This new painting comes from the little jewel of a preserve in West Linn OR called Camassia. It`s a Nature Conservancy property and sits on a bluff above the frenzy of Interstate 205. It`s not big but it has a lot of variety and it`s always empty. Its namesake, the beautiful blue Camas flower, is in bloom now.
I`ve admired this magnificent oak for years. On a night not comparatively wet or windy, it lost its grip and toppled. This tragedy was cleaned up quickly by the parks department. They cut it up into perfect fireplace lengths and the healthy trunk was sliced into table size rounds. An earnest young man was assessing the situation when I first encountered the scene. I thought he was trying to figure out a way to get such incredible firewood home. The next time I was in the park I saw this;
He made a fort! Bravo! We need more of these!
Here are some larger versions [24x24] of a series I did ten years ago of the Eola Hills wine country near Salem;
In the spirit of 'you only live once', we are going to spend a bunch of savings to go see Iceland up close. The idea occurred to me in Yellowstone as we were astounded by all its geothermal beauty in 2012.
Iceland has become quite popular since then. So I asked a native, tour designer to send us to places that were remote and gorgeous. That was the expensive part, but I did not want to visit waterfalls with 20 tour buses parked along side it.
The country is one of only two places in the world where the tectonic plates are visible, rising out of the ocean. And they are pulling apart too causing lots of volcanic activity! Could that be more exciting?! Pictures of that barren countryside remind me of the Southwest with its immense sight lines. Except cold. What fun!
Be sure to register to vote! Voting in the Oregon primary means you must register by mail by April 26!
In case any of you need to know more about me, Kelly Powers at Creative Catalyst reprinted an interview with me she did several years ago. CC makes educational painting videos and I wanted them to make one of me. They said no but Kelly said she would do an interview.
work for sale in my studio [updated]
1 comment:
If not now, when? Iceland sounds just right! Tectonic plates meeting, cold and wildness. Very primal somehow. It's a great idea.
I am registered and will be voting, thank you. And how could they not want to make a video? Hmph!
I like that series. Being in CA, I have seen a few vineyard paintings. These feel like vineyards without looking like a vineyard painting, if that makes sense. Beautiful places!
Take care and thank you for a good post.
Libby
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