One of my all time favorite quotes:
"I wanted very much to learn to draw, for a reason that I kept to myself: I wanted to convey an emotion I have about the beauty of the world. It's difficult to describe because it's an emotion. It's analogous to the feeling one has in religion that has to do with a god that controls everything in the whole universe: there's a generality aspect that you feel when you think about how things that appear so different and behave so differently are all run "behind the scenes" by the same organization, the same physical laws. It's an appreciation of the mathematical beauty of nature, of how she works inside; a realization that the phenomena we see result from the complexity of the inner workings between atoms; a feeling of how dramatic and wonderful it is. It's a feeling of awe — of scientific awe — which I felt could be communicated through a drawing to someone who had also had this emotion. It could remind him, for a moment, of this feeling about the glories of the universe." ~Richard P. Feynman
ARTIST'S STATEMENT
Canvas, paint, brushes, camera, film, pen, paper, fingers, words, symbols, legends, poems, Earth Verse; these are the tools of my trade. Eyes are watching, seeking clues from that which surrounds me. Beauty is my language, it is what matters, and sometimes, spoken words just can't do it justice. The works I create are an expression of my love and respect for Nature: how important it is to feel connected with the elements, to understand my holistic place in the environment, and to satisfy my need for soulful connection to the natural world.
There are times when I must seek out moments of stillness; what I'm missing when I navigate the day to day of my life; rushing to get somewhere, to the next post on social media, to be somebody I think I should be. This is my practice of mindfulness, focusing on what is happening right now, within a constantly changing natural world, that continuously offers to sustain me, guiding and inspiring me for as long as I take the time to listen. My work reflects upon the beauty of wild nature simply enduring; going about its daily business, living in the present moment, at peace… and yet…still influenced by our presence.
BIO/CV
B.S., Textiles and related arts, California State University, Northridge / Ongoing independent study of philosophy, fine art photography and painting, as well as, writing prose and poetry.
I am a fourth generation Oregonian, currently residing in the Portland area. I have worked as a full time artist since 1997, a self-taught painter, photographer and poet. I create acrylic paintings and mixed media works on various substrates, as well as, fine art photographs using digital and vintage film cameras.
My images have been exhibited and collected worldwide, and are installed in many corporate collections. I have participated in exhibits in New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, and Los Angeles, at the Elmhurst Art Museum in Chicago, and in art centers throughout the nation. Below you'll find the most recent exhibitions. Some of my corporate clients include: Kern Thompson, Melvin Mark Companies, First American Title Company, Best Western Inn, Lockheed Martin, and Compass Science Communications.
Many of my images have been featured in publications such as Humana Obscura, calyx: a journal of art and literature by women, Pasadena Home, and Don’t Take Pictures Magazine. My writing pieces have been internationally published in various magazines, anthologies and poetry journals including VoiceCatcher, Thresholds Literary Magazine, and Animal Wellness magazine.
In 2017, I launched my first art book 'Chasing the Moon', with over 40 of my photographs and several of my poems. In 2018, 'BUILT', an art book that features all of my images purchased for the Union Bank Tower Art Collection in Portland OR. And in 2019, for the EXHALE exhibit, I created 'Forest', with over 80 of my photographs, in both color and B+W. All books are currently available for purchase on this website.
REPRESENTATION: Always seeking new representation / collaborations / venues / opportunities
2021-Present, Element Gallery, Joseph OR
2024-Present, Selected works, New Renaissance Bookshop, Portland OR
RESIDENCIES:
2018-2022, Artist-In-Residence, Union Bank Tower Building, Portland OR
EXHIBITS:
2023
'Art & Ecology', curated by Obi Kaufmann, O'Hanlon Center for the Arts, San Francisco, CA
'Small Works 2023', Curated show, Main Street Arts, Clifton Springs, New York
'The Fragile Beautiful Earth', invitational group show, Gallery Sitka East, Newport RI
'Little Works', Invitational show, Josephy Center for Art and Culture, Joseph OR
'Salon Des Refuses-Earth Day', invitational group show, Gallery Sitka, Shirley MA
'Women's Exhibit', Invitational group show, Josephy Center for Art and Culture, Joseph OR
2022
'Nature in the Abstract', Josephy Center For Art And Culture, Joseph, OR
'GOLDEN' invitational group show, Las Laguna Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA
'Circle of Seasons', Publication, Spring 2022, magazine, Poem and Photographic Images
'Flowers 4 Peace', Invitational group show, Red Bluff Art Gallery, Red Bluff CA
'All Around Oregon', Curated group show, The Art Center, Corvallis OR
2021
'The Red Wall Project', Solo Exhibit, curated Exterior Public Art, Portland OR
'A Fall of Rain', curated by Kat Kiernan, Rhode Island Center for Photographic Arts
Wallowa Valley Festival of the Arts, Joseph, OR
'Humana Obscura' , Publication, Fall/Winter 2021, magazine, 'Water, Lostine River'
2020
"The Wild Landscape-Expanding Views of Eastern Oregon", juried show, Josephy Center, Joseph OR
2019
'EXHALE: earth / forest', Solo exhibit w/ invited clay artist Chasse Davidson, Lincoln City Cultural Center, OR
'A River Runs Through Us', Invitational exhibit, Josephy Center for Arts and Culture, Joseph OR
'Green', Member show, Lincoln City Cultural Center, Lincoln City OR
"Blur", Invitational group exhibit, Linus Galleries, Los Angeles, CA
2018
'The Sacred', Curated by Robert Adams, Lightbox Photographic Gallery, Astoria OR
'Framed: Landscape Photography', curated group exhibit, Black Box Gallery, Portland OR
2017
'possible moments of consciousness', solo exhibit, Lan Su Chinese Garden, Portland OR
'Women's Art', juried show, Josephy Center for Arts and Culture, Joseph OR
'A Sense of Place', curated exhibit, Elmhurst Art Museum, Chicago IL
2016
"Reflections", curated group exhibit, Linus Gallery, Los Angeles CA
"Wish You Were Here", Juried exhibit, Tubac Center of the Arts, Arizona
"Wings: Flight in Fine Art", Juried exhibit, Josephy Center for Arts and Culture, Joseph OR.
2015
"The Wild Landscape", Juried exhibit, Josephy Center for Arts and Culture
“Weaving the Stories of Women’s Lives”, group exhibit, Josephy Center for Arts and Culture
"Black and White", group exhibit, Josephy Center for Arts and Culture
Clackamas County Arts Alliance, Artist Exhibit Program, solo show, City Hall at Oregon City, OR.
2014
'Farm to Plate', Don't Take Pictures magazine
West Linn Public Library Gallery, Group show with two other local artists, West Linn, OR
'Then. Now. Here", Photolucida Portland Photography Month, Portland OR
"Landscape: Looking at Photography", curated exhibit, Black Box Gallery, Portland OR
"Light and Memory", juried exhibit, A/NT Gallery, Seattle WA
"71 Percent", juried exhibit, Linus Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2013
'The Road Not Taken', juried exhibit, Lander Art Center, WY
“Slice of Life”, juried exhibit, Linus Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2012
“Hit the Road”, juried exhibit, Linus Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
AWARDS:
2022, Josephy Center for Arts and Culture, Honorable Mention Award, 'Nature in the Abstract', juried exhibit
'Driftwood, Abstract', Color photograph
2020, Josephy Center for Arts and Culture, Honorable Mention Award, 'The Wild Landscape', juried exhibit,
'Sunset, Imnaha Canyon' Acrylic painting on canvas
2015, Josephy Center for Arts and Culture, Second Place Award, ‘The Wild Landscape’, Juried Exhibit,
'Thunder Mountains' Monochrome photograph
2001, Wallowa County Festival of Arts, Joseph, OR, First Place Award, Professional Artist Category,
'Lotus in Sepia' Sepia toned photograph
MEMBERSHIPS:
2018-2020, Lincoln City Arts Center, Lincoln City OR
2019, Sponsoring Member, Lightbox Photographic Gallery, Astoria OR
2017, Newspace Center for Photographic Arts, PDX OR
2014-2016, Portland Art Museum, Photography Council, PDX OR
Bio Photo credit : Alyssa Deitz 2019 / MC Reardon 2021