeks ago I remembered seeing it for the first time about 6 years earlier. Back then on the weekends, we would explore parks and preserves all over the Metro area. Our neighborhood in SE Portland was devoid of trees and beauty and we needed to be in something a little bit natural. One of the destinations was George Rogers Park in Lake Oswego where through a minor detour we discovered this wildly beautiful little groove in the earth with a highway and a city above it. After moving here it became the subject of many paintings. Here are some others;


                                              Oswego Spring oil on canvas 24x30


                                     Oswego Spring Study watermedia and oil on Yupo 12x9


                                      The Cliff Joins the Water oil on canvas 48x60


                                                 Oswego Creek Study oil on paper 10x10


                                                 Oswego Creek oil on canvas 36x60

 Everyone should see this place! Park at George Rogers and set out along the walking path south of the lot. Instead of following the river, turn right just past the footbridge. Keep going forward under the highway bridge until you get to the pool close to the dam. It`s worth a trip to see and it was a wonderful experience to paint there.


                                                                     Amen!
                                   


Faith + Doubt  =  Sanity
_Barbara Kruger


work for sale in my studio


                                 



5 comments:

Libby Fife said...

Beautiful (and judicious) use of color! Very elegant. I like them all but the first and fourth are my favorites. They remind me of some of the creek spaces that I have seen recently. There is a quality about them that really resonates with me. Makes me think that you live in some kind of a fantasy land:):):)

Mitch said...

What a beautiful series of paintings, Randall, and this from only one of your places of inspiration! In this long string of hot, sunny days, it's good to find refuge in the cool shade of this spot.

E.M. Corsa said...

That first painting spoke to me Randall. The first award I ever won was for a watercolor painting of a rock.

The quote felt like it was written for me. Thanks for that. Just what I needed tonight.

Angelique said...

Gorgeous colors! The first one really caught my attention and drew me in. I love the use of red in the third one. Beautiful work!

BlueHwyGal said...

Double Amen! This series is perfect as we enter the heat of summer - I feel cooler and more tranquil just resting my eyes upon them. And I will seek out your little crease of paradise.... '-)