New ( Little) Paintings

I love making these little 6"x6" paintings.  These three will be making their debut at the Wild Arts Festival this weekend at Montgomery Park in Portland.  There is a link at the bottom of this post for a two for one admission coupon.  

The first one is one of my favorite spots to paint on Sauvie Island, just off Rentenaar Rd.   It's a beautiful place, and has the added bonus that I can park on the side of the road and paint right out of the back of my car.  It seems like there aren't very many places around here where that is possible.  

Our Little Corner of the World   6x6  pastel  N Equall

This second painting was done on location at the Beaverton Creek Wetlands Natural Area, from the little bridge.  This painting was done plein air, which simply means it was done outside, on location.  

Beaverton Creek   6x6 plein air pastel   N Equall

This third painting was also plein air, and was also painted on Rentenaar Rd on Sauvie Island.  This canal is further down the road from the other location- almost to the dike, just before the boundary gate.  It was painted on a beautiful October afternoon, with sandhill cranes hanging out in the field to the right of the canal.  Their cooing conversations were magic.  

The Space Between   6x6  plein air pastel   N Equall

Click here for 2 for 1 coupon for admission to the Wild Arts Festival

Countdown to the Wild Arts Festival (and a link for a 2 for 1 admission coupon)

I'm feverishly working to get ready for the Audubon Wild Arts Festival this weekend (November 22 and 23) at Montgomery Park in Portland.  It's bananas around here!  I've got stacks of new greeting cards,and a bunch of new paintings all framed and ready to go.  I'm excited about the tan kraft paper shopping bags that were just delivered, ready to be filled with a new painting, crisp white tissue, and a black raffia bow.  

My booth will be located on the second floor.  From the escalator, it will be on the far right aisle, third booth in (#48).  I'm still pinching myself that I'm in the show- I'm just thrilled to pieces.

Here are a couple of  new paintings that I'll be bringing to the show...

Crow Family Portrait IX   12x12 pastel  N Equall

click the link below for the coupon

 Wild Arts Festival 2 for 1 admission coupon

Chip- The Indoor Cat    16"x16" pastel  N Equall



 Hopefully bringing the cat to an Audubon Society art show doesn't ruffle any feathers!

Wild Arts Festival Postcard

Here is the postcard for the Wild Arts Festival.  I'm so excited to have my crow painting featured on the card!  Happily, the original is available, and will be at the show.

I just shot some new photos of the little crow family that dines here at my house, so I will be working feverishly to have some new crow paintings to show at the festival.

Crow Family Portraits VII  12x12 pastel

What's New?

Here we are...November already!  The summer absolutely flew by.  I  have one new paintings to show, and a lot of work that needs a little more attention before it's ready for viewing. 

 I participated in Roseburg's Umpqua Plein Air competition in September, and am finishing up three paintings for the Oregon Society of Artists "200 for $200" show that opens this Friday night.  I'll post those soon- they're not quite finished yet.  I also participated in my first Painter's Showcase show at the end of September.  This painting won an honorable mention...

Goosey V  11x14 pastel

So now I'm working to get ready for the Portland Audubon Society's Wild Arts Festival, November 22 &23 at Montgomery Park in Portland.  I was thrilled to find out that they used one of my paintings on the promotional postcard as well as the two for  one coupon.  Sweet!!!
 Click here for 2 for 1 coupon- Wild Arts Festival

May 2014

I've been busy painting at Lusher Farm for Plein Air: A Chronicle of Lake Oswego.  It was such a wonderful surprise to be invited to participate, and it's been an adventure trying to get back into the plein air groove.  It's coming back...slowly.

One of the best parts of Lusher Farm for me is the dog park.  It's big, the views of the hillside and farm are beautiful, there are nice restrooms and safe parking.  I took Deuce, my sweet chocolate lab, with me to paint last weekend.  It was his 11th birthday, so to celebrate he got to spend an entire afternoon in the previously unexplored timid/shy dog area of the dog park.  It was great!  In the past, we've gone to the big, all purpose dog area.  The last time we went I realized that while my boy is still full of fun, he can't keep up with packs of young adult big dogs.  So we tried the other area.  Deuce had a blast meeting a steady stream of non-aggressive dogs that were more into sniffing then wrestling.  I met some very nice folks who had their dogs there for some off leash fun, and got started on a couple paintings for possible inclusion in the plein air event.

On Monday, I went to my first Painter's Showcase meeting.  I'm so excited to be a new member!  I had to pinch myself- I was sitting there with more than twenty of the area's finest artists that chose me to be in their group.  I'm thrilled to be part of PS, am excited to get to know the other members, and be part of the big show they put on in September.

I also received notice today that I've been accepted into the Wild Arts Festival in November.  Yippee!  I was rejected a couple of years ago, but tried again this year with a more cohesive body of work, and a clearer vision of what I really want to be painting.  Birds.  Wetlands.  Nature Refuges.  Repeat!

I am so happy to have these awesome additions to my art show calendar.  It feels great!

No more procrastinating!

With minimal fanfare, I present my blog!

This little piece is oil on canvas, 6"x6". The title is "Aristophanies, the Uncommon Raven". This was donated to the 2010 Wild Arts Festival, and was sold at the event. Aristophanies is a raven that is cared for by the Audubon Society of Portland. He is used for educational purposes, and has quite the personality.