Plein Air Wonderland!

Beginnings  11x14  pastel  plein air  painted at The Gorge White House  Hood River, OR

What an amazing summer this has been!  I just finished up the Pacific Northwest Plein Air 2011 in the Columbia River Gorge, put on by the Columbia Center for the Arts in Hood River.  This was a juried event, which means artists applied before the event with an application and samples of their work, and in this case forty artists were selected to participate.  I was thrilled to be selected!  The rules were pretty straightforward- up to five paintings could be submitted, and they had to have been painted in the previous two years.  And they were to be plein air paintings, meaning they were painted in the open air, not in the studio.

Above the Orchards  11x14  pastel  plein air 

I didn't have five paintings to submit.  I had one, and it didn't thrill me.  This event has an associated five days of paintouts.  In previous years, a majority of the paintings sold at the show were created during the paintouts, so I didn't freak out too much about not having completed paintings going in.  OK, I was a bit stressed that I didn't have a backup plan in case my paintout work wasn't up to snuff, but I didn't have a lot of choice in the matter.

Investing in Gold  pastel  plein air  11x14

Before the paintouts started on August 25, I made sure I had all the supplies I would need for framing, the actual frames, and my sand paper mounted onto boards.  I decided to try to frame without mats where possible to make the framing easier, which was a good choice for me.  I ended up with one painting that needed a mat, but I had extras already cut and ready to go.  I cleaned the car out, had dog supplies, extra shoes, and had the housework done and groceries stocked up.  

Haven  8x10  pastel  plein air

My one regret is that I didn't make arrangements to stay in Hood River during the paintout.  I drove back and forth from SW Portland.  The drive is beautiful, but it was difficult seeing that beautiful light in the early mornings and evenings and being stuck driving instead of painting.  There are two hostels in the area that I considered trying out, but they don't allow dogs.  I consider Deuce to be an essential art of my plein air equipment- he keeps an eye out while I'm submerged in painting.  He also insists on occasional breaks and helps me explore an area before settling down to paint.  He rarely complains and is very good company.

I was out painting four out of the five days, and went to three of the painting locations.  I absolutely adored one the the locations on a plateau above the town of Mosier, five miles east of Hood River, and spent two very full days painting there.  Three of the paintings I submitted were painted there- Haven, Looking Back and Investing in Gold.  The other two (Beginnings and Above the Orchard) were painted at The Gorge White House, up hwy 35 south of Hood River.  

The show starts this Friday September 2, 2011 at the Columbia Center for the Arts in Hood River with a preview party from 4-6pm and the opening reception from 6pm to 8pm.  The public is invited.  The gallery show will continue thru September 25.

Looking Back  10x20 pastel  plein air

A Wild Sequel- sold!

Thanks to an anonymous comment here on my blog, I called Currents Gallery and found out  my painting "A Wild Sequel" sold.  Apparently it is hanging in Manzanita.  Yeah!  What a lovely surprise!

I painted it at Wild Rain Lavender in Yamhill, one of my favorite places.  It's funny how every once in a while you find a place that just feels right.  This is one of those places for me.  I love painting for the Yamhill Lavender Festival, and I'm thrilled my poppies are brightening up a corner of Manzanita!

A Wild Sequel  pastel  24x24  -sold

Indian Ford Meadow- Judges Choice!

I had a great time in Sisters. My husband Paul rode his motorcycle over, and we stayed in Camp Sherman.   The paintout site (Indian Ford Meadow) was stunning.  I was fortunate to be able to visit the site the evening before the paintout.  This was a timed paintout, so we could start painting at 9 am and had to have framed pieces delivered to Sisters Art Works (about 3 miles away) by 1 pm.

There were about 40 painters , and a couple of photographers and support people with bottled water for the painters who came by at least every hour during the painting period.  I was working near the creek that runs through the property, and had a sweet little view of lupines growing in their own little meadow.  I even had a deer hanging out with Deuce and I for a while.  Apparently she didn't think we were any kind of threat since she browsed for about ten minutes less than twenty feet away from us.  Deuce is getting used to deer, although he would love to have a little chase if I said it was ok.  He has listened to me (so far) when there are wild creatures around, and has had wonderful manners.  If I said go to him, he'd be off like a shot, but that isn't going to happen on my watch.

Later in the day at the artists reception, I was shocked to find out I won the Judges Choice Award.  My painting will stay in Sisters and will be on display in September at Sisters Art Works.  My friend Patty Gifford's painting was also selected as the poster award winner, and both of our paintings will be used for promotional purposes.  

Bravo to the Deschutes Land Trust for preserving some of this beautiful and irreplaceable country!  Indian Ford Meadow is a real gem, and I look forward to visiting (and painting) it again when I'm in the area!

Paint-out in Paradise

Posted by Karyn Verzwyvelt at Jul 27, 2011 12:50 PM | Permalink

Meadow View by Denise Rich. Photo: Maret Pajutee

Paint-Out In Paradise
By Maret Pajutee, July 23, 2011

White parasols bloomed on Indian Ford Meadow this weekend as 40 painters captured personal visions of the Deschutes Land Trust’s Indian Ford Meadow Preserve. 

Plein Air painters bloom at Indian Ford Meadow Preserve. Photo: Maret Pajutee

The event was the third “Tale of Two Rivers” open air painting competition, an idea of artist Kathy Deggendorfer, to help connect the talents of the art community to local watershed restoration work.  In the past two years, the partnership between the Roundhouse Foundation, the National Forest Foundation and the US Forest Service has produced striking images of Whychus Creek and the Metolius River that tell the story of wild places, water, forests, and people, without using words. 

Meadow Musings by Marty Stewart

The Deschutes Land Trust’s first property, Indian Ford Meadow, has a poignant story of its own that painters were ready to translate into swirls of color.  Indian Ford Creek is a spring fed tributary of Whychus Creek.  It headwaters emerge from the ground in a shaded grove at Paulina Springs located on Black Butte Ranch.  The creek feeds an unusual number of large moist meadows and aspen groves, a rare habitat in dry Central Oregon landscapes.  

Over 1,200 acres of meadows are directly associated with Indian Ford Creek, including Big Meadow at Black Butte Ranch, Glaze Meadow, Black Butte Swamp and Indian Ford meadow.  Tapped by early settlers for irrigation, the creek  often runs dry in the summer, rarely having enough flow to connect with Whychus Creek.  

In 1857 when adventurous engineers camped at Indian Ford Meadow their accounts describe “a little stream called by the

Youth winner Cole Seymour studies the view with Clay Warburton.<br /> Photo: Dennis Schmidling<br />

Indians Que-y-ee” which ran through a “fine open prairie at the foot of the black conical butte”.  Thanks to willing landowners and the Deschutes Land Trust, 154 years later the view is much the same.

Sisters Glow by Winnie Givot

Painters had 4 hours to create and deliver their framed images to Sisters Art Works for the competition.  

Local Artist Winnie Givot found the experience blissful, saying “I loved it... it was finally a glorious summer day.  We were well provided for.  I love painting at Indian Ford Meadow- its one of my favorite places”.

The next generation was also on task.  Seven students from Sisters Park and Recreation Painting class taught by Clay Warburton were intent in creating their own visions of the meadow.  Their bright graphic paintings had imaginative names, like Haley Schmidlings “Lessons from the Sage”.  

Haley and her seven year old sister Meike arrived by bike.  Meike won honorable mention with her piece “Black Butte Rising” and said “I thought it was really cool.  I like how there is space to see a lot of things.” 

Several painters found beauty in a scene graced by a fellow painter.  Both Jerry Dame and Norma Holmes captured other artists at work. 

Norma Holmes creates. Photo: Dennis Schmidling

Norma won the “Peoples Choice Award” with her ethereal watercolor titled “A Painters Paradise”.  Norma paints at the meadow often and appreciates the Land Trusts protection.  “Just knowing it’s been preserved it is a true painter’s paradise. You feel like you’re in a divine place, it’s just so easy to paint here”.  

The 40 painters captured images of a sunny July morning in a meadow surrounded by mountains in a variety of mediums ranging from pastels to acrylics to oils. 

Where Lupine Grow by Nathalie Equall.

Some found a pine that framed a special view, while others were captured by sage and snowy peaks.  Many dreamy landscapes contrasted with bold graphic images.  

Jean Nelson- Dean, Public Affairs Officer for the Deschutes National Forest introduced social media to “The Paint-out” through the Deschutes National Forest Twitter Feed.  She sent over 30 tweets with photos of the day as she roamed the preserve.  “It’s a great way to talk about an event in in a live way. Even if people couldn’t be here, they could experience it through photos and see the amazing artwork being created”.    

Nathalie Equall of Portland drew the judges approval for “Best of Show” with her image of lupines along Indian Ford Creek.  Nathalie had never been to a Deschutes Land Trust preserve before and was eager to see more.  “ There are a hundred paintings out here.  I took 400 pictures here last night.  I’m excited to see the other Land Trust properties.”

To see more photos from the Plein Air Paint Out, visit our Flickr page.

http://www.deschuteslandtrust.org/news-reports/blog/paint-out-in-paradise