Plein Air Oregon City

The day could not have been more beautiful, my subject could not possibly have been more complicated. On the rare occasion I paint on location, I sit down with the painting on my lap using watercolors. That didn`t work out so well, I couldn`t see what I wanted to paint.  So I stood on the Promenade, above the industrial district, balancing my board on a column and did my best. This was the view;

I`m not a straight line kind of painter but I`ve always thought the mills were fascinating visually. I focused on just a section of one a couple of years ago;

Earlier in the morning, John and I toured the defunct Blue Heron Paper Mill and heard all about the ideas to restore and develop the 23 acre abandoned property. The location is just sensational with the Willamette Falls right beside it. Oregon City was our state`s first capital and I also learned it was the first industrial area west of the Mississippi River with it`s mills and hydroelectric power station. This project is one of the most exciting urban redevelopment schemes I`ve ever heard of. I plan to be involved somehow. Below are some photos from the tour including one of my fiance! We got our marriage license yesterday from the great state of Washington! We need a wedding within 60 days!

available work in my studio

Portland Open Studios just a week away!